Summer Game Fest is one of the year's biggest gaming showcases, and its official partners have just been revealed. From indie devs to AAA publishers and associated non-profits, Geoff Keighley's yearly summer celebration of games will show off products from all corners of the industry. 491g3t

This week marks the one-year anniversary of Hello Kitty Island Adventure, the cozy, tropical title made a big splash last summer on Apple Arcade. It's grown a lot since release, and the Sunblink simulation is still just getting started, with an arsenal of future updates and ports for PC and consoles arriving sometime in 2025. Earlier this summer, Screen Rant journeyed to the game's booth at Summer Game Fest to see an early version of the aforementioned port and chat with Sunblink's Chief Product Officer Chelsea Howe to reflect on everything that's happened since launch and discuss the title's future.

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn bills itself as a soulslite, drawing inspiration from the titles of FromSoftware while not being quite as punishing as a typical Dark Souls game. The title comes from A44 Games, which previously released the well-received RPG Ashen in 2018. Hands-on time with the game following Summer Game Fest's Xbox Showcase gave a better idea of what players can expect from the title, though there's clearly still a lot left to learn.

Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game takes a wholly different approach to Tolkien's universe, centering around hobbit dinner parties rather than grand adventures. The life sim comes from Wētā Workshop, a developer with intimate knowledge of Middle-Earth, having worked on the special effects for the original LOTR film series. Recent hands-on time during Summer Game Fest showed off a title that seems to offer a completely unique experience that will be satisfying for both Lord of the Rings fans and cozy game fans alike.

Star Wars Outlaws will take players to the galaxy’s seedy underbelly in the IP’s first open world game, and Screen Rant interviewed associate world director Cloé Hammoud and associate art Director Marthe Jonkers at Summer Game Fest 2024. Instead of dealing with Jedis or Rebels, players assume the role of Kay Ness, a thief embarking on the heist of a lifetime. The title will let players explore the Outer Rim freely, revisiting the era between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi for the first time in many years.

Star Wars Outlaws looks to be one of the most ambitious titles in the IP’s history, marking the first truly open-world title. Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the game will explore the Outer Rim through the eyes of thief Kay Vess. It will mix existing locales, characters, and lore with new creations, expanding on a rarely-explored part of the universe’s timeline. Screen Rant spoke with Star Wars Outlaws' game director Mathias Karlson and narrative director Navid Khavari to learn more.

Star Wars Outlawswill take players to never-before-seen places as Kay Vess, a thief living in the Outer Rim. Instead of the typical hero story starring Jedis and Rebels, the title has opted for a much more personal, morally ambiguous story of a quest to pull off an epic heist. It marks the first truly open-world entry in franchise history, promising a slew of different places for players to explore, and Screen Rant spoke with creative director Julian Gerighty to find out more.

Sonic x Shadow Generations aims to offer a brand-new way for players to experience the classic game, adding new content and improving existing elements of the game. As the name implies, the title adds Shadow as a playable character, and fresh levels designed especially for the beloved bad boy hedgehog. Screen Rant spoke with Takashi Iizuka, Sonic Creative Officer, to find out more.

Releasing later this year, Assassin’s Creed Shadows marks several firsts for the franchise, and Screen Rant spoke to Brooke Davies, the game's associate narrative director during Summer Game Fest. It’s the first entry to explore the setting of Japan, and also the first to feature a protagonist based on a real historical figure. The game stars two protagonists, Yasuke and Naoe, the former of which is based on a 16th century warrior.

Starship Troopers: Extermination recently announced the 1.0 release of the co-op FPS will be coming this fall, as well as confirmed console releases. The game isn’t the first foray into the genre for developer Offworld, which previously released tactical shooter Squad in 2015. Casper Van Dien, who starred in the original 1997 film, will return as Johnny Rico in the new project, and Screen Rant spoke with Casper during Summer Game Fest to learn more.