Inside the biggest Summer Game Fest announcements

Numerous new and exciting video game productions were revealed this June.

By SAMMY BOVITZ
“Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Widsom” will release on Sep. 26 on Nintendo Switch. (Alvaro Reyes / Unsplash)

June has traditionally hosted dozens of events unveiling brand-new projects in the video game industry. This month was no exception, with Summer Game Fest and Nintendo Direct revealing many new installments in fan-favorite series. Here are a few of the most noteworthy titles from June’s gaming presentations.

“Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions”

The newest “Harry Potter” game comes from Unbroken Studios, who assisted Rocksteady with developing the “Suicide Squad” game from earlier this year. “Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions” primarily focuses on competitive online multiplayer for the titular sport, which may explain its surprisingly below-average price of $29.99.

It remains to be seen how “Quidditch Champions” will perform given the controversies surrounding “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling, which cast a dark cloud on the last “Harry Potter” game, “Hogwarts Legacy.” As a part of an FAQ on the “Quidditch Champions” website, Warner Bros. Games states that “J.K. Rowling … has entrusted the design and creation of the games to WB Games and the developers involved.”

“Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions” is set to release Sept. 3 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.

“The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom”

After nearly 40 years, “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom” finally makes the titular heroine into the protagonist of her own game, as opposed to the typical hero, Link. This new title from Nintendo focuses on “echoes,” copies of in-game objects and enemies that Zelda can recreate anytime she wants.

This 2D adventure brings back the art style used for the 2019 remake of “The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening,” but the open-ended possibilities of the “echo” mechanic call to mind more modern 3D Zelda games, like the recent “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.” This blending of old and new is accentuated by the placement of Zelda into the starring role — a longtime request from the “Zelda” fandom finally fulfilled.

“The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom” arrives Sept. 26 on Nintendo Switch.

“Sid Meier’s Civilization VII”

One of the most iconic strategy series in gaming history has officially announced another installment. Developed by legendary game designer Sid Meier and his team at Firaxis Games, the “Civilization” series has been described as a “crown jewel” for publisher 2K Games by David Ismailer, the company’s president. 

If there’s anyone that can be trusted with the strategy genre, it’s Firaxis, which has developed many critically acclaimed strategy titles across the “Civilization” and “XCOM” series. The game’s initial reveal was vague, but Firaxis and 2K promised a gameplay showcase for August 2024 to share more information about the game.

“Sid Meier’s Civilization VII” is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC in 2025.

“Doom: The Dark Ages”

Developer id Software is finally returning for another entry in the beloved shooter franchise. Notably, despite Xbox’s purchase of id Software and their parent company, ZeniMax Media, this game will not be exclusive to their hardware.

After the 2016 reboot of “Doom” and its 2020 sequel, “Doom: Eternal,” “The Dark Ages” acts as a prequel to those titles.  As the title suggests, “The Dark Ages” draws on medieval influences to distinguish itself from the rest of the series while still delivering the same heavy-metal experience that “Doom” fans are used to.

“DOOM: The Dark Ages” will launch on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC in 2025.

“Metroid Prime 4: Beyond”

Seven years after its initial announcement, Nintendo finally provided an update on “Metroid Prime 4,” now with the brand new subtitle of “Beyond.” The first new entry in the action franchise since 2007, this new game was first announced shortly after the Nintendo Switch’s launch in 2017.

Since then, development was announced to have completely restarted under series developer Retro Studios in 2019 – and then, there was total silence until the latest Nintendo Direct. Despite the wait, not much was shared about the game other than a promise that it would release on the original Switch, despite rampant speculation about the game coming to the console’s imminent successor.

“Metroid Prime 4: Beyond” drops in 2025 for Nintendo Switch.

“Gears of War: E-Day”

Xbox unveiled another prequel to a beloved shooter series this June, with “E-Day” set 14 years before the original “Gears of War.” Marcus Fenix, the longtime hero of the “Gears of War” series, is set to return as the protagonist for this new title.

Not much was revealed about this new game beyond its existence, as no gameplay or release window was shown during Xbox’s showcase. The game seems to be focusing on the first terrifying emergence of the series’s antagonists, the Locust Drones, in a move quite similar to the approach taken by the upcoming film “A Quiet Place: Day One.” It was a surprising but welcome announcement for longtime “Gears of War” fans, who were primarily expecting a numbered sequel to 2019’s “Gears 5.”

“Gears of War: E-Day” will be released on Xbox Series X/S.

© University of Southern California/Daily Trojan. All rights reserved.