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The Summer of Gaming has come and gone and left audiences with a boatload of game announcements and updates to keep them occupied for the coming year, at the very least.
With showcases from PlayStation, Xbox, Capcom, and other independent studios, this week and a half-long event delivered lots of titles yet still left much to be desired.
While a handy amount of these games were highly anticipated, with more news or announcements regarding them being extensively looked for, there were still a few completely absent ones. Certain games with a release date later this year were not showcased, while many with a 2023 launch date made the cut for this year's Summer of Gaming.
Note: This article reflects the writer's opinions.
Five games showcased as per expectations at Summer of Gaming
1) Resident Evil 4: Remake
After the successes of the Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes, many fans hoped that Capcom would announce a remake for Resident Evil 4. It was one granted during the State of Play event that kicked off the Summer of Gaming on June 2, 2022.
Resident Evil 4 is one of the most beloved games of the series, straying from the fixed camera angle of the previous titles and opting for a third-person over-the-shoulder mode.
This game was the perfect balance of action and horror that many people enjoyed, taking Leon to a village populated by infected. It served as an inspiration for RE: Village.
First appearing during the PlayStation State of Play, it later got a more in-depth look during Capcom's presentation towards the end of the Summer of Gaming event. It will be released on March 24, 2023, for the Xbox series X/S, PS5, and PCs.
2) Street Fighter 6
The next street fighter game also got an official gameplay trailer and some more news in the Summer of Gaming event, first appearing during the State of Play showcase. Here, Street Fighter 6 showed off returning characters Ryu & Chun-Li and new characters Luke and Jaime.
Brief gameplay glimpses also showed off an open metropolitan world, where it looked like a character was wandering around and challenging NPCs, a new thing for the series. Also featured was a Battle Hub area, possibly a hub for online gamers as their avatars to meet and duel.
The title is speculated to feature a single-player story rather than the legacy game's characters. Along with a revamped control system for newcomers and real-time in-game commentary from some famous faces, this game is set for a 2023 release window for Xbox series X/S, PS5, and PC.
3) The Callisto Protocol
From the makers of Dead Space comes another survival horror game heavily inspired by the legendary game. It looks and feels a lot like Dead Space but is crucially not called Dead Space (due to property rights).
The words Dead Space have lost all meaning at this point. Game creator Glen Schofield took to the stage during the Summer Game Fest showcase to discuss the new game.
Named The Callisto Protocol, this brand new IP is set in Callisto, a moon of Jupiter where an alien invasion has overrun a prison colony known as the Fero Nero. Set in 2330, users take control of Jacob Lee as he has to fight through various mutated humanoid creatures, using his trusty sidearm and some physics bending abilities.
While The Callisto Protocol first got its moment to shine during the State of Play showcase, it showed up for the second time during the Summer of Gaming event, giving audiences a look at the gameplay elements and horror themes. It hits shelves on December 2, 2022.
4) Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
Developer A44 is back with a new IP, titled Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn. It is an open-world RPG set in a land of fantasy and industrialization.
Showcased during the Xbox and Bethesda segment of the Summer of Gaming event, this title demonstrated some fascinating gameplay, with variable and exciting combat and world traversal.
Players step into the shoes of Nor Vanek, a member of the surviving group of humans who must push back the crowds of undead to have a hope of living on. Nor Vanek also has a mystical animal companion alongside them known as Enki, a cat/fox-like creature that aids them in and out of combat.
Speaking of, combat in this game looks impressive, with a mix of melee attacks using Nor's ax and pistol along with specific diverse magical abilities, apparently imparted by Enki. Unlike its previous game Ashen, developers A44 are diverging from their soulslike formula to deliver something more unique and of their own making, it would seem.
5) Starfield
The biggest highlight from the Summer of Gaming was probably the extended look at Starfield that audiences were treated to during the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase. Todd Howard himself took to the stage to introduce people to the game and then immediately dived into the thick of it all, showcasing the gameplay.
It showed off Starfield's exploration a little, as a character wanders about a derelict moon for a while, ultimately stumbling across a research center that space pirates had recently taken over. This leads to exciting combat, with excellent gunplay action akin to the rebooted Doom games.
It also showcased other points of gameplay, such as a cool-looking space battle, as well as some story beats regarding one of the factions and an in-depth character creator. Todd Howard emphasized that Starfield would contain 1,000 planets for gamers to explore, allowing them to land anywhere on the planet's surface and head out.
Five games that were notably absent from Summer of Gaming
1) God of War: Ragnarok
Despite not being advertised that the State of Play event during the Summer of Gaming would feature a first-party announcement, Marvel's Spider-Man did make an appearance. This raises the question of why God of War: Ragnarok was so notably absent from the event.
This sequel continues the story of Kratos and Atreus from the 2018 God of War, bringing them closer to the apocalyptic event of the Norse world known as Ragnarok. A gameplay trailer for this title has already been showcased, but only a release window of 2022 has been announced.
As the second half of the year approaches, it is quite a surprise that a concrete release day has not yet been announced. Many rumors circulate regarding this lack of an announcement, saying that the title might be delayed till 2023.
Regardless, Ragnarok was missed at the Summer of Gaming this year.
2) Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
The new open-world game, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, is due to be released this year, possibly alongside the December release date for the 2nd Avatar movie. Yet, there has been no gameplay or release date announcement since last year's cinematic trailer debut.
Many hoped this game would appear during the Summer of Gaming event. However, such hopes were dashed.
Set in James Cameron's fictional world of Pandora, this is the second video game outing for the franchise. Its story presumably somehow ties into the upcoming movie in the series, although plot details are scarce.
Taking place in the Western Frontier, a new region of the world, the Na'vi take the fight to the RDA.
While no news regarding this title was present during the Summer of Gaming, a Ubisoft Forward event will take place, seemingly later in the year. This is the next place fans hope to see this game debut some gameplay footage and possibly a release date.
3) Avowed
Developer Obsidian Entertainment did confirm that Grounded was being released, finally free of the Early Access tag, along with a new game called Pentiment. However, its next big RPG was missing at the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase for the Summer of Gaming event.
With Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 being the two most notable projects by the developer, it was quite a surprise.
The former was first announced in July 2020, with a cinematic trailer and a very brief look at the gameplay. This was very reminiscent of old-school Elder Scrolls games and set in the Pillars of Eternity universe.
Featuring what seemed like melee combat in conjunction with magical abilities, Avowed was an intriguing concept that fans of the developer wanted to see more of.
But seemingly, this was not deemed the right time to showcase this game. One reason could be because Avowed will not be releasing anytime in the next 12 months, which would explain its absence from the Summer of Gaming 2022.
4) Goldeneye 007 Remaster
Goldeneye 007 is one of the classics that no one will forget anytime soon. Initially released for the N64 in 1997, this tie-in James Bond game was revolutionary for its time, changing the first-person shooter genre forever.
Developed by Rare and published by Nintendo, it has since seen many remasters and remakes.
As an example of one of the worst-kept secrets in the video game industry, this game's remaster was leaked before the Summer of Gaming event. Most notable was the achievement list that made its way into Xbox's website briefly.
This led to many speculating that the title would make an appearance during the Xbox event. However, no such thing happened, and an official announcement regarding this remaster remains elusive.
Despite this setback, fans have not lost all hope. While it may not have appeared in the Summer of Gaming, rumors now state that it will be present at the next Nintendo Direct showcase event.
5) Pragmata
Capcom had an abysmal showing regarding its presence in the Summer of Gaming, with only about 35 minutes of screentime. They showcased about five games, out of which none were new announcements.
With some lackluster gameplay from the upcoming new game Exoprimal, details for Monster Hunter Rise's Sunbreak expansion, and a DLC for Resident Evil 8, Capcom drew the line there for any new content.
One notable absence was Pragmata, announced in June 2020. With a small teaser trailer and no authentic details regarding the plot or gameplay, Pragmata remains a mystery shrouded in darkness, one which many hoped would be illuminated during the Capcom presentation.
However, the company continues to remain mum regarding this new IP.
All that is known is that this title is set in a dystopian world, is a science fiction adventure game, and features a little girl.
The game has a release window of 2022, making it an even bigger wonder why it didn't make an appearance during the Summer of Gaming.
