The recent Summer Game Fest weekend, a flurry of trailers and announcements from events like the Xbox Games Showcase, Future Games Show, and Sony's State of Play, left many eagerly awaiting news on highly anticipated titles. However, a notable number of games were conspicuously missing from the festivities.
Among the absentees was Ananta, an ambitious free-to-play title described as a blend of Grand Theft Auto's open world with Arkham-style combat and Spider-Man-like traversal. Its mix of mechanics, which reportedly includes character switching, car chases, and even furniture customization, has generated significant interest. Given its absence, updates are likely to emerge from events like ChinaJoy or Tokyo Game Show.
CD Projekt Red's rumored DLC for The Witcher 3 also failed to materialize at Summer Game Fest. The existence of new content was inadvertently confirmed via the studio's own storefront, but official details remain scarce. Fans hoping to return to Geralt's adventures may have to wait until Gamescom for further announcements.
Arkane's Blade, a third-person action game based on the Marvel character, has been missing from showcases for three years. Despite the closure of Arkane's Austin studio, the Lyon team, known for Deathloop, is reportedly handling the project. While the studio's commitment to reactive, open-ended design is a source of optimism, details on Blade remain elusive.
NetherRealm Studios' next fighting game, widely speculated to be Injustice 3, was also absent. Hints from voice actors and a Warner Bros. Games employee's resume have fueled anticipation, but official confirmation and details about its roster or gameplay remain unconfirmed.
Fans hoping for remasters of Bethesda titles were also left wanting. Despite the successful shadow-drop of Oblivion Remastered, neither Fallout 3 nor Fallout: New Vegas received any updates, with the Xbox Games Showcase focusing on a new Fallout 76 trailer.
Larian Studios' next RPG, Divinity, despite significant buzz and a gory reveal trailer, was not present at Summer Game Fest. The studio's previous success suggests that Divinity will likely perform well upon its eventual early access launch, even without a recent showcase appearance.
Tides of Annihilation, a combat spectacle fighter with an Arthurian legend theme set in modern London, also failed to appear. While it debuted at last year's State of Play, further information might surface at future Asian gaming events.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, the World War II team-up from Skydance New Media featuring Captain America and Black Panther, was confirmed to still be in development but was not shown. EA Motive's single-player Iron Man game also remains unrevealed.
BioWare's next Mass Effect title, often referred to as Mass Effect Next, continues to be a subject of speculation. While a trailer is sometimes released on November 7, an unofficial fan holiday, no new information was presented.
Sega's announced reboots of Jet Set Radio and Golden Axe were also absent. Following the cancellation of a live-service 'super game' and mixed reception for the new Crazy Taxi's use of generative AI, the status of these classic revivals is unclear.
Kingdom Hearts 4, revealed four years ago, showed no new progress. With Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth releasing soon, fans are eager for updates on Sora's ongoing adventure.
Aspyr's planned remaster of Deus Ex, which was indefinitely delayed after initial backlash and refunding of preorders, received no update. Interest in immersive sim remasters has shifted towards Nightdive's upcoming Thief: The Dark Project Remastered.
FromSoftware's next project, reportedly exclusive to the Switch 2 and tentatively titled The Duskbloods, is expected to be revealed at a Nintendo Direct. Its absence from other showcases is understandable given its platform exclusivity.
Ubisoft's Beyond Good & Evil 2 continues its long, protracted development, with no new information emerging.
Bungie's Destiny 3 remains an elusive prospect. While the studio is focusing on its extraction shooter Marathon, there is no clear successor planned for the Destiny franchise in the immediate future.
Despite years since its announcement, The Elder Scrolls 6 remains without any substantial news. While Bethesda's Starfield was a major focus, the long wait for TES6 continues to be a point of discussion.
Respawn Entertainment is reportedly working on the final chapter of the Star Wars Jedi series. EA confirmed in 2024 that the conclusion to Cal Kestis's story is in development, suggesting a potential reveal next year.
The Knights of the Old Republic remake, a project that has seen developer changes from Aspyr to Saber Interactive, was not acknowledged at Summer Game Fest, despite its initial 2021 announcement.
Firaxis Games' XCOM 3 is another highly anticipated title that was absent. Despite the success of XCOM 2 and the interim release of Chimera Squad, concrete news on a full sequel remains scarce.
Gunfire Games, developers of Darksiders 3, are working on Darksiders 4, which is expected to be published by THQ Nordic, likely at their own showcase later in the year.
Finally, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma made a brief appearance at the Xbox Games Showcase, primarily to confirm Gears of War: E-day exclusivity to Xbox and PC. A more comprehensive statement on the future of the Xbox brand, often a staple of such events, was notably absent.