From a very unique take on bounty hunting to cool takes on espionage, several excellent ideas have been buried by their studios, with a variety of factors coming into play that didn’t let them see the light of day. We’re taking a look at a few that we would have loved to play, but sadly never got the chance to.

Let’s dive right in.

1. Crackdown 3

While its Wrecking Zone multiplayer mode drew heavily on Microsoft’s bold idea to bring cloud computing to the Xbox One, Crackdown 3 didn’t really catch on the way it should have, despite being a lot of fun. The final product was sadly nowhere close to the high bar that was set for it, with the result being a very destructible city that was largely devoid of the players it was meant to host.

The dream of entire city blocks collapsing in front of you with your console handling core tasks and the cloud rendering all of the destruction just didn’t materialize, and the game suffered for it as a result.

2. Project Milo

This was a tricky one for a long time, with a lot of back and forth about whether it was actually intended to be made into a game taking place between its creators and Microsoft. Still, it would have been cool to see a game with AI actively responding to you and acting on your voice commands.

This was a relationship sim that could have been quite innovative for its time, but it simply faded away into the background amid all the noise surrounding its “release”.

3. Star Wars 1313

We’d be lying if we said that this one didn’t sting a little. For starters, it was supposed to have Boba Fett as its frontman with a fast-paced gameplay loop that relied on gadgets and more traditional weapons in lieu of lightsabers and The Force. As if that wasn’t enough, it was purported to emulate Star Wars Bounty Hunter while bringing a gritty, darker tone to its story.

Sadly, LucasArts never got to make this one a reality, and we never got to explore District 1313 and see what the underbelly of Coruscant had to offer.

4. Silent Hills/PT

A Silent Hill title that was going to feature a collaboration between Hideo Kojima and filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (whose horror credentials are quite well known), with Norman Reedus playing its protagonist, sounds like a dream, right? That’s sadly all it was to most of the gaming world, with Konami pulling its playable demo from the PlayStation Store shortly after its cancellation.

All we can do is look back fondly at the supernatural time loop being brought to the table, and of course, shudder at the thought of Lisa constantly lurking out of sight just waiting to jump at us. A Playable Teaser was all this one was ever going to be in the aftermath of Kojima’s exit from Konami.

5. Prey 2

Aside from the obvious draw of an amnesiac protagonist affected by the presence of The Sphere from the first game, the chance to be a bounty hunter on an alien planet while uncovering the truth about his abduction sounded too good to be true. That was probably a valid insight when we look back at this one, with the game’s plans to make you embody a bounty hunter never coming to fruition.

We would have loved the chance to make use of all the agency this one gave us as we took on the role it wanted us to, but all we can do now is smile somberly at what could have been.

6. Scalebound

An action-RPG that gave fans of the Eragon novels a lot to be excited for, this one might have been a legendary title had it actually made its way to its audiences. Getting to command a literal dragon in the heat of battle, and even directly take control of it to unleash its fearsome abilities, is an idea that we’re yet to see even in the current generation of games. And that’s without even considering the co-op potential that the concept could bring to the table.

Its eventual cancellation after years of development is a showcase of how even the best of ideas may not translate to commercially viable titles in the long run.

7. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Patriots

Although this one did make way for Rainbow Six Siege, the thought of being part of a unit led by a morally grey former Navy SEAL against a terrorist group that was willing to impose its own beliefs on New York’s residents had all the makings of a Tom Clancy story that was true to the author’s vision and tone.

However, the decision to cancel the title and scrap this unique concept is a choice that we continue to question to this day.

8. The Lord of the Rings: The White Council

An open-world RPG where you would work under the guidance of the White Council, with its story and themes drawing from both the films and books, sounds like a Lord of the Rings adventure that might have put even Frodo and Sam to shame.

But it seems that the idea was cast into the fires of Mount Doom, and while we do have Shadow of War to help us cope, we can’t help but wish for a Palantir to view what it might have turned out to be if its version of Middle-earth was allowed to take shape.

9. Agent

Set in the Cold War and rumored to place its players at the heart of all of the espionage, political assassinations, and counter-intelligence that the era brought along, Agent was a great idea. Even Sony seemed to think so, locking down its IP with the belief that it could “set the bar for the industry” as per Michael Shorrock, who headed SCEA’s third-party relations at the time.

A stealth-action game with Rockstar at the helm certainly fits that description, but like the agents it aimed to bring to life, this one quietly vanished, presumably sacrificed in order to focus more resources on the development of GTA V.

10. Project Titan

The World of Warcraft killer that spent seven years in development continues to have us wondering whether it might have been able to live up to its lofty ambitions.

Despite the best of Blizzard coming together to bring this sci-fi MMO to life, complete with cool mech suits and rumored superhero-esque powers for its characters, along with a unique twist where you play as a normal citizen of the world by day while battling it out at night, Project Titan was unable to get off the ground. This is a cancellation that still rankles, if we’re being honest.

11. The Last of Us Online

Among the many projects that were cancelled in the aftermath of Sony’s ill-fated live-service push, this one was the most disappointing to us. The concept definitely had its merits, with a massive world filled with The Infected being the perfect stage for a survival-horror gameplay loop, complete with a standalone story to keep things interesting.

Unfortunately for it, the concept was scrapped after concerns about its long-term viability began to rear their head. For our part, we would have played this one for hours on end if it had made its way into our hands.

12. Duke Nukem Forever

While Duke was a hero who was quite clear about where he stood on alien invasions, the creative team behind this one could have emulated his conviction. That wasn’t the case, and this title switched engines during its development so many times that it’s hard to think about the game it was meant to be versus the one that we got.

Its vision was ultimately diluted by a needless focus on technical relevance, and as one of the record holders for being the longest game in development, we can’t help but feel that this was a game that deserved to be greater than the sloppy experience it ultimately devolved into.

13. Final Fantasy Versus XIII

The darker, more gothic take on the franchise was quite appealing when it first came to light, and Prince Noctis was quite an intriguing character. But with Final Fantasy XIII and eventually Final Fantasy XIV constantly dividing the attention of its team, and engine issues caused by the PS3’s aging tech, this one was pulled back and repurposed into FFXV.

When the trailer for the game eventually came around, it felt like it had changed almost completely, ditching its darker tone for something better aligned with the franchise’s overall light-hearted trappings. It would then be a solid five years before XV came out, and Versus XIII quietly vanished from the hearts and minds of its potential players.

14. The Getaway 3

We were quite fond of the original Getaway’s unique way of presenting its world, with the sort of cinematic quality that comes along quite rarely. With its parallel storylines and lack of a HUD and other elements, it was quite immersive and also fun to play as a Sony-backed sandbox. The sequel carried on those traditions, and we were delighted to know that a third title was in the works.

But The Getaway 3 was lost to the annals of time, with its cancellation never actually being announced, but quite clearly understood by the gaming world at large.

15. Deep Down

A sci-fi fantasy co-op adventure that would have its players exploring time-hopping dungeons is something we’re still waiting to see. It doesn’t help that Deep Down had its gameplay drawing inspiration from Dark Souls, which was already among our favorites to begin with.

But its 2013 reveal, and the lack of any concrete evidence of its development over the years has essentially made this once unique concept nothing more than vaporware. We’re holding out hope that it eventually becomes a great game, but we’re not going to hold our breath.

BONUS: Wonder Woman

Monolith’s proprietary Nemesis System, a unique mechanic that worked so darn well in the Shadow franchise, was the perfect way to craft a Wonder Woman story that could really dig into the character’s lore who could defy challenges and come back stronger.

That’s probably why the cancellation of this one continues to be an annoyance to us, as the concept is probably not going to make it to any other titles in the near future.

And that’s a wrap on our picks for great gaming ideas that showed a lot of promise but did not ultimately make their way to their players. Here’s to hoping that we don’t have to make another one of these lists over the next few years, though!

Schreier brings up the fact that, among Haddad’s decisions during his tenure include the cancellation of a new IP by Monolith that would have potentially utilize an expanded version of the Nemesis system from Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor/War. This decision had led to all directors at the studio resigning, leading to work on the Wonder Woman project starting from scratch.

The Wonder Woman game would have also made use of the Nemesis system before its development was rebooted around a year ago. This time around, it would be a linear action game.

Schreier points out that this decision was too late, and the failure of attempted live-service games with licensed characters, including Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and MultiVersus had already put WB Games in a bit of a hole.

“But by then, it was kind of too late especially because last year was so bad for the Warner Brothers Games organization,” said Schreier. “Last year Suicide Squad was a humongous flop – they wrote off $200 million because of that. MultiVersus and Quidditch Champions, also both flops, [they] wrote off another $100 million because of that.”

Haddad stepped down from his role as president of WB Games earlier this year after having spent 12 years with the company. His successor is JB Perrette, who is also the CEO and president of Warner Bros. Discovery global streaming and games division.

“David has thoughtfully and purposefully chosen a time when our release schedule is lighter, which will help minimize disruption to our ongoing projects and strategic plans and allow this team to smoothly prepare for its next record-breaking title,” said Perrette about Haddad’s departure.

The closure of Monolith Productions came alongside other studios at WB Games being shut down, including Player First Games and WB Games San Diego. Warner Bros. said that this happened because it had to make “some very difficult decisions to structure our development studios and investments around building the best games possible with our key franchises – Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC and Game of Thrones.”

While things may have been somewhat chaotic behind the scenes, comic writer Gail Simone recently commented on her time working with the studio as a long-term consultant for the Wonder Woman project. In a series of posts on X, Simone praised both the studio, as well as Warner Bros., calling both companies “enthusiastic and supportive.”

“The game was gorgeous and expansive,” wrote Simone. “It was beautiful to look at. I am not going to give details for a number of reasons, but every effort was made to make this not just a great game, but a great WONDER WOMAN game. A showpiece epic.”

“And all of that was because of the team. Everyone who worked on it brought their a-game. Programmers, artists, designers, everyone. I don’t know that I have ever worked with a team that cared more about making sure the end product was perfect.”

The reason behind these closures? Per an email to Kotaku, “We have had to make some very difficult decisions to structure our development studios and investments around building the best games possible with our key franchises – Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC and Game of Thrones.” Closing the aforementioned studios is a “strategic change in direction” and “not a reflection of these teams or the talent that consists within them.” You’ve probably spotted the contradictions already, but we’ll get into it shortly.

Regarding Wonder Woman, the company sought “the highest quality experience possible for the iconic character, and unfortunately, this is no longer possible within our strategic priorities. This is another tough decision, as we recognize Monolith’s storied history of delivering epic fan experiences through amazing games. We greatly admire the passion of the three teams and thank every employee for their contributions.”

It also said that despite the difficulties of today, you should all rest assured. Warner Bros. will “remain focused on and excited about getting back to producing high-quality games for our passionate fans and developed by our world-class studios and getting our Games business back to profitability and growth in 2025 and beyond.” Don’t worry about all those people who lost their jobs, everyone – WB Games is going to get back to profitability. The part about how this doesn’t reflect the teams or the quality of talent feels all the more insulting – like an “It’s not you, it’s us” situation.

You could argue that the closures of Player First Games and WB Games San Diego make sense from a “business perspective.” MultiVersus was a massive flop, contributing to a $100 million loss for Warner Bros, and will be shutting servers off in May with only offline play available afterwards. Meanwhile, WB Games San Diego was established in 2019 to work on free-to-play mobile games and hasn’t really delivered anything.

However, this is all more due to too many of the company’s releases missing the mark, per an alleged memo written by WB’s head of games and streaming, JB Perrette, obtained by Bloomberg. “We need to make some substantial changes to our portfolio/team structure if we are to commit the necessary resources to get back to a ‘fewer but bigger franchises’ strategy.”

While MultiVersus was one of those releases, other significant failures included Quidditch Champions and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The latter is perhaps the most egregious due to debuting universally reviled gameplay in 2023, getting delayed by almost a year, and then still launching to a negative response. It contributed to a $200 million impact on revenue for Warner Bros., and yet, continued to receive support and new content until January 2024.

All of this is seemingly due to the poor decisions made by former WB Games president David Haddad over the years. As Bloomberg reported earlier this month, it was under his leadership that these projects were greenlit. Then there’s the fact that WB Games Montreal was shafted for its Suicide Squad project, and even when reportedly it tried new pitches like Constantine, they were left on read. A Flash video game was the next pitch, but after the film’s flop, this too was scrapped. The frustration of dealing with WB Games allegedly caused many of the Montreal studio’s leadership to depart over the years.

Then there were all the disturbing details about Wonder Woman – how it was reportedly rebooted last year with a budget well $100 million and how the project was failing to “coalesce.” Even the acclaimed Nemesis System, made famous in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and War and never seen ever again, was seemingly pushed aside in favor of a more typical action-adventure experience.

It could be argued that WB Games is doing all this to correct Haddad’s mistakes, especially with how significantly they’ve impacted the company’s 2024 revenue. And yet, the hogwash about focusing on its key franchises – like DC – is all the more baffling since Wonder Woman is a DC property. Perhaps it means the rumored new Batman title from Rocksteady Studios, which won’t be out for years yet.

Then again, closing studios and taking employees off the payroll to later claim those reduced costs as improvements to the bottom line is perhaps the long-term goal. Gotta give those investors and shareholders some pounds of flesh in time for the next quarterly financial results, after all.

However anyone wants to try and justify it, this is such a massive waste of talent. Even if you didn’t like MultiVersus, it clearly had potential and loyal fans at the start, which were slowly squandered due to its live-service aspirations and monetization. Is it a coincidence that this happened in the same year that Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said the company was placing more emphasis on live-service titles to  “drive engagement and monetization of longer cycles and at higher levels?”

Monolith Productions hurts all the more because of the beloved titles it delivered over more than three decades. Titles like Condemned, Blood, Shogo: Mobile Armor Division, Alien vs. Predator 2, and much more remain classics – many remain my favorite titles to date. To see the studio tossed aside because of terrible management, as the higher-ups portend to focusing on “high-quality games” while seemingly preventing the studio from working on anything else, is just sad. If Wonder Woman was cancelled, it wouldn’t have been the most surprising thing, especially if WB Games didn’t want to shoulder further costs. But to do away with the studio as a whole leaves a bad taste.

This could be seen as more layoffs in an industry afflicted with the same since late 2023. Let’s not forget that other big-time publishers like Sony, Microsoft, EA and Take-Two Interactive have gone through layoffs and/or studio closures over that period. Don’t even get me started on the whole mess involving NetEase Games and reports of divesting its many overseas ventures.

However, these are more tragedies stemming from the many questionable decisions made by Warner Bros. Discovery over the past several years. Even as the company prepares for the next Hogwarts Legacy (with the first game reportedly receiving new content) and whatever Rocksteady cooks up, it’s difficult to really get excited.

Who else will be next on the chopping block? What other projects will suddenly get the rug pulled out because they suffered from prior mismanagement? Regardless of whether things improve or not, it’s the developers suffering at the end of the day, regardless of their past successes or loyalty, even in the face of executive bumbling.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Simone worked as a long-term consultant on the Wonder Woman project, a job she happily took on because she was already a fan of Monolith’s previous Middle-earth titles. She also wrote about work on the Wonder Woman game going quite smoothly thanks to the development team bringing their best to the project

“The game was gorgeous and expansive,” wrote Simone. “It was beautiful to look at. I am not going to give details for a number of reasons, but every effort was made to make this not just a great game, but a great WONDER WOMAN game. A showpiece epic.”

“And all of that was because of the team. Everyone who worked on it brought their a-game. Programmers, artists, designers, everyone. I don’t know that I have ever worked with a team that cared more about making sure the end product was perfect.”

Simone praised the fact that the Wonder Woman game was taking the DC universe quite seriously with regards to respect for the well-established lore and canon of the seminal comic series.

“They made sure it had WW and DC lore on every aspect of the game,” she wrote. “It was a thrill and honor to work with them. I know there’s a lot of finger-pointing going on, but everyone I worked with from Monolith and WB both was enthusiastic and supportive. Everyone wanted to make the best game ever.”

Despite the cancellation of the game and the closure of the studio, however, Simone does mention that the teams from both companies had been great to work with.

“I know there’s a lot of finger-pointing going on, but everyone I worked with from Monolith and WB both was enthusiastic and supportive,” wrote Simone. “Everyone wanted to make the best game ever.”

“Sometimes, you give your all and it doesn’t work out,” she continued. “But that was an amazing team and I can only hope they continue to make brilliant games. Someone is going to snap them all up and set a new industry standard, I know it.”

For some context about Simone’s role in the development of Wonder Woman, she is best known for her work on the Wonder Woman comics. She also happens to be the longest-running female writer on the comic so far.

News of Monolith Productions being shut down, along with Wonder Woman being cancelled came in earlier this week. Alongside Monolith, Player First Games (the studio behind MultiVersus) and WB Games San Diego were also shut down.

Monolith Productions was a well-regarded studio that had been making critically-acclaimed games for a long time. Along with more recent titles like Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and its sequel Shadow of War, the studio has also previously worked on the F.E.A.R. series, as well as classic shooter No One Lives Forever.

I was asked to do long-term consulting on the game, and I was thrilled to do it, it was a perfect storm of stuff I adore. Wonder Woman, video games, and one of my favorite games studios: Monolith, who produced the Game Of The Year MORDOR games, that I was completely addicted to.

— Gail Simone 💙💛 (@GailSimone) February 26, 2025

In its statement, the company said it had to make “some very difficult decisions to structure our development studios and investments around building the best games possible with our key franchises – Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC and Game of Thrones.” The decision to close Monolith, Player First Games and WB Games San Diego occurred after “careful consideration.”

“This is a strategic change in direction and not a reflection of these teams or the talent within them.”

Regarding Wonder Woman, the company hoped to offer “the highest quality experience possible for the iconic character, and unfortunately, this is no longer possible within our strategic priorities.”

“This is another tough decision, as we recognize Monolith’s storied history of delivering epic fan experiences through amazing games. We greatly admire the passion of the three teams and thank every employee for their contributions. As difficult as today is, we remain focused on and excited about getting back to producing high-quality games for our passionate fans, developed by our world-class studios, and getting our games business back to profitability and growth in 2025 and beyond.”

Reports of Wonder Woman’s troubled development appeared earlier this month, revealing that it was rebooted in early 2024. Its budget reportedly exceeded $100 million but “struggled to coalesce.” While noted to be years off from release, there was concern whether it would ever launch.

As for Player First Games, it recently announced the end of service for MultiVersus in May. The platform fighter had a mixed reception after exiting open beta and contributed to a $100 million loss for WB Games. WB Games San Diego was established in 2019 to develop free-to-play mobile games, though nothing concrete emerged.

A new report by Bloomberg has revealed that the project, touted as “one of the company’s biggest bets,” has “struggled to coalesce.” Sources have revealed that it was rebooted early last year and even changed directors, with the budget allegedly crossing $100 million. Perhaps most damning is that it’s reportedly still years off from launch, “if it ever makes it to market.”

It isn’t the first time we’ve heard about development issues. Last June, Kinda Funny’s Greg Miller reported hearing that the game was “troubled”, though further details were lacking. Leaks have revealed details about its combat, story, and characters, but if the title was rebooted, it’s unknown how relevant they still may be.

Wonder Woman is in development for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Head here to check out some potential concept art that leaked in 2023.

As previously announced, it utilizes the Nemesis System, introduced in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and expanded further in Shadow of War. In Wonder Woman, it will procedurally generate a “unique cast” of “allies and enemies” who will “remember your choices and actions” and react based on their beliefs, according to the survey. Diana also meets with “iconic DC characters,” which may include other heroes and “mythical inhabitants of Greek mythology.”

Gameplay-wise, Wonder Woman seemingly offers Freeflow Combat, like the Middle-earth series, with “devastating combos.” Players can also wield Diana’s Lasso of Truth and fly through the world.

WB Games hasn’t announced a release window for Wonder Woman or even showcased its gameplay, though it won’t have live service elements. It’s reportedly coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC, so stay tuned for further updates.

However, an alleged online survey has provided some apparent new details. Images of the concept art and survey choices were “removed in response to a report from the copyright holder” (seemingly confirming their authenticity). The story description is still up, with the original plot revolving around the invasion of Themyscira by the sorceress Circe with “an army of gorgons, cyclopes and other monsters.”

As Wonder Woman, players return to her birthplace to help out her brethren. She’ll also repair her relationship with Queen Hippolyta and fellow Amazons who felt “betrayed” by Diana’s decision to leave years prior. Alongside Circe, @WWGameUpdates on Twitter notes that Medusa and Cheetah play “major roles.”

Whether this is still the project’s story or it’s changed throughout development is unknown. Time will tell, but the action-adventure potentially retailing for £69.99 is perhaps the least surprising bit. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

While some would expect an update at Summer Game Fest on June 7th, that may not be the case. Kinda Funny’s Greg Miller reveals that he chatted with an insider in the past year who said, “This game’s troubled.” There weren’t any further details, and while Miller questioned what “troubled” could even mean, he didn’t believe the title was where Monolith wanted it to be.

As such, fans shouldn’t expect it this week, but it does raise some questions about WB Games. The publisher has come under fire for some of its titles, from the monetization in Mortal Kombat 1 to the entirety of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, the latter falling short of expectations. Regardless, we’ll have to wait and see how Monolith’s project turns out.

Wonder Woman doesn’t have platforms or a release window, but it’s confirmed to be an open world single-player title featuring the Nemesis System. It’s also seemingly receiving support from WB Games Montreal of Gotham Knights fame, per some listings.

Silent Hill 2 Remake Release Date

Whether it’s posters allegedly showing up in GameStop, the ESRB rating the title or Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb reporting an appearance at the rumored PlayStation Showcase and The Snitch seemingly corroborating, Silent Hill 2’s time is nigh. Bloober Team’s remake could get new gameplay and a release date, with CEO Piotr Babieno outright saying last month that the latter is happening “soon”. Based on all the evidence, launching this Fall or Winter wouldn’t be surprising. Perhaps in time for the constantly rumored…

PS5 Pro Reveal

With nearly everything about it leaked save for the design and price, it’s almost a given that Sony could finally unveil the PS5 Pro. The release window is still a bit iffy – Grubb reported a September 2024 release, while Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson indicated a Holiday launch, potentially slipping due to the lack of big first-party titles before claiming a Fall release window. Either way, with an alleged 28 percent more memory bandwidth, 33.5 TFLOPs GPU and support for Sony’s new supersampling tech, it could make a splash if Silent Hill 2 remake is a showcase title. As for when it could be announced, the PlayStation Showcase makes sense, but it could very well be at the Sony Corporate Group Meeting occurring soon.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Release Date and New Gameplay

Along with the Silent Hill 2 remake, PlayStation did this wonderful thing in January, where it outright said Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is coming in 2024. There’s been no denial from Konami nor acceptance, only the assurance last March that development is going well, thank you for asking, etc. However, it also promised an upcoming video presentation with “bigger announcements.” What better time than this Summer to provide an updated gameplay reveal and release date?

Ghost of Tsushima 2 Announcement

There have been some rumors about Ghost of Tsushima 2, though nothing as of late as we approach Sony’s alleged PlayStation Showcase this month. Nevertheless, the time feels ripe, with Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut available on PC and the movie (directed by Chad Stahelski of John Wick fame) coming up. If it happens, expect limited to no gameplay and a potential release window in 2025.

Next Astro Bot Reveal

Of course, the other possible reveal is the next Astro Bot game. Team Asobi has been quiet since announcing work on its “most ambitious game yet”, and Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb reports that the new title could finally release this year (though he clubbed it in with Sony’s “smaller first-party titles”). The Snitch would seemingly corroborate its appearance at the next PlayStation Showcase, whenever it may be, so it could very well be Astro’s big break, especially with Sony not releasing any new titles for its bigger first-party franchises until April 2025 onwards.

God of War Ragnarok PC Announcement

Another seemingly inevitable announcement is God of War Ragnarok coming to PC. The rumor comes from none other than Dealabs’ billbil-kun, who has an impeccable record with leaks. They outright said an announcement is coming this month, adding more fire to rumors of a PlayStation Showcase this month. Regardless, given Sony’s habit of launching first-party titles on PC a few years after their PlayStation debuts, it would be surprising to see it out in 2024. Fingers crossed and whatnot.

Gears 6 Announcement

Speaking of “right timing,” Microsoft announcing the next Gears of War at its Xbox Games Showcase would be ideal in many ways. Fortunately, Grubb reported something happening this Summer with Gears 6. The Verge’s Tom Warren agreed and then outright said in a later report that there would be an announcement at the show. If that’s not enough, the voice of JD Fenix, actor Liam McIntyre, said on Twitter that Microsoft and The Coalition will “tell us all in June” regarding certain story spoilers.

Perfect Dark Gameplay Reveal

The Xbox Games Showcase could also mark an appearance for Perfect Dark. Announced in 2020 with nary a bit of gameplay or details since and plenty of concerning rumors and reports, insider Nate the Hate “fully expects” it to appear at the showcase (with Grubb also hearing that it could show up). That would fit with Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty being “cautiously confident” in June 2023 about a gameplay deep dive arriving by late 2024.

State of Decay 3 Gameplay Reveal

The other title potentially getting a deep dive is State of Decay 3, Undead Labs’ next chapter in the survival sandbox zombie series. Also announced in 2020 with little to no updates in terms of gameplay since, its developer saw allegations of negligence in 2022, which reportedly affected development. Nevertheless, Jez Corden of Windows Central remarked recently that it’s coming along quite well, so perhaps we’ll finally see an update at the Xbox showcase.

Game Pass Price Hike Announcement

Another more unfortunate rumor doing the rounds is that of Game Pass getting a price hike. The Verge’s Tom Warren reported on it. Xbox president Sarah Bond would then confirm Activision’s titles coming to the service on day one. Even more rumors surfaced afterwards, with insider NateDrake claiming that new tiers are coming. There will also allegedly be changes in “the form of pricing and a tier change.” Regardless of those plans, a Game Pass price increase seems inevitable, especially given how subscriber counts haven’t been soaring lately.

Hollow Knight: Silksong Release Date Announcement

The best part about so many upcoming events is that Hollow Knight: Silksong could appear at almost anyone. That ups the chances of a potential new trailer and maybe a release date announcement. Does that mean multiple chances to be disappointed as well? Sure, but with the title rated in South Korea, Australia and the US, it would be weird to get nothing in return. Either way, it’s been over five years since the announcement trailer, Team Cherry. Just…please, anything.

Borderlands 4 Reveal

2K Games confirmed that Borderlands 4 was in active development after Gearbox’s acquisition by Take-Two but rumors were already claiming that it saw a shake-up in leadership. The publishing label confirmed a reveal for the “next iteration” in one of its “biggest and most beloved franchises” at Summer Game Fest. Potential Borderlands 4 announcement and gameplay? It would be the safe bet, for sure.

Mafia 4 Announcement

However, there’s also a chance it could be Hanger 13’s long-rumored Mafia 4. Leaker Kurakasis claimed last month that Take-Two had begun “preparations for an announcement regarding the Mafia series.” Allegedly developed on Unreal Engine 5 and serving as a prequel to the series with Don Salieri as the protagonist, it could be the big reveal for Summer Game Fest.

Sonic X Shadow Generations Announcement

Sega is confirmed as a partner for Summer Game Fest, and while there’s plenty it could discuss, news on Sonic X Shadow Generations seems likely. The remaster, features a new campaign starring Shadow the Hedgehog. A new trailer and release date seems likely.

Sonic Heroes Remake Announcement

While Sonic X Shadow Generations may be the main attraction, Sega could announce another remake in the series. According to Nintendo Universe, it’s Sonic Heroes, allegedly developed on Unreal Engine 5 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. Whether Summer Game Fest is the place or not, it would garner the most attention.

Metro 4 Reveal

While a prequel to Metro 2033 sounds great, some fans were doubtless disappointed that Metro Awakening is a VR-exclusive title. Perhaps to quell some of that, publisher Deep Silver confirmed that “development continues separately at 4A Games on the next mainline installment of the Metro series.” Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson reported last year in February that it was “well into development” and “fully playable.” Even if Deep Silver reveals the release date for Awakening at Summer Game Fest (where it’s a partner), it wouldn’t be odd to see Metro 4 get a short teaser.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gameplay Reveal

The developer has confirmed updates on its major releases for this year, including Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Star Wars Outlaws. With pre-orders and various details for the former out in the wild, it seems a given that there will be a gameplay showcase. If coincidence isn’t enough, Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson outright reported this would be the case, with hands-on impressions going live on June 12th.

Valve’s Deadlock

Between all the leaked screenshots, gameplay and details, it feels like Valve is gearing up to announce Deadlock. The alleged 6v6 hero shooter is in the alpha stage and features 19 characters, with the usual MOBA roles of tanks, healers and damage dealers. While no release windows have circulated, there’s every possibility that Valve drops the announcement out of nowhere and opens up registrations for a closed alpha.

Monster Hunter Wilds – New Gameplay and Release Window

When discussing predictions, Monster Hunter Wilds getting some gameplay and a possible release window is probably the safest bet. The developer already confirmed new details this Summer, and as a partner at Summer Game Fest, it only makes sense to at least provide a trailer. It could then tout more information at the next Showcase or a Monster Hunter Wilds Digital Event later in June. It makes too much sense not to happen.

Kingdom Hearts 4 New Trailer

As odd as it seems, Kingdom Hearts 4 could appear in the upcoming Summer showcases, though which one is the question. Leaker Daniel Richtman recently revealed that it would launch sometime next year. If that’s the case, an upcoming reveal doesn’t sound too far fetched, especially with the Kingdom Hearts series recently becoming available on Steam.

Wonder Woman Update

Among the many publishers confirmed for the Summer Game Fest is WB Games. We haven’t heard anything about Monolith Productions’ Wonder Woman since December 2021 – outside of the publisher denying it’s a live-service title and a job listing for WB Games Montreal revealing that it’s supporting development. Perhaps this year’s showcase could finally be the time, especially if Warner Bros. Discovery wants a big release for the fiscal year.

Starfield: Shattered Space Reveal and Release Date

Starfield’s first paid expansion, Shattered Space, was already confirmed to launch this year and receive new details. However, The Verge’s Tom Warren reported that it would not only appear at the Xbox Games Showcase but receive a release date (allegedly for September). Redditors also spotted references in its May update video to House Var’uun, a faction that didn’t appear in the base game but whom one of your companions follows. Whatever its nature, expect it to appear all the same.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Release Date

Likewise, there’s Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Microsoft’s next big first-party title coming this year. MachineGames’ action-adventure is reportedly launching in December, per The Verge, so some new gameplay and an announcement at the Xbox Games Showcase seems a given.

Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra Trailer

This one’s a bit of a wildcard, not only because Skydance New Media showcased in-game scenes during the State of Unreal at GDC in March, but also because it has a 2025 release window. The developer isn’t listed for Summer Game Fest, though the next round of partners could contain its name. If so, perhaps there will be gameplay and the announcement of platforms.

New Xbox Hardware Announcement

Other first-party games allegedly coming to PS5, potential Game Pass price hikes – Microsoft has a lot on its plate, rumors-wise. However, one confirmed bit is that it will unveil “some exciting stuff coming out in hardware.” It’s unlikely to be the next Xbox, which Microsoft touts as delivering “the largest technical leap” in a generation, but maybe it’s the rumored mid-gen refresh leaked in documents during its FTC trial. Perhaps it’s the new all-digital white Xbox Series X, whose images have been circulating. Whatever it may be, an announcement at the Xbox Games Showcase would make sense.

Crimson Desert New Trailer and Release Window

Remember Crimson Desert, Black Desert developer Pearl Abyss’s ambitious single-player action RPG? It seems that development is complete, and marketing reportedly will kick off in the coming months, per leaker Lunatic Ignus. Targeting a Q1 2025 release, there’s every chance it could appear at Summer Game Fest, especially since its first trailer was at The Game Awards 2020.

Resident Evil 9 Announcement

Pragmata may be in limbo, but it could be gearing up to reveal the next mainline Resident Evil. Reportedly launching in January 2025 per leaker Dusk Golem, it allegedly has the series’ largest development time frame and budget. None of that will stop it from being a monster success, and though it could be unveiled at Summer Game Fest, it wouldn’t be remiss to see it appear during Sony’s rumored PlayStation Showcase.

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf Gameplay and Release Date

BioWare and Electronic Arts confirmed a full reveal for Dragon Age: Dreadwolf in Summer 2024, and based on reports by Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb, a new trailer could drop around Summer Game Fest. Even more interestingly, it’s seemingly launching this year. The publisher revealed recently that it has two “unannounced” titles releasing this fiscal year, with Grubb noting that Dreadwolf is one of them. Whether it arrives this year remains to be seen. For now, we just want to see some extended gameplay.

Splinter Cell Remake Update

Announced in 2021, Splinter Cell remake could be due for…something at Forward. There’s not much to go on, save for the developer changing its Facebook page header and profile picture to Sam Fisher’s signature NV goggles, but you never know. As for the nature of the reveal, your guess is as good as ours.

New Ghost Recon Reveal

Then there’s the next Ghost Recon, rumored way back in 2022 and allegedly launching in 2025 or 2026. Codenamed Project Over, it’s reportedly a first-person shooter, per Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson. If the Splinter Cell remake could get an update at Forward, the next Ghost Recon seems just as possible.