Summer Game Fest is set to feature world premieres, trailers, and game updates from across the industry this month. Ahead of the Summer Game Fest showcase, show host Geoff Keighley held a Twitter Space to set expectations for viewers around the world.
Summer Game Fest is among one of the major gaming events taking place throughout June alongside the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase. Keighley's month-long celebration of games is one of the most anticipated this summer, which is partly due to the success of The Game Awards. The annual showcase attracted over 30 partners to participate including SEGA, Activision, PlayStation, EA, and miHoYo to name a few. Special guests like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will also be present at the show to bring in an audience outside traditional gaming events.
Geoff Keighley urges viewers to rein in and manage their expectations for "megaton shocks" or rumored games that sound too good to be true. Summer Game Fest will mostly focus on games that have already been announced such as The Callisto Protocol, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and Gotham Knights. Keighley reiterates by saying the show "is not The Game Awards," implying that major game announcements should be expected during the show in December instead of Summer Game Fest. However, he is very excited because the event features exclusive games for Nintendo Switch and Xbox platforms, "massive games," and independent titles.
The Summer Game Fest showcase is expected to run close to two hours, but Keighley is not entirely sure due to guest appearances and the live setup. Viewers can expect an assortment of game footage such as a first level playthrough for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Although Summer Game Fest focuses on announced games, Keighley expects more game announcements in the weeks ahead at events like Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase.
Fan expectations for Summer Game Fest are rising as the day approaches, which might be due to the absence of E3 this year. Keighley coming forth to set expectations for Summer Game Fest is beneficial and allows gamers aware of the event to watch with an open mind. Those excited for games releasing later this year may still have a good time watching new footage and trailers.
On the other hand, Summer Game Fest faced criticism from viewers in years past due to a lack of exciting reveals and content. Speculation surrounding rumored games is persistent, but at a glance, Summer Game Fest does not appear to be the place for such games.
Summer Game Fest begins June 9.
Source: VGC