My Summer Games Fest Hopes & Dreams
Rhianne Ward
The time has come again for the hype machine to start chugging along. I know this is all very corporate and shouldn't generally be taken seriously, especially since the game industry is so fucked right now, but hell, I can't help but get excited. I love video games, and I love being excited for video games, so if you'll permit me this indulgence, let's run down my hopes for the week, in order of likelihood.
The Safe Bets
These are the ones I'm hoping to see which will, more likely than not, actually appear.
Blade
It's been two and a half years since Arkane Lyon’s Blade title got announced at the Game Awards, and since then, it's been all quiet on the French front. The team’s last outing was Deathloop in 2021, which arrived to massive acclaim, then a more lukewarm reputation as time has passed since. I played it on release and I still have fond memories playing it. Of course, I'm already a huge fan of their Dishonored games, so naturally I'm excited for whatever that team does next. My anticipation is enhanced even further by the fact that I have gotten into comic books heavily in the past year, so a Marvel game made by a profoundly talented team such as this was always going to click for me.
Now, why is this in the Safe Bets category? Well, for one, it's been a long time since its initial announcement, so it's easy to point at that. Furthermore, like I said, Arkane Lyon hasn't released a game in over five years, which would match the average development time of modern AAA games (around 5 years, give or take). Beyond all that, XBOX and Bethesda are in need of some fresh tentpole releases at the moment, given the continued delays to Fable and Starfield’s generally underwhelming reception (even though I loved it!). Not to mention, with a new boss at the helm in Asha Sharma, they'll want to make a statement of intent going forward as they try to reshape the public image of XBOX. Why Blade specifically? Well, because I'm looking forward to that one the most, and it's my list!
God of War: Faye spin-off
This one's been in the rumour mill for quite some time. Leaks have revealed that not only does this game exist – a spin-off title starring Faye, the deceased wife of series protag Kratos – which Cory Barlog, director of the 2018 God of War and creative lead on the sequel, Ragnarök, is supposedly helming. It would presumably be a prequel exploring Faye’s story prior to the mainline games, since she was a pretty important component of that overarching plot. There's definitely room for some compelling stories in there, and as a fan of both new God of War games (various flaws notwithstanding), I'm definitely curious to see what Sony Santa Monica cooks up.
This is a safe bet since it's all but confirmed. The details being leaked so extensively is a factor that Sony will undoubtedly want to get on top of sooner rather than later. Also, as with Blade, Sony Santa Monica haven't released anything since 2022, so that window of time tracks. The only thing that might delay this announcement is that Sony Santa Monica are already developing a remake of the original God of War trilogy, so it then becomes a question of how they choose to divvy up their resources. Time will tell, and it'll likely tell tonight at the State of Play!
Monster Hunter Expansion
Monster Hunter games and major expansions go hand in hand these days, between World’s Iceborne and Rise’s Sunbreak. As such, Monster Hunter Wilds receiving the same treatment is a no-brainer, so much so that it's already been confirmed by Capcom themselves. All they have said regarding this is that it is in active development and more news would be in the summer. What happens in the summer? Summer Games Fest. I'm something of a detective, you know. This one is basically a no-brainer, and one I am very excited to see materialise on Friday.
Persona 6
This is an interesting one since before a few days ago, this would have remained a bit of a pipe dream for me. However, leaks have come out revealing sketches for the protagonist and a few characters, presumably companions, and all of a sudden, Persona 6 went from a beautiful dream to an extreme possibility. A separate leak suggested that the game is internally slated for a September 2027 release, according to a reliable source. Whether it achieves that is up for debate, but with all this buzz accumulating, I can't help but feel that now might be the time Atlus might finally pull the trigger on their most anticipated game ever.
Obviously it's exciting. It's Persona! It's been almost a decade since the fifth instalment! Atlus have confirmed time and again that the game is indeed real and has been in development for years. It's coming, at some time, somehow, so why not let it be now? I'll admit, putting this one in Safe Bets is a mild cope from me, but you should never ignore a good feeling, and I do have a good feeling about this.
Resident Evil: Code Veronica Remake
After all, why shouldn't Capcom do more Resident Evil remakes? Fuck it, I'm sure they've said, might as well do the less popular games. It's a money printing machine anyway. Code Veronica is one of at least two RE remakes rumoured to be in active development, the other being a remake of Resident Evil 0. However, Code Veronica is expected to be the first to come out of the two, for a few reasons. For one, it starts Chris and Claire Redfield, who are already known and popular entities in the modern Resi fandom. Also, it released before 0 originally, so it makes more sense to do the same again here.
This is another one that may as well be confirmed. It's set for a 2027 release internally, and Capcom don't have any new Resi game lined up for the future, so they'll likely want to keep their momentum going after the success of Requiem. Also, I want it to be true! I need more Resident Evil in my life, always!
The Long Shots
This spot is reserved for the speculative and the naive, the generally unlikely but still possible. This is for the dreamers.
The Elder Scrolls VI
Eight years. Eight. That's how long it's been since Bethesda announced The Elder Scrolls VI with that substanceless mountain landscape visual. They did that shit at E3. Remember E3??? This probably wasn't the best call in the world, and the decision has been mocked relentlessly for years now. However, all of that belies a guaranteed truth: another Elder Scrolls is coming. That's probably a given, of course. Skyrim was the kind of runaway success Bethesda and every other game company has been chasing for generations. The company would be insane not to make more use of that IP.
The question is this: will we see it now? It's been eight years since that announcement, as I said, and now it's been almost three years since the release of Starfield. It wouldn't be insane to suggest that now might be the time to show something. There's also the aforementioned reason with Blade that XBOX are looking to rebrand following the departure of former CEO Phil Spencer, and Elder Scrolls is the kind of market-shifting release they'll be desperate for. This is personal speculation, but I wonder if they would prefer to hold off on announcing this until the next console generation comes around. We're probably a ways off of that, but if it's true that XBOX are keen to return to exclusives rather than multiplatform releases, TES VI would be a hell of a system seller. We shall see.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3
Do I expect the third and final instalment in the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy to release soon? Not really. Its last game, Rebirth, only came out in 2024, so it's unlikely we'll have it in our hands for a while yet. However, that's not really the question on everyone's lips. Rather, the people want to know: what will the title be? Obviously it'll be a ‘re-’ word, keeping up the trend from Remake and Rebirth. The average FF VII layperson might suggest that Reunion would make the most sense, given that every other line uses the word in the other two games. The only problem with that is Square Enix themselves have confirmed that this isn't the title, since their remaster of Crisis Core already took that for itself. So what, then, could it be?
It's the kind of straightforward question that is so ripe for exploitation. Square Enix doesn't even need to show any of the game really. All they need to do is drop a title card, and the internet will go mad, myself included. That being said, a little look at the trilogy’s end would be nice. I haven't finished Rebirth yet, but after disliking it on the first run, giving it a second go last year and growing a fondness for it, I'm back on the hype train. We'll see if my hopes bear fruit.
Kingdom Hearts IV
From one Square Enix game to another, Kingdom Hearts IV hasn't seen the light of day in four years. However, that isn't to say it's been in any particular trouble. Reports from within Square Enix suggest that while the release date was pushed internally to 2027, development is going smoothly and it's expected to meet that target. As such, it wouldn't be the most outlandish thing if the game made a reappearance at Summer Games Fest this year.
Admittedly, I didn't care much about Kingdom Hearts for a long time. When this announcement trailer dropped, it phased through me and I continued living my life undisturbed. However, this year I've finally started playing the first game, and I won't lie, I'm a fan. It's a little archaic in its design sensibilities, and I've certainly not hit the weirdest this series has to offer, but as it stands, I'm connecting with the charm of this game, and the intrigue at its core. I feel compelled to push on, and hopefully by the time Kingdom Hearts IV releases, I'll be caught up and ready to go. A little tease this week of what to look forward to would be a solid motivator.
Mass Effect 5
BioWare have only two futures ahead of them: get shut down, or finish Mass Effect 5 and get shut down. It's the unfortunate reality of the situation, after the underwhelming sales figures of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the cataclysmic flop of Anthem, and the acquisition of EA by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (essentially, the Saudi Arabian government, because we live in an absurd world). BioWare’s days have felt numbered for years, but hey, maybe they've got one last game in them.
The next instalment in their acclaimed Mass Effect series was announced over five years ago, and since then, it's been radio silence for the project. It was presumably put on temporary hold when all hands were put on deck for The Veilguard to push it kicking and screaming out the door, but now that project is behind them, BioWare will undoubtedly be directing all of their resources to one last push. EA don't seem to have anything spectacular in the current pipeline, so they'll likely want a little something to get their stock prices up. BioWare sought out a new Production Director at the start of this year, suggesting that the game is going into full development, and pre-production has concluded. Given the typical timeline for games of this scale, this would suggest a possible 2028 release, which is obviously not soon, but EA and BioWare might hope to respark discussion around the game after such an extended hiatus. Personally, given the acquisition and BioWare’s constant internal issues, I'd be surprised if this saw the light of day before the studio is canned for good, but I'm praying it won't come to that. Let's hope!
Metaphor ReFantazio Re-release
Atlus are the only developer to get away with this kind of shit, but since they inevitably will, and I will inevitably buy it, Metaphor ReFantazio is likely to receive a re-release. In the past, we've had Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, Persona 5 Royal, and Persona 4 Golden, and with each repackaging comes a new wave of sales and series support. Metaphor, being a quite successful release for Atlus, will likely meet the same fate. And so, the question is when we will have confirmation of this. I think it might be this week.
As to what a hypothetical expanded edition of Metaphor would look like, it's hard to say. It might be as simple as an extended epilogue, or something more significant, as seen with the extensive retooling and incorporation of story content into the wider game as with Royal and Golden. Time will tell as to how ambitious they wish to get with this one, but honestly, I'd be quite happy hopping back into the world of Metaphor anyway.
Silent Hill Remake
In 2024, Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 remake released to great acclaim, and soon after, the developer confirmed that a remake of Silent Hill 1 was in development at the studio. Since then, We've heard no word of it, but since it’s been a couple years, the time might be now to show a little off. Bloober Team have themselves confirmed that they will be presenting in some capacity at Summer Games Fest. It might be something else from them – an original IP, perhaps, or a sequel to one of their prior titles – but I think the game that will generate the most attention would most likely be Silent Hill. The main stipulation here, of course, is that we don't know how long this game has even been in active development. It might be a while, or it may have been as recent as that original announcement. It's up in the air honestly, which is what makes it a long shot, but I'd like to see it if possible.
The Hail Marys
The truly delusional takes. This is for the shit that will probably never even happen but I have to believe might be true. I am insane and I'm leaning into it. Let's ride
Astro Bot 2
The world needs another Astro Bot right now. The first game was so good, and a sequel would be even better. I don't even know what it would look like. I just need to be reminded of how good games can be again. I need a fast track to unapologetic joy in my soul. Please, Team Asobi, do the right thing. Save us, Team Asobi.
Final Fantasy XVII
FFXVI came out in 2023, so any news of the next instalment in the series is highly unlikely. However, its existence is an inevitability, so why not shoot for gold and delude myself a little? I've earned it!
New Media Molecule Game
There hasn't been a new Media Molecule game since Dreams back in 2020, and that just feels wrong. Granted, Dreams was more of a tool for user-generated creations rather than a traditional game, so it's not strange for the team to have been focusing on its continued support, but since that support officially ended in April 2023, the studio has surely been working on their next venture. It feels insane that we haven't seen or heard anything about it, but today might finally be the day. I hope so. We need a little whimsy in our hearts.
Octopath Traveler III
I've been playing a lot of Octopath Traveler this year, and I have fallen in love. Nothing else matches its specific brand of adventure and storytelling. It's so damn fun and while I obviously have a sequel and a spin-off to look forward to once I'm done with this first game, I'd love to see the series continue beyond that. Acquire are probably working on another Dragon Quest remake if I'm being completely honest, but you just never know. I hope my dream comes true!
Wolfenstein 3
Even if this game exists, it's very unlikely to be announced right now. Machinegames aren't far off their most recent release, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, so whatever is coming next from the Swedish developer will likely not be shown for some time. On top of that, it is unlikely to be a Wolfenstein game, since the second game in the recent series didn't sell the best, and Youngblood was just shit. That being said, I need this to happen so bad. I need Wolfenstein 3 to be real. Fascism is back in full force across the world, and I want desperately to put my anger somewhere. Of course, there's organising and protest, but sometimes, you just want to shoot guys, so why not let it be ones with a Swastika on them? Machinegames, since you're obviously reading this, let this be my plea to you.
And that's it! I've posted this mere hours before the State of Play, which will inevitably render some or most of this obsolete. Should I have written this earlier? Yep. Bye!