Featured publishers still include Ubisoft, Failbetter Games, Devolver Digital, and Astra Logical. However, you can also look forward to announcements from 11 bit studios, Ghost Ship Publishing and Gameswing, Krafton, People Can Fly, Dear Villagers, Blumhouse Games, and many more. Saber Interactive, Shiro Games, Aspyr, and Level Infinite have also been confirmed.

Based on the publishers, we can probably expect updates on The Alters, Frostpunk 2, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, Lost Rift, Delta Force, and much more. We may also see the next update for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which goes live in June and adds a new story quest, immersion settings, and more.

The jury is still out, but host Sean “Day[9]” Plott confirmed that the offerings range “from indie to triple-A.” Stay tuned for more details and updates as the showcase draws nearer.

Exoborne takes place in a parallel alternate timeline, where mankind is facing a looming climate disaster in the near future. In an attempt to battle the climate disaster, humanity tried something called Project Rebirth, which ultimately results in an even worse disaster.

Players are caught up in a mysterious conflict, the details of which become clearer the more time players spend in Exoborne.

One of the key features of Exoborne is set to be its world, complete with dynamic nature that will affect the various fights players can get into against each other or AI opponents. For example, while a player might be looking forward to grabbing some loot from a building, that whole area can end up getting caught in a massive tornado, drastically shifting the player’s priorities.

Exoborne was announced back in 2023, and while it doesn’t yet have a full release date, it is confirmed to be coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

The registration of new accounts has already halted on July 9th alongside the microtransactions. Servers will remain available until then alongside any of the player’s items. After September 9th, SYNCED will be unavailable to play or download. Level Infinite has outlined conditions where it will retain user information for 30 days after termination. Head here for more details.

As a post-apocalyptic futuristic shooter, SYNCED saw players as Runners battling the Nanos within the Meridian, a special exclusion zone. The twist is that one could hack a Nanos and use them in fights, with PvE and PvP options available. You can check out our review for the title here – we gave it a seven out of ten, praising the aesthetic and gameplay but criticizing the progression and lackluster story.

As per a report published by Reuters, Assassin’s Creed Jade has been delayed from a previously intended 2024 launch window into 2025. Allegedly, Tencent (parent company of Level Infinite) has pushed the game back as it instead shifts resources and prioritizes work on mobile party game DreamStar, which is being billed as a competitor to NetEase’s hit title Eggy Party.

A number of factors have reportedly contributed to Tencent shifting focus away from Assassin’s Creed Jade. For starters, mobile adaptations of AAA Western franchises generally tend to yield thinner profits, while, unlike Jade, DreamStar is also an owned, in-house IP, so any profits it generates would be entirely Tencent’s.

It remains to be seen when Ubisoft and Level Infinite will be officially announcing the specific release date for Assassin’s Creed Jade. Stay tuned for more updates.

Exoborne currently doesn’t have a release date, and according to the announcement development on the game is still ongoing. With the trailer, the studio wants to showcase the game’s world and its vision.

Exoborne seems to be set shortly after an apocalyptic event of some sort, as humanity is on the verge of a global collapse after the failure of Project Rebirth. This has turned the world into a hostile place. The primary setting for Exoborne part of southeastern US.

Players are put in the shoes of survivors fitted with implants that allow them to use Exo-Rigs, and are called Reborn. This allows players to take on the deadly environments of the world as they fight against each other in their hunt for new supplies and weapons.

According to the announcement, Exoborne will also have a focus on verticality, and players will have to explore and fight their way through zones that make use of vertical space with various tools in their arsenal.

Exoborne doesn’t have a release date, but is slated to come to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

As confirmed by The Game Awards’ official Twitter account, at next week’s show, a new game by Sharkmob (Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt) and Tencent-owned Level Infinite (Assassin’s Creed Jade, SYNCED) will be announced. An accompanied sneak peak of the game’s announcement also makes ominous promises of an incoming storm. Check it out below.

Sharkmob’s website might give some clues as to what the game will be, with the developer stating that the two unannounced projects it has in development are both AAA titles built on Unreal Engine 5 for PC and current-gen consoles, featuring “action-packed, online, social” elements.

As for what other announcements you can expect at The Game Awards, Larian Studios will be announcing a release date for Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox Series X/S, while we will also be seeing new upcoming content for Warframe and Crash Team Rumble. 

Sega, Microsoft, and the developer of Inscryption have also teased important announcements for the showcase, and a Death Stranding 2 showing may also potentially have been teased.

A storm is coming!

Make sure to watch #TheGameAwards for the reveal of @SharkmobGames and @LevelInfinite's new game!

Watch it live on Dec 7 at 7:30PM ET / 4:30PM PT / Dec 8 at 1:30 CET#Sharkmob #LevelInfinite pic.twitter.com/3p0ab6gmIf

— The Game Awards (@thegameawards) December 1, 2023

So, what is SYNCED all about, first off? To summarize, it’s a futuristic sci-fi shooter that pits human character players against swarms of humanoid or creature-like monstrosities constructed out of polygonal shards called Nanos. No matter which game type you select, you have the capability of seemingly “hacking” one of these beasts and forming your own Nano to help you fight back. In effect, you “sync” with a Nano hence the game’s title. This third-person shooter offers two modes, a PvE and a PvP mode. The PvE mode, which enables online co-op play, is easily the more thrilling option that offers a sense of adventuring progression despite a thin story.

"This sci-fi action experience offers a great time at the shooting gallery, but not much else. SYNCED has all of its eggs in a couple baskets, leaving others pretty barren."

From a gameplay position, SYNCED is a well-oiled machine. The shooting and other tactics you employ in the field such as unleashing and recalling your synced Nano, tossing throwables, looting, and even power leaping long distances (with your Nano in tow), are all highly satisfying with intuitive controls and smooth action. To complement the gameplay, the visual design and non-linear maps within the world are detailed and exquisite. Perhaps, for these two reasons, SYNCED is likely worth your time trying out since it is free-to-play after all.

However, those two highlights of SYNCED are (currently) the best aspects of the experience. Despite its sci-fi backdrop and unique-designed characters, the story and lore are painfully thin and extremely dull. The characters follow suit with one-note dialogue and personalities. This, however, is a minor complaint for a game that still offers a decent draw with regard to great gameplay mechanics.

The heftier issues with SYNCED lie in its progression grind. This is obviously what will keep players returning for more playtime hours and potentially spend money on the game’s monetization efforts: microtransactions. While I’m on the subject, microtransactions don’t feel overtly intrusive – at least not from what I’ve seen in my time with SYNCED. The main menu doesn’t throw any big flashy advertisements at me immediately and I have to actually visit the vendor at the Haven to look through the bundles, skins, currency, and other items for sale. Of course, that can always change down the road. But for now, the monetization is respectable and largely stays out of your way if you don’t intend to give the shop a look.

Now, about progression. There is a “main campaign” that is central to SYNCED. Basically, it’s playing all of the PvE levels throughout the Dead Sector mode. At first, you’ll be tasked with clearing swarms. Do this enough times and your team will obtain the data that will lead you to a Tyrant Nano – which are, essentially, the boss fights of the game. You are allowed to play through Dead Sector solo, but that might make the experience feel even “grindier” if you catch my meaning. If you have friends that play or simply matchmake with folks over at Haven, you can strike it out as a team of three.

"From a gameplay position, SYNCED is a well-oiled machine. The shooting and other tactics you employ in the field such as unleashing and recalling your synced Nano, tossing throwables, looting, and even power leaping long distances (with your Nano in tow), are all highly satisfying with intuitive controls and smooth action."

The progression ultimately hinges on you battling your way through an onslaught of Nanos. With refined gameplay mechanics, this is good fun – for a while. The game lacks a range of diversity in its objectives, however. This can lead to rapid burnout. Furthermore, the game offers little incentive to return to areas you’ve already completed which begs the question: What happens to a newcomer down the road when most players are far beyond in more challenging levels? Perhaps, the game will draw in newcomers for quite some time, and that may not be an issue. However, the incentives seem to be lacking as they’re largely basic. It’s incentives, after all, that drive progression in most solid online experiences. Again, however, this is something that could always change with future updates to SYNCED.

I found myself more drawn to PvP match-ups against other players. This is ultimately what may have players returning in the future. With solid shooter mechanics, going up against skilled players makes for a fun and thrilling challenge. Each PvP match is a 3 versus 3 scenario. You can, of course, sync with a Nano and bring them into the fray.

Your character (referred to as Runners) and Companion Nano that you select while in Haven or in a pre-game setting (whether PvP or PvE) have their own sets of abilities. For instance, the Seer companion, while fused to your character’s arm (not unleashed in battle) can detect other Runners close by. When deployed, the Guardian Nano will utilize a shield to help defend itself and you. If it’s not deployed and fused to your arm, you can materialize a shield in front of you when aiming. Different Runners also have different abilities. Layla can use a cloaking ability to conceal herself while Dr. Stone can deploy a drone that heals himself and allies in a certain radius. So, there are strategic reasons behind your character and Nano selections that, when coupled with a team, could synergize well if you all coordinate.

"The progression ultimately hinges on you battling your way through an onslaught of Nanos. With refined gameplay mechanics, this is good fun – for a while. The game lacks a range of diversity in its objectives, however. This can lead to rapid burnout."

At the end of the day, SYNCED offers players a worthwhile shot at a potentially fun online free-to-play shooter. With any luck, future updates will refine the progression aspect of the game – it’s driving force in finding a returning audience. Still, fun and frenetic gunplay coupled with excellent visual design and the low, low price tag of “free” should at least earn an hour (at minimum) of your time just to see what the game is all about. It may not be the best free-to-play title out there, but you can easily do worse.

This game was reviewed on PC.

A new gameplay trailer has also been released for the action RPG, showcasing its open world Ancient China setting, and offering glimpses of gameplay that fans of the franchise will find very familiar, including some high-flying combat, plenty of parkour, stealth, open world traversal, and more. We also get a pretty good look at the game’s protagonist, whose voiceover talks about his drive for justice and his own personal creed throughout the trailer. Check it out below.

A second closed beta has also been confirmed for the title, following on from one that took place earlier this month. Dates haven’t yet been confirmed for the next beta, but players can register for it now.

Assassin’s Creed Jade is in development for iOS and Android.

Liu is “a spirited and formidable girl” deeply passionate about (and well-versed in) martial arts. As the guardian of Farewellville, she’s also an artist and incorporates calligraphy and painting into her fighting style. This is apparent in the visual effects, with her attacks having brushstrokes of blue and orange colors.

Though the game is free-to-play, pre-orders are available for the Standard, Deluxe and Ultimate Editions on the PlayStation Store, each with unique bonuses. Check them out below. It’s worth noting that Deluxe and Ultimate Edition owners can get 48 hours of early access and start playing on August 6th.

Standard Edition ($10.99)

• A copy of the game
• Monthly Pass (x1)
• Tanium (x100)
• Gold Nucleus (x10)
• Fried Chicken (x10)
• Crispy Grilled Fish (x10)
• Black Nucleus (x10)
• Weapon Augmentation Box II (x10)

Deluxe Edition ($49.99)

• A copy of the game
• 48-hours early access
• Simulacrum Deluxe Box (x1)
• Outfit “Move Planes” for PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4
• Avatar “Smarty Housekeeper (2nd Gen.)” for PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4
• Avatar Frame “Playtime” for PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4
• Chat Frame “Game Master” for PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4
• Monthly Pass (x1)
• Tanium (x2,000)
• Gold Nucleus (x10)
• Black Nucleus (x10)
• Weapon Augmentation Box II (x20)
• Fried Chicken (x10)
• Crispy Grilled Fish (x10)
• Sizzling Meat (x10)
• Nut tea (x10)

Ultimate Edition ($99.99)

• A copy of the game
• 48-hours early access
• Simulacrum Premium Box (x1)
• Race Car “Icy Blue Blooming” for PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4
• Jetpack Skin “White-Tailed Meteor” for PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4
• Outfit “Move Planes” for PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4
• Avatar “Smarty Housekeeper (2nd Gen.)” for PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4
• Avatar Frame “Playtime” for PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4
• Chat Frame “Game Master” for PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4
• Monthly Pass (x1)
• Tanium (x3,000)
• Red Nucleus (x10)
• Gold Nucleus (x10)
• Black Nucleus (x10)
• Random SR Relic Shard Box (x20)
• Weapon Augmentation Box II (x20)
• Fried Chicken (x10)
• Crispy Grilled Fish (x10)
• Sizzling Meat (x10)
• Nut tea (x10)

Check out the latest trailer for the PS4 and PS5 versions here. Tower of Fantasy is currently available for iOS, Android and PC. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

Players can run guilds with tanks, sand bikes and more and come into conflict with each other. However, massive sandworms also lurk on the planet, and you’ll need to think fast to survive. Unlike most MMOs which rely on hot bars and cooldowns, Dune: Awakening’s combat is more “second-to-second and intense,” per game director Viljar Sommerbakk when speaking to PC Gamer.

You need to start from the ground up, not unlike Conan: Exiles (another Funcom survival MMO), but Dune: Awakening has its unique flavor (or spice, if you will). A release date hasn’t been revealed, but players can sign up for the beta here.