The Summer Game Fest was, to put it mildly, disappointing. Although the expectations of MeinMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski were already low, they were still undercut. The horror lies not (only) in the event itself.
For almost two hours, we were bombarded by the Summer Game Fest with game trailers that aim to entice us with plenty of action, atmosphere, and strong presentation. There is little room for gameplay here.
The journalist and host Geoff Keighley has been hosting the event since 2020, providing an alternative to the E3 press conferences.
I look forward to these events every year.
I love discovering new games and being entertained by cool trailers. The entire gaming community comes together, and you really feel the joy and passion for the shared hobby.
This year was different.
Little expected and still disappointed
We are indeed in a challenging gaming year. In 2022, the industry is feeling the impacts of the pandemic. The last few years have already been characterized by delays of significant titles.
The big highlight this year was undoubtedly Elden Ring, which exploded on Metacritic and received stunning reviews. Our current major highlight is Diablo Immortal, which we currently see as the strongest release in the MeinMMO editorial team. And that, despite Blizzard’s mobile title being heavily criticized for pay-to-win mechanics.
And what’s coming now in the AAA segment? Nothing for a long time.
Hogwarts Legacy is still a glimmer of hope, set to release in winter 2022. And here too, a further delay to 2023 wouldn’t be the biggest surprise.
Update: The same applies to Forspoken, a fantasy action RPG set to release in October 2022. Here, rumors are already circulating about another delay. Forspoken slipped through as an exciting blockbuster in the original version of the article, which Canelloni pointed out to me in the comments.
Unfortunately, you could really feel that at the Summer Game Fest. The event can’t even be blamed for it. What can they show that’s truly new when there’s simply nothing available?
Even though I was already aware of all this in advance, I still had hope that there would be that one surprise. That one thing that none of us expected and would make us cheer.
That one thing did not happen.
The biggest highlight that quickly stormed the Twitter trends was the announced remake of The Last of Us. Unfortunately, that was leaked shortly before, otherwise I would have cheered during the event.
Just when the music starts at minute 00:30, I feel it in my stomach and get goosebumps:
But now, that a remake is the big highlight of the Summer Game Fest really says a lot.
Many dark horror trailers with oppressive atmosphere
After dealing with what was missing from the Summer Game Fest, let’s take a look at what was there: strikingly dark vibes.
Perhaps it’s because most of us have collectively been plagued by dark thoughts for the last two years. This also applies to the people who create our games. Out of around 35 trailers shown, at least 25 had something dark, with rooms filled with monsters or aliens or something oppressive.
I’ll let a few example trailers speak for themselves:
Layers of Fears is a horror game in the classic sense. The predecessor, Layers of Fear, is known for its psychedelic horror, where exploring dark places and narratives is a major focus.
Aliens: Dark Descent basically looks like a tactical shooter, but it also looks more like a nasty horror game – narrow corridors, aliens, fear.
Callisto Protocol is from the creators of Dead Space and looks appropriately so. Here too, many classic horror elements with nasty tentacle monsters that latch onto heads.
Yes, even in the newly introduced strategy game Stormgate, I had the feeling I was seeing more of a sci-fi horror.
These are just four exemplary trailers that capture the evening’s atmosphere quite well. Of course, there were also contrasting programs, like the announced DLC for the humorous cartoon game Cuphead. Such things were rare, however.
Even though I generally like dark atmospheres, the sheer volume of it may have influenced my perspective of the event.
We don’t have to view the gaming year as dark
Apparently, we can expect a few horror scenarios in gaming in the coming months and one to two years, along with few AAA titles.
On a purely professional level, this is indeed difficult for us. Because big, new releases, like recently Elden Ring, Lost Ark, and yes, also Diablo Immortal, always enliven our MeinMMO! But that’s not as relevant to you, dear readers, as it is to me.
Because we can view the drought in the AAA area as a great opportunity. There will be cool releases, but they won’t make as big a splash as an Elden Ring.
This means that smaller productions have a chance to shine in their full glory without gigantic competitors. Perhaps we will look at these games more consciously in our constant search for something new.
A counter-program to this is the Wholesome Direct, which is dedicated to showcasing small indie titles that provide a comforting feeling. Last year, for example, Unpacking was presented, which became a real hidden gem.
One doesn’t have to view everything pessimistically. Colleague Benedict found, for instance, that a new survival game for Steam looks like what New World didn’t dare to be.
What games are you looking forward to this year?
