Following State of Play, it’s the Summer of Gaming with one major showcase after another, starting with the Summer Game Fest showcase on June 5th. It’s followed by the Future Games Show Summer Showcase on June 6th and a double feature on June 7th with the Xbox Games Showcase and PC Gaming Show. There’s also the possibility of a new Nintendo Direct to outline what’s coming this year (and potentially beyond), but here are our picks for some of the biggest announcements that you could see, and it all begins with the return of a beloved franchise…

Gears of War: E-Day Release Date

Say what you will about XBOX, all caps or not, they know that fans are hungry for more Gears of War. Hence, the dedicated Direct for E-Day will feature its first-ever gameplay and other details. Since it’s allegedly out in the second half of 2026, all eyes are on The Coalition to finally announce a release date, which is looking to be September based on recently announced sponsorships. Either way, it’s been far too long without the king of cover-based shooters, and we’re looking forward to beginning the fight anew.

Fable’s “Major New Look”

Now, this one is interesting, especially since XBOX has already confirmed a delay to February 2027. So what could this “major new look” hold? Perhaps a walkthrough of a quest? The return of a beloved character? Showcasing the extent of consequences that are possible with increasingly hilarious results? It may end up just showcasing another well-known British actor in the game, but hey, we’ll take it if there’s solid gameplay.

Halo: Campaign Evolved Release Date

Halo Studios has been rather mum on this remake, which is odd for several reasons. Yes, it recently confirmed there’s no in-game store, but… that’s pretty much it. There’s been no new gameplay since its reveal at the last Halo World Championship, and it’s reportedly launching next month. Will marketing kick into overdrive after the showcase? Time will tell, but from every angle, it seems fans won’t have to wait long to go hands-on.

Phantom Blade Zero Gets New Trailer

Launching in September, being in the “intense, final stages of development” according to the developer, only one other big showcase until its launch – if ever there was a time to start marketing for Phantom Blade Zero, it would be at Summer Game Fest. As always, the question of what could be showcased always pops up – obviously, you want to get the people excited without spoiling too much. Alternatively, if S-Game wanted to drop that demo promised long ago, next week wouldn’t be the worst occasion to do so.

Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 3

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has said that marketing won’t begin until Summer, clarifying that it won’t be for another few weeks. However, it doesn’t exclude the possibility of a new trailer, and it certainly doesn’t stop Rockstar from opening pre-orders. Could it stop short of the latter and release a new teaser, hyping up a reveal in the coming weeks? Sure. Does it need to do it at any of the upcoming showcases? Probably not, but it would be cool. Either way, expect to hear a lot more about the title this month, even if it’s when you least expect it.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword Release Date

We’ve seen more than enough gameplay, know more than enough the story – so if the long-awaited Onimusha revival doesn’t get a launch date at some point in the coming days, I may lose it. Granted, the developer could always pull the patented, “Tune in to the Online Special Program later in June for more,” but like Pragmata at last year’s The Game Awards, it’s probably just going to cut through the noise and announce a date with pre-orders.

Monster Hunter Wilds Expansion Reveal

Now this is a classic example of potentially debuting a trailer and revealing more information later. Monster Hunter Wilds’ expansion is confirmed to receive more details this Summer, and given the franchise’s history at Keighley’s shows, a title reveal seems very likely. We could then see a proper Monster Hunter Showcase next month or in September, right before the so-called Summer period ends.

OD Update

It’s been a year since Hideo Kojima took the Summer Game Fest stage, promoting Death Stranding 2. With how close he is to Keighley, and the fact that there hasn’t been any update on its next title, OD, since September 2025, a new teaser would hardly be surprising. Then again, since Xbox Game Studios is the publisher, it may even appear at the upcoming Xbox Showcase. The real question is: Will Kojima attend both? It’s certainly not impossible, even if it would be excessive.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis Release Date Reveal (or Delay)

It really doesn’t hit you just how many games could be released between June and October, simply to avoid “competing” – which is already a strong word – against Grand Theft Auto 6. I’m not sure that Amazon Game Studios would want to take the risk, even after announcing a 2026 release window, and rumors of a delay to 2027 may feed into that. An appearance certainly seems on the cards, but for now, it’s a toss-up on whether it launches this year or next.

Resident Evil – Code: Veronica Remake Announcement

Rumors have circulated about this remake since June 2024. Resident Evil Requiem was announced in June 2025, at the Summer Game Fest no less. With a supposed launch in the first half of 2027, odds are looking good that Resident Evil could steal the show once more with the long-awaited Code: Veronica Remake. Get your “welcome back, Claire Redfield” signs ready in advance.

Virtua Fighter Crossroads Reveal

Call it a mistake, an accident or just an honest-to-goodness leak, the new Virtua Fighter’s gameplay has seemingly leaked. The final name is apparently Virtua Fighter Crossroads, and admittedly, it looks quite good. Is Sega saving the announcement for a big show like Summer Game Fest, especially since it was announced at The Game Awards 2024? Possibly – it’s not like there’s any other shows it could fit in.

Sonic Frontiers: Definitive Edition Announcement

Add another game to the potential Nintendo Direct, as Sega seeks to bring Sonic Frontiers to Nintendo Switch 2 at long last. While previous rumors suggested a rewritten story, the Definitive Edition is allegedly closer to a standard port, complete with all updates, except that it should run better than the Switch 1 version. Again, if it’s indeed real, expect an announcement and release date soon.

Metro 2039 Gets More Gameplay

After its surprising reveal and the even more surprising First Look, Metro 2039 seems poised to appear at the Xbox Games Showcase. Not for the sake of filling up time, mind you – rather, to showcase more of the horrors that players will allegedly face. I’m skeptical about a release date, especially since 4A Games still has time to narrow things down – and decide whether it wants to fall on the 2026 or 2027 side of its Winter release window – but stranger things have happened at an Xbox show.

State of Decay 3 Gameplay and Updates

Meet one of the stranger things. I know, I know – Undead Labs is conducting closed tests, and it’s seemingly making progress after years and years of nothing. And while it could outright say “2027” as a release window, something tells me the team will simply provide new gameplay, an update from recent tests, and the assurance of providing more opportunities in the coming months. Playing things safe before it really decides to commit to something.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 Release Date

Launching this Summer and already unveiling everything that sets it apart from the original, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 seems like a lock for Summer Game Fest. A release date seems a given, but it feels like something else is needed – a little je ne sais quoi. Maybe a brand new big bad that would replace the Queen as a major threat? Hard to say, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it arrives as soon as next month.

Valor Mortis Release Date

A first-person Souls-like set in an alternate 19th-century Europe focused on fighting Napoleon’s zombie soldiers after returning from the dead, developed by the team behind Ghostrunner 2? Sign us up, and more importantly, give us a release date, since it’s already confirmed for Fall. That may end up closer to October than November for the obvious reason, but I’m more interested to see if a demo or open beta ends up happening, especially with all the closed testing done so far.

Ananta Trailer and Launch Window

Geoff Keighley’s showcases have a thing for games – see the frequent appearances by ZZZ, Honkai: Star Rail, Wuthering Waves, and, more recently, Arknights Endfield. Ananta is interesting because it’s foregoing a character system while retaining the urban open-world fantasy we’ve seen thus far. It may not launch this year, but with most of its competition, particularly NTE, already released, a new trailer at least seems a given.

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Release Date

What should have been rated recently by PEGI, but Bandai Namco’s next Ace Combat? Smarter minds will probably be able to tell you why its pre-release date is May 30th on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, but it’s further proof of a potential release announcement. And honestly, with how good Wings of Theve has looked, both the first-person cutscenes and the actual combat, we’re hoping it drops sooner than later.

The Duskbloods Release Month

Say what you will about its recent multiplayer focus – FromSoftware generally does a good job convincing millions to try its next game, regardless. The same will hopefully hold for The Duskbloods, and with rumors of a launch later this year (and not this Summer, apparently), it could appear at that alleged Nintendo Direct set for mid-June. Maybe Elden Ring Tarnished Edition will be shadow-dropped in the meantime.

New 3D Mario Announcement

Nintendo isn’t above announcing big names a good while before they actually launch – just as it has no qualms holding back finished titles, waiting for the right launch window. And with insider NateTheHate claiming that a new 3D Mario would be announced for 2027, that supposed mid-June Direct isn’t the worst place to announce it, especially after the success of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

Pokémon Wind and Waves Release Window

Perhaps one of the safest possible bets for the Direct is the release date announcement for Pokémon Wind and Waves, especially with listings spotted on Amazon Germany. If it follows, say, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, then January/February 2027 aren’t outside the realm of possibility. Again, a safe bet, unless Nintendo goes in another direction (like saving the info for a Pokémon Showcase in July).

Hollow Knight: Silksong — Sea of Sorrow Gameplay

Geoff Keighley loves his Silksong teases, but that was for one of the most-anticipated games of all time. What are the chances the trend repeats at this year’s show, revealing the first gameplay for Sea of Sorrow, its free DLC? Probably low, but don’t forget about XBOX – they’ve featured Silksong on numerous occasions, and would probably jump at the opportunity to feature the title on their showcase, complete with a release date.

Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra Update

Game delays can be funny, especially when something like Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra – the next big game from Uncharted creator Amy Hennig – announced a delay beyond early 2026. That doesn’t mean 2027, but at this rate, with very little to actually show for it, we wouldn’t be surprised if it appears with a new trailer confirming it’s skipping 2026 entirely. Which is fine, but you’d have to expect a closer look at the game at some point.

Star Wars Zero Company Release Date/Delay

Star Wars crossed with XCOM sounds like a dream come true, and based on previews, it makes for an excellent tactical strategy experience. But there’s otherwise been relative silence – not even a peep during this year’s May the 4th. If it’s meeting that 2026 release window, then a new trailer at either the Xbox Games Showcase or Summer Games Fest is possible. Then again, EA could choose not to foot the bill and just drop these details at some random time.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 Title Reveal

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was first announced during the original’s 25th Anniversary Celebration livestream in June 2022. So close enough to the Summer of Gaming at the time, but still nothing. However, its gameplay trailer would appear at the Summer Game Fest in 2023, followed by another trailer at The Game Awards, and so on. With director Naoki Hamaguchi already claiming more than 40 playthroughs and promising to share more updates on the overall project than ever before this year, a Part 3 reveal – if not a release window, then perhaps its name – seems very likely.

Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy Release Date

Oh, look – another game that appeared at last year’s Summer Game Fest with a release window of 2026. Asobo Studio offered a substantial update last April, confirming “final tweaks, last recording sessions, the closing notes of the score,” and much more as it focuses on refining the prequel. It’s been four years since A Plague Tale: Requiem, yet the developer is focused on delivering “an experience as challenging as it is unforgettable.” We could thus see Resonance appearing next week to announce a delay to next year, if only to allow it to shine all the brighter.

Palworld 1.0 Release Date

With all the big announcements, I think back to Palworld, which exited early access this year. Pocketpair already said that Version 1.0 wouldn’t just be randomly revealed on Discord, and it has a history of featuring on these big shows. So what better time to reveal all the new content and a release date than Summer Game Fest, with further info dumps planned for the coming months? Again, there’s kind of a time limit given the elephant in the room called GTA 6, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Pocketpair decides on January 2027 of all months.

Nivalis Release Window

At this time, developer ION LANDS posted a new update for its cyberpunk restaurant management title, going over level design, visuals, how it’s handling simulating thousands of characters, and so on. However, one little bit stood out – the shift towards “final polish” ahead of release. From bug fixes to localization and optimization, the team has been busy. It will share a release date when it’s ready, so a shadow drop seems unlikely, but at this stage, a release date still seems very possible, especially in the coming week.

Light No Fire Appearance

Of all the studios and publishers sweating about November and finding the right days to release their titles, Hello Games has it made. No Man’s Sky continues to succeed, and it continues to receive quality free updates that deepen the experience. So when it comes to Light No Fire, a small teaser could be released at Summer Game Fest with very little context, much less a release window, and stand out. And if no one wants to feature an indie title that simply wants to remind people that it still exists, well, that’s alright then, because development will roll on until something concrete. The point is, at the end of it all, Sean continues to hold all the cards.

Minecraft Dungeons 2 Release Date

As if its first-party line-up for the coming months wasn’t enough, Mojang’s Minecraft Dungeons 2 is also launching in 2026. It’s not a huge title by any means, but the original had 25 million players, so the prospect of new locations and a brand new threat could be appealing…and you just know it’s going to be at the Xbox Games Showcase, showcasing its various new zones that totally weren’t leaked a year ago.

With an alleged remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time seemingly coming near the Holiday season for Switch 2, one has to wonder about the next 3D Mario. Apparently, it’s slated for 2027 – a decade after the release of Super Mario Odyssey on the original Switch.

Not that Mario hasn’t kept busy, though – Super Mario Bros. Wonder launched in October 2023 to stellar critical acclaim, after all. The development team has also been working on Donkey Kong Bananza, which launched last July for the Nintendo Switch 2 to rave reviews and over four million sales.

While it’s unlikely to be announced in the next Nintendo Direct, the reveal of Ocarina of Time Remake could solidify the former’s status as a 2027 title. As always, time will tell, but if Nintendo is pushing it to next year, it may simply be to space out its big releases.

Martinet will instead serve as Mario Ambassador, traveling the world and “sharing the joy of Mario” while interacting with fans. The company will celebrate his work with a special video message from Martinet and Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto coming at a “future date.” Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

Though the tweet lists Martinet as being the voice of Mario as far back as Super Mario 64 (1996), his first role as the character dates even further back, namely the CD-ROM version of Mario Teaches Typing (1994) and Mario’s Game Gallery (1995). He would serve as the voice actor for Luigi, Wario, Waluigi and even Baby Mario, with his last major title being Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope.

We have a message for fans of the Mushroom Kingdom. Please take a look. pic.twitter.com/L0kjQtwALr

— Nintendo of Europe (@NintendoEurope) August 21, 2023

COVID-19 has done a number on just about everything, it seems. Video game companies got hit hard, with lots of delays. One company that is very obvious with is Nintendo, whose latter half of 2020 releases have been pretty slim. For a long time, it’s been rumored we were getting a collection of remasters for Mario’s 35th Anniversary, but thus far, those rumors have been a bust. Well, throw another one on the fire, as more rumors are coming.

This go around, the rumors come from the podcast, Nate the Hate. Apparently, the podcast has reported on Nintendo leaks with some degree of accuracy in past, correctly guessing both of August’s Directs. He says that the collection was actually supposed to be out around this time originally, but COVID pushed everything back. He still contends that it’s real, however, saying that it’s now Nintendo’s big holiday title. He also says there could be a potential bundle or dock beside it.

“I think now it’s going to be positioned more as a holiday game than as they had originally planned. I believe the original plan was that the 3D collection was going to come out in September, had these games been announced in June… then we probably would have had 3D World Deluxe follow it in either October of maybe even early November. Now that’s completely scrapped.

“Then we’re potentially looking at 3D collection either being early October… or the 3D collection is going to come out in November and be positioned as a prime holiday title, with a Mario-themed console, dock and all of that,” he said.

“Then I think you’re going to see 3D World Deluxe get delayed out of the 35th anniversary party and it’s going to come out in January 2021.”

It’s getting late even for this potential schedule, but Nintendo has been dropping announcements out of nowhere recently, such as the Pikmin 3 Deluxe title that will release at the end of October. Who knows, though, we’ll just have to wait and see.

As it stands right now, there isn’t a lot in the second half of the year announced from Nintendo. Like all companies, its input has obviously been hit by the COVID-19 global pandemic. As it stands, we really only have Paper Mario: The Origami King that will see release at the end of this week. What Nintendo has for us is still up in the air, but a new Twitter account could point to something coming soon.

Fans have managed to unearth an as of now inactive Twitter account for the series, called @supermario35th. The email address is redacted, but it seems to have a similar format to other Nintendo branded Twitter accounts. Time will tell what comes of this, but the account seems to have been created in March, which lines up almost perfectly with some earlier rumors about the re-release of multiple Super Mario games including remasters of Super Mario 64, both Galaxy games, Sunshine, 3D World and a new Paper Mario game that was revealed to be The Origami King.

Who knows what will come of this, but there are rumors that a new Direct is planned for later this month. If there’s an legitimacy here, most likely we will here something then.

So let’s begin with the character that is perhaps anonymous with the very concept of video games more than any other.

MARIO (SUPER MARIO)

Mario has been at the top of the gaming pantheon for as long as gaming as we know it today as existed, and because of it (or maybe vice versa), his design has become iconic. The red hat, the bushy moustache, the blue overalls- these are all features that have collectively become immediately recognizable even to someone who isn’t too ingrained in video games. It makes sense, then, that Nintendo have largely kept Mario’s design the same- or at least the most important features.

Well, for the most part. For his very outing first in Donkey Kong on arcade machines, Mario sported his iconic attire, but things changed after that for a while. On the NES, Super Mario Bros was restricted by the limited number of colours the console could display, so everything from his clothes to his overalls to his hat to even his hair was all basically just different shades of the same colour. In fact, it wasn’t until Super Mario World on the SNES that we saw him donning the blue overalls for a look that much closely resembles what we now associate him with (though the box art of Super Mario Bros. 3 did indeed display that look as well).

Then, Super Mario 64 – his first ever 3D outing – was what really cemented his look, and since then, in all the sequels and the many, many, many spinoffs and offshoots he has appeared in, his visual design has mostly stuck to same fundamentals, right up until his more recent outings in the likes of Super Mario Odyssey and Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. Of course, we’ve seen greater detail being added to that design as technology has progressed, which has allowed developers to really breathe life into the character’s look.

1985 was a historic year for Nintendo, and for gaming as a whole, because that was the year when a little game know as Super Mario Bros. first came out. 2020 is the series’ 35th anniversary then, and it seems Nintendo has big things planned for the occasion.

According to VGC, multiple sources are indicating that this year, to celebrate the iconic mascot’s 35th anniversary, Nintendo will release multiple Mario titles for the Nintendo Switch. This will include a new Paper Mario game – which is something that has been in the rumour mill for a while – as well as re-releases for “most of” the Super Mario series’ back-catalog. A remaster of Super Mario 3D World has been rumoured for a while now, but this would also include games preceding that, including the likes of 3D Land, 64, Sunshine, and both Galaxy games (though VGC’s report doesn’t mention any games in particular by name).

Reportedly, Nintendo was originally planning on revealing this stuff at E3 2020, but with the show having been cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they have had to reassess their plans. Allegedly, alongside these announcements, Nintendo will also reveal new details about its partnership with Universal, which includes the Super Nintendo World theme park and the upcoming Super Mario film. The recent collaboration between Nintendo and LEGO for Mario toys, it seems, is also part of the anniversary celebrations.

When asked for a comment on the same, Nintendo said to VGC that they do not “comment on rumour and speculation.”

Stay tuned to GamingBolt, and we’ll keep you updated as this story develops.

ABRA, KADABRA (POKEMON)

Pokemon as a series has always embraced its whimsy, and that is constantly reflected in the way it names its eponymous monsters. One of the funniest examples of this is the entire line of Gen 1 Psychic Pokemon Abra, which evolves into Kadabra, showing no subtlety in its Abracadarba reference.

Keiji Shibusawa – Yakuza 0

There’s only room for one Dragon of Dojima in Yakuza 0 and unfortunately for Keiji Shibusawa, it’s not him. The patriarch of Yakuza 0’s Shibusawa family, he’s usually portrayed as someone with a mind for business. However, this hides his sheer ruthlessness as witnessed when he set out to kill the Kazama family. The final battle sees Kiryu nearly kill Shibusawa but Nishiki would intervene, thus ensuring that Keiji went to jail.

MARIO

The most obvious choice there is. Mainline Mario games are, of course, platformers, but there’s just so much Nintendo has done with this series. From kart racing with Mario Kart to RPGs with Paper Mario and Mario and Luigi, to puzzle games with Dr. Mario, to part games with Mario Party, to sports titles with Mario Tennis, and so, so much more, Mario has tried its hand at an impossible number of things, and proved to be successful in most of its attempts.