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Summer Game Fest, a new “industry-wide celebration of video games” that will span from May through August, was announced today. It will bring “breaking news, in-game events, and free playable content” from companies across the game industry all season long. Geoff Keighley will act as both curator and host for pre- and post-shows in a lineup that includes companies such as Bethesda, Blizzard Entertainment, CD Projekt Red, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Riot, Sony, and Square Enix.
Late spring and summer typically bring about a huge number of announcements for the game industry. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, however, the year’s biggest events, including GDC, SXSW, E3, and Gamescom have all been restricted to online-only, or canceled outright. Unlike those conferences, which last a few days and rely heavily on in-person presence, Summer Game Fest is built to function as an all-digital event. Furthermore, it runs from May to August, making it the first gaming festival of its kind.
Events will stream via all major channels, including Facebook, Mixer, Twitch, Twitter, YouTube. As for details around specific events, publishers will handle those announcements directly. Platforms such as Steam and Xbox will also offer demos and trials of some games for a limited time. The Steam Game Festival: Summer Edition is set for June 9-14.L
“In these uncertain and challenging times, it’s more important than ever that video games serve as a common and virtual connection point between us all,” Keighley said in a prepared statement. “SGF is an organizing principle that promises fans a whole season of video game news and other surprises from the comfort of home.”
