The Summer Game Fest celebrations roll on. We’ve seen Geoff Keighley take to the stage for the Summer Game Fest showcase, sure, but there’s a whole schedule of directs, showcases and live-streamed events outside of that. In fact, Australian and New Zealand developers had an excellent spotlight shined on them during the inaugural Frosty Games Fest yesterday, so it’s well worth keeping your peepers on the rest of the Summer Game Fest lineup.
The next Summer Game Fest cab off the rank is the Xbox Games Showcase, chased by The Outer Worlds 2 Direct. With Xbox’s approach to global assimilation, you probably watched it on an Xbox; you’re probably reading this on an Xbox. Am I an Xbox? Are you an Xbox?
Here are all of the announcements made during The Xbox Games Showcase + The Outer Worlds 2 Direct:
The Outer Worlds 2
There’s a whole deep dive at the end of the showcase, but why wait? The Outer Worlds 2 opened the show with a new story trailer and a decent look at gameplay. Obsidian’s satirical exploration of capitalism continues in The Outer World’s sequel, with mega-corporation Auntie’s Choice looking to boost profits first and consider the impact on any living thing second…or third by the looks of it. The snippets of gameplay shown here highlight some whacky weaponry, like a shrink ray, a whopping great hammer, and a human liquifying gun that resembles a BFG. We’ll see more from The Outer Worlds 2 later on, but for now, we know that it’s coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on October 29.
High on Life 2
Ok, so we here at WellPlayed weren’t the biggest fans of High on Life, seeing as though we whacked a big fat 3 on our review, but we’re open to a sequel improving the formula. The announcement trailer for this first-person shooter sequel hints at a bunch of new sentient guns, a massive city environment, and a skateboard that the player will likely use to cause all sorts of havoc. Squanch Games won’t have folks waiting long, either, as High on Life 2 is set to launch this summer on Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy
Taking place 15 years before the events of A Plague Tale: Requiem, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy focuses on Sophia, a young and determined plunderer exploring the Minotaur Island in hopes of uncovering the secrets of her past. Switching between the Middle Ages and ancient times, Resonance will take the Plague Tale world in a new direction, with a stronger focus on vicious melee combat and exploration. The announcement trailer is filled with intrigue, and we can’t wait to see more. We can expect a 2026 release for Xbox Series X|S and PC.
ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X
If everything is an Xbox, this is definitely an Xbox. The ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X are branded PC handhelds that will allow users to access their Xbox, Game Pass, Steam, GoG, and Battle.net games from one device, both natively and via the cloud. Two colours, two price points (we’re waiting on the numbers) and two sets of specs. We were expecting this announcement, and ROG has certainly stepped up to the plate. We can expect to see them both drop this year, but we just don’t know when.
The Blood of Dawnwalker
I’ve been hoping that we’d see more from Blood of the Dawnwalker soon, and here we have it. The debut game from studio Rebel Wolves, this single-player, action RPG, puts you in the fangs of Coen, a Dawnwalker with the abilities of a vampire, but without the nasty side effects (we think). This latest trailer showed off a few moments of gameplay, highlighting brutal combat and some sweet vampire abilities. We will be getting a full gameplay reveal event on June 21, so mark your calendars. This one is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2026.
Super Meat Boy 3D
Oh heavens above, he is back. That magnificent meaty mound has returned in a fast-paced, frenetic and frankly terrifying 3-dimensional adventure. Super Meat Boy 3D looks to be a better outing for the mince man than the ill-fated Super Meat Boy Forever, but that doesn’t change the fact that I feel equal parts excitement and dread beholding the new gameplay experience. Check it out in early 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC.
Ninja Gaiden 4
Revealed back in January during the Xbox Developer Direct, Ninja Gaiden 4 marks the first game in the series in almost 13 years. Wild. Alongside a new trailer that shows that Team Ninja hasn’t missed a step in making a fast-paced, brutally difficult action game, we also got confirmation that it’s releasing on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on October 21.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants (DLC)
While Indiana Jones and the Great Circle didn’t hit the mark for everyone, I think it’s safe to say that most were happy to don the hat and whip of everyone’s favourite professor/arse-kicker, so it makes sense that we’re getting a story DLC. The Order of the Giants will see Indy head to Rome as he investigates an ancient cult and, without a doubt, gets into plenty of scraps along the way. The Order of the Giants will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on September 4.
Beast of Reincarnation
Seeing the studio name Game Freak on screen without a pocket monster in sight is surreal. Beast of Reincarnation is a being described as a “one-person, one-dog action RPG” which ticks a lot of boxes. The action within the trailer looked pretty cool, with the main characters, Emma and Koo, putting the smackdown on a variety of blighted beasts. Coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2026.
Clockwork Revolution
Hmm, not getting a release date for Clockwork Revolution feels…odd. I must say, though, this trailer is filled with gameplay that has me excited. First-person shooting and melee combat look decent enough, but the steampunk world and bizarre conversation options with the whack NPCs are what I’ll be rolling up for. The core mechanic of rewinding time (in real-time, no less) looks like it has a lot of promise, both in and out of combat. I’m excited to play this damn game, which makes the lack of release info so frustrating. We will eventually get this one on Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Grounded 2
Someone needs to head to the Obsidian office and see what they are feeding this lot. Avowed launched a few short months ago, The Outer Worlds 2 is on the horizon, and now we know they’ve been working on a third game during that time. Good lord. The first Grounded was a success, so it makes sense to see a sequel. This time around, it looks like our shrunken kids will be battling new bug enemies, building bigger and better bases, and riding ants. Hell yeah. Oh, and it’s launching on Xbox Series X|S and PC on July 29 as a game preview. Seriously Obsidian, damn.
Cronos: The New Dawn
Bloober Team and I have a shaky relationship, but the announcement of Chronos: The New Dawn had me picking up the phone to make amends. This latest trailer shows off some brutal third-person shooting gameplay with gross enemies known as Orphans making a B-line for our dome-headed protagonist, only to be blown apart. Expect to play this on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2026.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Seasons of the Worm Cult
More of an advertisement than a trailer, this little slice-of-life look at The Elder Scrolls Online details the adventures you can expect to take part in if you log in to this long-running MMO. The Seasons of the Worm Cult story content is coming on June 18, which will introduce the game’s first-ever server-wide world-changing event that will take place this October.
Aphelion
The newest game from DON’T NOD, Aphelion, is a move into yet another genre for the studio. Stranded on a frozen planet, astronaut Ariane is forced to traverse a freezing, brutal landscape to find her partner. Exploration, platforming and stealth gameplay are all hinted at during this reveal trailer, as well as a tease of some otherworldy forces that might be at the centre of the narrative. Coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2026.
No Ghosts at the Grand
What a whirlwind of a reveal trailer. No Ghosts at the Grand is a puzzle game that leverages restoration sim elements while mixing in some musical moments. The opening minute of the trailer leads you to believe that it’s a musical Power Wash Simulator before shit hits the fan, and you’re all of a sudden looking at a supernatural mystery with alternate planes of existence and talking cats. I’m in. Keep an eye on this one as we lead up to its release on Xbox Series X|S and PC in 2026.
Age of Mythology Retold: Heavenly Spear
If you’re a fan of Age of Mythology, you’ll be excited by the idea of new content, and that’s what this is. Heavenly Spear introduces the gods and heroes of Japan to the RTS series in a new expansion coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC later this year.
Mudang: Two Hearts
The trailer for Mudang: Two Hearts had me gripped, seemingly showing off a game where you control two very distinct protagonists – Ji Jeong Tae, a North Korean soldier, and Gavi, a … rising K-Pop star. A third person shooter with stealth sections where you play as a teenage girl, you can’t say it isn’t offering something unique.
No date set at this time, BUT it is apparently coming in 2026 to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC.
Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf
Back in 2023, our very own Adam Ryan slapped a delightful 8.5 on Planet Of Lana because of its gorgeous visuals and a spectacular score – and Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf looks to be delivering a solid return to that weird and wonderful word. It isn’t coming until 2026, but it is absolutely shaping up to be another spectacular puzzle platformer.
Fallout 76: Gone Fission
No game is complete without a grappling hook or a fishing minigame, and it looks that at least one of those is coming to the contentious little-engine-that-could, Fallout: 76. Say what you will about the game, you can’t say it has been neglected for new content. Also, the live action update trailer is absurdly charming. Consider me reeled in.
Solo Leveling Arise: Overdrive
If you are a fan of the anime or just over-the-top action games in general, you’ll likely be itching to jump into the 4-player co-op experience of Solo Leveling Arise: Overdrive. With a suitably bananas trailer, try and contain your excitement until it comes to PC later this year.
Aniimo
With a presentation centred around weaponised cuteness, Aniimo showed a super unique third-person adventure game that seemingly wants to get in on the current action of cutting Pokémon’s lunch. Allowing you to control a myriad of fantastic (and concerningly cute) little beasties, I both can’t wait to play it AND read the impressions of people online who wonder if it should be allowed to exist.
Coming to Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2026.
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4
The Hawk-man himself introduced a launch trailer for Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4, with the most important feature front and centre – the song 96 Quite Bitter Beings by CKY will be on the soundtrack. Pack it up people, we are done here. Game of the Year locked in. Game of the Century.
Oh, and I guess they also showed that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be playable. Which is cool too.
There is a demo available today, with the game dropping on July 11 2025 on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.
At Fate’s End
From the creators of Spiritfarer, At Fate’s End is another gorgeously presented 2D action game with some novel combat mechanics. Not to sell the story-telling short though, with the trailer also showing a glimpse of a tarot-based narrative system that seems to guide your tale. No date set, BUT – they do mention that it will arrive sometime this year to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC.
Gears of War: Reloaded
I am still blown away that the Gears of War series is actually going multiplatform. Not as some kind of exclusivity purist – it’s just such a wondrous thing to imagine. And right here, in a new trailer for Gears of War: Reloaded, the fact that it’s exploding onto PlayStation console is front and centre.
The presentation of the classic Gears experience looks immaculate, but it does have me wondering if the new-and-shiny nature of this remake will somehow dull the critical griminess of the Gears universe. Is the tale of Delta Squad more approachable through the lens of dated hardware? Am I ready to behold a high-definition soul-patch? Am I overthinking things? Maybe. Maybe I should just take a closer look when it arrives on August 26 and then make a proper judgement call. Coming to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC.
Persona 4 Revival
With a rapid trailer clocking in at under a minute, Persona 4 Revival was shown off.
Quick, to the point, not wasting any time, Persona 4 Revival is coming to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC. Bish, bash, bosh, back home in time for tea. Efficient announcing at its finest.
Sea of Thieves Season 17: Smugglers Tide
Every time I glance away from Sea of Thieves, I look back to see it has had another girthy content update. In the upcoming season, players can now get acquainted with the Smuggler’s League, a unique group of scoundrels with their own nefarious objectives. With a trailer promising “explosive” new loot and a new set of smuggling-centric objectives, I am assuming this new faction wants us to pinch and pilfer things in new and exciting ways.
No release date is mentioned, but each season of Sea of Thieves content lasts around three months – so you can assume we will get to smuggling in around two and a half months. Hopefully.
Invincible Vs
Seemingly a no-brainer for a proper video game adaptation, Invincible Vs looks to be every bit the accurate and brutally bloody adaptation of the comic and cartoon series we all love.
In a world where the Injustice series is absent, this may well be your best bet for some series of super-powered biffo action. The only question is how they can portray a main character who is well known for being, well… y’know.
Coming in 2026.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Intergrade and Final Fantasy 16 Arrive on Xbox
Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Intergrade is coming to Xbox later this year, but if you are hungry for some modern Final Fantasy action you can slake your thirst with the nifty news that Final Fantasy 16 is out on Xbox today.
Keeper
Classic Double Fine offering a weird and wonderful new gameplay experience, Keeper will see players take control of a living, sentient …Lighthouse. After seeing the fantastical trailer, I can’t help but wonder why someone didn’t offer this sooner – playing as a lighthouse looks rad. Run, jump and illuminate things with your bird pal on October 17, across Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
I am not a betting man, but if I was — this is the safest of safe bets for “what do you think will close out an Xbox Games Showcase presentation”.
Of course, there is a new Call of Duty on the way, but the swerve here is that it is of the Black Ops variety – meaning gamers are getting consecutive Black Ops titles because number 6 only just came out in 2024.
This new one takes place more than 40 years after the events of Black Ops 6, with David Mason and his team tasked with fighting back against a manipulative enemy who “weaponises fear above all else”. It looks to be a familiar experience, but a notably neat new feature appears to be the inclusion of a new Co-op Campaign, so you can get your BLOPS’ on with a mate. No release date as yet, but know – it is coming.
Hopefully, there was something here for you, and hopefully, the CoD reveal at the end didn’t sour you on the whole presentation as it did to some of us (this is Adam here; I’m sour). A few cool new announcements throughout the long presentation made this a decent enough show but not an all-timer. That said, it’s a public holiday for most of the country, so if you want to leisurely watch the whole show, you can do so here:
What are your thoughts on the showcase? What is your favourite announcement from the show? Let us know in the comments or on our social media.
