Summer Game Fest 2025, the premier video game event of the year, kicked off on June 6, 2025, at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, California. Hosted by industry veteran Geoff Keighley, this annual celebration has solidified its position as the de facto replacement for the now-defunct E3, uniting developers, publishers, and fans for a thrilling showcase of digital events, demos, announcements, and breaking news. Running from June 6 to June 9, the event featured a packed schedule of livestreams, hands-on “Play Days,” and a diverse lineup of games from major publishers and indie studios alike. This article provides an 800-word recap of the highlights, key announcements, and what to expect from the future of gaming as revealed during Summer Game Fest 2025.
The Main Show: A Grand Kickoff
The main Summer Game Fest 2025 showcase aired live on June 6 at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET / 10 PM BST, streaming across platforms like YouTube, Twitch, X, Facebook, and Steam. Over two hours, Geoff Keighley, joined by co-host Lucy James from GameSpot, delivered a spectacle of “spectacular new video game announcements, surprises, and reveals.” The event lived up to its promise, blending paid promotional content from major publishers with free slots for smaller and indie studios, ensuring a broad representation of the gaming landscape.
Among the confirmed titles teased via social media, Mafia: The Old Country from 2K Games took center stage, offering a fresh look at its gritty, historical crime narrative. Splitgate 2, the sequel to the popular portal-based shooter, showcased enhanced gameplay mechanics, while Fortnite continued to dominate with updates hinting at new collaborations and content drops. A special guest appearance by Hideo Kojima highlighted Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, set for release on June 26, 2025, with new footage and insights from the cast and creator, building anticipation for its unique blend of exploration and narrative.
Day of the Devs: Indie Excellence
Immediately following the main show, the Day of the Devs: Summer Game Fest 2025 Edition aired, a non-profit showcase dedicated to indie games. This beloved segment, now fully independent since 2024, featured 20 titles, spotlighting artistic, uplifting, and emotionally resonant projects. Standouts included Possessor(s) from Heart Machine, a stylish action game, and Neverway, a “nightmarish RPG” from Coldblood and co-publisher Outersloth. House House, known for Untitled Goose Game, teased Big Walk, a co-op “walker-talker” revealed in 2023, promising quirky multiplayer fun. Past successes like UFO 50 and Cairn set high expectations, and this year’s lineup did not disappoint, offering visually unique and innovative experiences for gamers worldwide.
Key Showcases and Partners
Summer Game Fest 2025 spanned multiple days, with a robust lineup of additional streams. The Access-Ability Summer Showcase opened the festivities on June 6 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET / 4 PM BST, running for 52 minutes and highlighting games by disabled developers and accessibility-focused design. Sponsored by Many Cats Studios, it included a British Sign Language version, reinforcing inclusivity in gaming.
The Women-Led Games Showcase returned for its second year on June 6 at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 7 PM BST, celebrating 39 titles from women-led and majority-women studios. This event underscored the industry’s push for equity, showcasing innovative projects and deep dives into upcoming releases and DLC.
The Latin American Games Showcase followed, featuring over 50 titles from the region, with world premieres and updates amplifying the visibility of Latin American developers. Meanwhile, the Frosty Games Fest highlighted games from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, and a Southeast Asian stream shared exclusive announcements, reflecting the global diversity of the industry.
On June 8, the Xbox Games Showcase at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST delivered big, with Microsoft unveiling new titles and updates, followed by The Outer Worlds 2 Direct, a deep dive into Obsidian Entertainment’s sci-fi RPG sequel. The PC Gaming Show later that day at 12 PM PDT / 3 PM ET / 8 PM BST featured over 70 games, including new content for Ultrakill, updates on Paralives, and a reveal from Vampire Survivors developer Poncle.
Notable Predictions and Rumors
Speculation ran high leading up to the event. Fans anticipated updates on Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, a Soulslike RPG from Leenzee, and hoped for a Hollow Knight: Silksong release date—though expectations were tempered by years of waiting. Nintendo’s return to Summer Game Fest, listed as “Nintendo Switch 2,” fueled excitement, especially with the console’s launch on June 5, 2025. While a standalone Nintendo Direct wasn’t confirmed, the timing suggested potential tie-ins. CD Projekt Red’s appearance hinted at a new cinematic trailer for The Witcher 4, following its TGA 2024 reveal, despite active production only starting in late 2024.
Other predictions included Borderlands 4 from 2K Games, a potential Final Fantasy Tactics remaster, and a teaser for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3. Capcom, fresh off Monster Hunter Wilds and Street Fighter 6 Season 2 DLC reveals in 2024, sparked speculation about future plans, possibly new characters or an expansion. Blumhouse Games promised updates on titles like Crisol: Theater of Idols and Grave Seasons, continuing their lo-fi, creative horror approach.
Additional Highlights and Context
The State of Unreal 2025 showcase on June 3 offered a tech demo of The Witcher 4 and updates on the Unreal Engine and Epic ecosystem. Sony’s State of Play on June 4 ran for over 40 minutes, revealing a new Lumines game, Romeo is a Dead Man from Grasshopper Manufacture, Nioh 3, and a Capcom-less Marvel tag fighter by Arc System Works, alongside release dates for Silent Hill f and Cairn.
The IOI Showcase on June 6 teased 007 First Light, IO Interactive’s James Bond game, building on their Hitman expertise. The Future Games Show on June 7, hosted by Laura Bailey and Matt Mercer, promised over 40 titles, including Directive 8020 and Mafia: The Old Country.
Looking Ahead
Summer Game Fest 2025 reinforced its role as the gaming industry’s summer cornerstone, replacing E3 and rivaling Gamescom. With over 60 partners, including Nintendo’s surprising return, the event bridged AAA blockbusters and indie gems. While some showcases, like Ubisoft’s Forward, were absent, and Nintendo and Sony’s plans remained uncertain, the sheer volume of reveals—from Death Stranding 2 to indie darlings—kept fans buzzing. As the Nintendo Switch 2 launches and new titles loom, Summer Game Fest 2025 has set the stage for an exciting year in gaming.