We all remember the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every major event and show was canceled, including what was once the biggest show in video games: the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3. But another show rose in its place: the Summer Game Fest.
Now that E3 has officially closed its doors for good, Summer Game Fest has become the de facto summer video game event of the year, featuring countless hours of major reveals and plenty of deep dives into the most anticipated upcoming games. From Harry Potter to Call of Duty, here are the biggest announcements of Summer Game Fest 2024.
In this article: Microsoft Xbox Series X, Sony PlayStation 5 Slim and Nintendo Switch OLED
Harry Potter has remained one of the biggest entertainment properties in the world, with proof of that coming in last year’s Hogwarts Legacy being one of the bestselling games of 2023. That game had a conspicuous lack of the wizard world’s biggest sport, and now we know why. Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions comes to all major platforms on Sept. 3.
The Dragonball franchise has spawned countless fighting games over the years, with some remaining all-time classics for fans of the series and newcomers alike. Dragonball: Sparking! Zero aims to be the next big hit this Oct. 11, and is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Call of Duty is the biggest first-person shooter video game in the world and one of gaming’s biggest franchises. It’s been a few years since we returned to the Black Ops subseries, so this year’s game is more hyped than usual. Black Ops 6 releases on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC this October.
A new Sonic game is always cause for celebration since they don’t come around as often as they could. Sonic X Shadow Generations is a spiritual sequel to the original Sonic Generations, featuring a collection of 2D and 3D levels from the titular character's histories. It releases on all major platforms this October.
The Life is Strange series has quickly become a cult favorite thanks to its mix of mind-bending and deeply affecting storytelling. Life is Strange: Double Exposure is generating early buzz since it sees the return of the original game’s protagonist, Max Caulfield. It’s coming to Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC this October.
Virtual reality games remain on the fringes of the gaming world because of the high-dollar barrier to entry and limited available games. The latter issue is being tackled with a new entry in the Batman: Arkhamverse, coming exclusively to Meta Quest 3 this fall.
The fourth game in the Dragon Age series was previously known as Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, but received an official re-reveal at Summer Game Fest. Not much was shown other than a brief look at its main characters and a launch window of this fall on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC.
LEGO games have been huge draws for gamers of all ages for decades. The latest zany LEGO adventure is based on one of PlayStation’s biggest franchises, Horizon, and features the same lead character of Aloy. LEGO Horizon Adventures hits PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC this holiday season.
Doom is one of gaming’s longest-running and most-respected series. Its last two games, Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal, are particularly beloved by its fan base, so expectations are high for The Dark Ages. It’s coming to Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC next year.
The last mainline Civilization game released nearly a decade ago in 2016. Finally, the next iteration of one of gaming’s longest-running and most-respected strategy series has been officially announced. A full reveal is coming later this summer, but for now, we know that Civilization VII is coming to PC and consoles next year.
A remake of the most popular game in the Prince of Persia series has been in development long enough for many to wonder if it had been quietly canceled. The surprise reconfirmation of its existence, combined with a 2026 launch window, understandably caused quite a stir in the audience.
The Gears series is one of Xbox’s flagships, so not having any word on a new game in the series since the last launched in 2020 has confused many. That’s finally changed with Gears of War: E-Day, the first prequel of the series that takes place 14 years before the first game. No release information was given.
Following in the steps of TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge comes another arcade-style beat-’em-up using the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers property. Rita’s Rewind has no release window but can be wish-listed on Steam.
It’s been 14 years since Skate 3 released, one of the bestselling skateboarding games of all time. Calls for a sequel have been consistent since, and now it’s finally happening. No release date was given, but a console playtest for Skate. is coming this fall.
The Xbox Series X provides tremendous computing power of 12 teraflops and is the most powerful gaming console on the market. It’s also rapidly becoming a home of must-have titles thanks to the swath of development studio acquisitions Microsoft has made.
This PlayStation 5 is a mid-cycle update to the original PlayStation 5. It doesn’t have any upgrades to its specs, but it does have a slimmer, smaller body and an aesthetic change in the black line across its side.
It’s impossible to overstate how seismic of a shift the gaming landscape went through when the Switch released in 2017. It proved customers have an appetite for high-end gaming experiences on the go, and that led to an explosion of similar devices that are still playing catch-up. This is the upgraded version of the Switch that launched in 2021.
Meta Quest 3 Asgard’s Wrath Bundle
Virtual reality remains a small niche in the gaming space, but Meta’s Quest series of headsets are working hard to expand the market to anyone who’s interested. This latest version of Meta’s headset comes with a VR game touted as one of the best of all time, with storage sizes of 128 or 512 gigabytes.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
This is the last game in the Black Ops series, released in 2020. Its campaign lets you create a custom character who can make decisions that lead to various possible endings. It also features Zombies mode with its own new storyline.
The last major Sonic game to release took heavy inspiration from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It features an open world full of secrets to find and enemies to face, while still embracing the speed that makes Sonic games unique.
Life is Strange: Arcadia Bay Collection
With the Life is Strange series returning to its roots with its upcoming game, Double Exposure, it’s a perfect time to revisit the stories that launched the franchise. This collection includes both the original game and its prequel, Before the Storm.
The last mainline entry in the Civilization series featured bold new gameplay mechanics, including the need to build specialized districts for cities. Later updates to the game added even more, such as an environmental protection mechanic that can cause disasters if you pump too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The Mass Effect series, by Dragon Age developer BioWare, is heralded as one of the greatest science-fiction series ever made, regardless of media format. This collection bundles all three games in the original trilogy with all of their downloadable content, so there’s plenty to occupy you while you wait for The Veilguard.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
The long-running Prince of Persia series was dormant for a while before this side-scrolling platformer released early this year. Its critical reception was excellent, clearly good enough to finally confirm a Sands of Time remake. Story downloadable content was also announced for release later this year.
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