It’s time! The premiere gaming event of the summer has finally arrived for its seventh consecutive year, and I have to say, it was a pretty enjoyable show! The stakes were very high for this year’s Summer Game Fest to pull off some big surprises, especially off the back of such a surprisingly jam-packed State of Play earlier this week. Well, I’m happy to report that the main showcase of 2026’s Summer Game Fest did a stand-up job! In case you missed out on the action, today, we’re ranking the top 10 best announcements of the night in our list of games you should keep your eye on for the foreseeable!

Well, without further ado, let’s dive into the ranking, starting with an honourable mention…

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Honourable Mention: Sonic the Hedgehog 35th Anniversary

Image courtesy of Summer Game Fest

While I couldn’t rightfully rank this celebratory trailer on our numeric list of reveals, it’s still worth shouting out the Sonic the Hedgehog 35th Anniversary trailer, which had its own fair share of reveals. For fans of co-op, rage-inducing games, you’ll be glad to know that a Sonic Pico Park game is on the way, where players can team up with friends to conquer extremely challenging levels with those signature Pico Park physics creating obstacles along the way.

This new platforming adventure was far from the most surprising reveal in this trailer however. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds was the main focus of this showcase, as fans were treated to a special look at the upcoming franchises joining the fray in late 2026 and early 2027. TMNT, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Godzilla are all surprising for sure, but Neon Genesis: Evangelion? Never could I have predicted that we would see Shinji taking the wheel in a game like this, but hey! Summer Game Fest is always full of surprises!

Watch the full Sonic 35th Anniversary trailer here.

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10. Last Harbor

Image courtesy of Summer Game Fest

Unfortunately, it’s very difficult for any brand new games to really break out in the midst of Summer Game Fest. Though we should always do our best to support up-and-coming new titles, fans are ultimately seated at events like this for sequel announcements and beloved franchise reveals. With that in mind, it’s easy to gloss over games that have no connection to any prior video game releases – that is, unless their trailer is as compelling as Last Harbor‘s.

Now, there is a caveat here that makes me place this at the very bottom of this list. There’s no polite way to say this, so let’s just rip the band-aid off – I’m not entirely sure that this game is real. The ‘gameplay’ in this trailer looks an awful lot like pre-rendered CGI cutscenes, that have been put together just to have something to show at Summer Game Fest. Would they really do this though? Would a game studio really completely pull the wool over gamers’ eyes like that? Well, considering the fact that Last Harbor is coming to us from tinyBuild, then yes, it’s very much plausible. Assuming this isn’t the case though, and everything shown here is authentic to the experience this game is building, then I’m excited about Last Harbor. Just remember to exercise caution as this game’s release date draws nearer…

Check out the full trailer for Last Harbor here.

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9. gen ATLAS

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It’s always refreshing to see a single-player, action-adventure game get such an epic trailer during an event like this. Gen ATLAS is a game that’s been teased for a while, originally announced under the title Project: Robot back in 2024. Now, with Fumito Ueda, the creator of Shadow of the Colossus, at the helm, the game looks to finally be in near-ready condition, and from this trailer alone, it looks like it’s going to do a stand-up job in carrying on Ueda’s legacy.

The trailer is mostly cinematic, and there’s no release date announced just yet, so it’s a little difficult to get really hyped about gen ATLAS. In fact, I can see us still waiting on news about this title by the time Summer Game Fest 2027 rolls around. Still, it was easily one of the most visually-stimulating and atmosphere-shifting announcement trailers of the night, so it more than deserves a shout-out in our Top 10. It feels virtually impossible for Ueda to let us down, so now, we simply wait.

Check out the full trailer for gen ATLAS here.

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8. SAW: Genesis

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It was difficult for me to decide on where to rank the announcement trailer for SAW: Genesis on this list. On the one hand, I got extremely excited when Billy the Puppet cycled out onto the stage with promises of a new game announcement. I got even more excited when the concept behind the game’s story was revealed, taking place years before Jigsaw, focusing on a deranged World War I veteran. It’s been over 15 years since we got a fully-fledged SAW game – things were looking good.

Then, I saw the words ‘3v1 multiplayer’ at the bottom of the screen, and my dreams were crushed. Listen, I will absolutely play this. I enjoy asymmetrical horror games as much as the next person. However, with games like Dead by Daylight, The Outlast Trials, and the upcoming Halloween game already out there, do players really have any reason to hop on SAW: Genesis, especially if it’s not excellent in comparison to these other titles? The opportunity for a single-player SAW story was right there, and I’m heartbroken that they didn’t capitalise on it. Still, I’ll be checking out SAW: Genesis, so it felt only right to include it here.

Check out the full trailer for SAW: Genesis here.

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7. Stellar Blade: Blood Rain

Image courtesy of Summer Game Fest

This one’s gonna be good! Stellar Blade was a game that came out of nowhere back in 2024 and won over the hearts of a ton of gaming fans worldwide, so it’s no surprise that the announcement of a brand new game continuing the legacy of the original was one of the stand-out moments from this year’s Summer Game Fest. This trailer is packed-full of stunning visuals, actually showcases some of the game’s combat gameplay, and teases at a very interesting story – what’s not to love?

Well, there’s something to not love. Much like with gen ATLAS, it’s difficult to get hyped-up about this game considering we have very little information on when it’s actually coming out. What we do know is that the game is ‘early in development’, which is actually pretty bad news for anyone hoping to get their hands on this any time soon. Still, when a game looks this good, I’m more than happy to wait.

Check out the full trailer for Stellar Blade: Blood Rain here.

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6. Studio MDHR Special Bulletin

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This announcement was an absolute joy. The Cuphead puppet that hosted this announcement may be appearing in my nightmares tonight, but that doesn’t change how excited I am about the information he shared with us. Firstly, Mighty Cuphead Adventure is on the way, a 2D-platformer with an authentic retro feel. Even the trailer for this thing teleported me back in time, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Given how amazingly the original Cuphead captured the vibe of golden age animation, there’s no doubt in my mind that this retro gaming vibe will be treated with the same level of respect.

Perhaps even more exciting was the announcement of Cuphead 2, a brand-new, hand-animated adventure from Studio MDHR. Hand-drawn animation is a huge draw these days, so it’s great to hear that this team will be sticking to their guns in pursuing this medium. In an age where media is more and more at risk of falling artistically to the ease of AI, it’s amazingly refreshing to hear an announcement like this. Add on top of that that Cuphead is one of my favourite boss-rush games ever, and you’ve got a very solid announcement early in the show! The one problem – we have no idea when Cuphead 2 is coming. Still, there’s a lot of work going into this title, so I’m more than happy to wait!

Check out the full Studio MDHR Special Bulletin here.

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5. 1666: Amsterdam

Image courtesy of Summer Game Fest

It’s real! For over 16 years, Patrice Désilets, the creator of Assassin’s Creed, has been working on his own game, a witch-focused adventure in a dark fantasy world. Now, at Summer Game Fest 2026, fans have their first extended look at the title, in this stunning reveal trailer for 1666: Amsterdam. The story behind this game’s development is quite a tale, with Désilets working on this game back in 2013 with THQ Montreal, being dismissed by Ubisoft when they bought the studio, and now getting his hands back on the I.P. all these years later. For that story alone, this one is worth keeping an eye on.

Its backstory isn’t the only thing compelling about this release though. This cinematic reveal trailer does a lot of heavy lifting in terms of winning over fan attention. The period of witchcraft fanaticism in an incredibly interesting time in history, and I cannot wait to play through it through this lens. Can it get any better? Yes it can! A free prologue is available to play right now for free on Steam, and the game is set to enter early access later this year! In an event filled with vague, 2027-and-onwards teasers, it was great to have something with a near-future release date in mind.

Check out the full trailer for 1666: Amsterdam here.

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4. Alien: Isolation 2

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I say this as a die-hard fan of the survival horror genre – Alien: Isolation is one of the scariest games ever made. I remember first playing the title over 10 years ago, and truly feeling like the Xenomorph was sentient, fully aware of every decision I was making as a player. The gameplay experience was tough, but incredibly rewarding, and though we knew a sequel was on the way thanks to an ominous teaser from SEGA back in April, now, we have our first official look at Alien: Isolation 2, and it looks just as terrifying as before.

While I do have some slight concerns about taking the gameplay of Alien: Isolation to the outdoors, it is exciting to see that Alien: Isolation 2 plans to expand on the environments explored in the original game. It’s also great to see that Amanda Ripley will be returning as the game’s protagonist, carrying on her story from the original game, as opposed to shifting storylines entirely. I cannot wait for this game, but I also dread the day it arrives. If you’re a horror fan who hasn’t played the original, now is the time! It’s a one-of-a-kind experience.

Check out the full trailer for Alien: Isolation 2 here.

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3. The Wolf Among Us 2

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The original The Wolf Among Us was released back in 2013 by Telltale Games, and since then, I have been waiting on a resolution to that insane cliffhanger of an ending. Now, after a ton of false promises and broken dreams over the years, it seems like we’re actually going to get our hands on The Wolf Among Us 2 is 2027! I feel like they truly aren’t going to push this back again this time, so now, we can get excited!

It felt so satisfying to see that signature Telltale Games art-style in action in this day and age, and watching the trailer showing off all of those characters that we fell in love with back in 2013 was such a blast from the past. We also got news of a remaster of the original The Wolf Among Us, but honestly, I don’t think a game like this needs a remaster. Still, it’s nice to see the franchise getting some love all these years later. Now, let’s just hope that The Wolf Among Us 2 concludes Bigby’s story, so we don’t have to wait another decade for a third instalment!

Check out the full trailer for The Wolf Among Us 2 here.

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2. Final Fantasy VII: Revelation

Image courtesy of Summer Game Fest

Anyone out there reading this who wasn’t excited about this announcement, please take my advice – if you haven’t played the Final Fantasy VII remake series, now is the time. These games are absolutely incredible, remaking a singular game into an epic trilogy without ever feeling bloated or dragged-out, bringing one of the most iconic worlds in gaming to life in a stunning new era of graphics, and capturing the hearts of Final Fantasy fans everywhere through their reimagining of this beloved age-old story. There was really no better way to close out Summer Game Fest 2026 than this.

I have to say, though it may look like the Final Fantasy VII series has been milked to anyone outside of the fanbase, I’m pretty impressed with how quickly these games have been developed by Square Enix back-to-back, especially considering their scale. It almost brought a tear to my eye realising that this era in gaming will be coming to an end soon, but I couldn’t be more excited to finally conclude Cloud’s tale in Spring 2027. Now, I hear you Kingdom Hearts fans. Yes, it is a little crazy that we got the entire Final Fantasy VII trilogy in between the releases of Kingdom Hearts III and Kingdom Hearts IV, but I have hope that Sora will return in the very near future, once Final Fantasy VII draws to a close. Don’t lose hope!

Check out the full trailer for Final Fantasy VII: Revelation here.

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1. Resident Evil: Veronica

Image courtesy of Summer Game Fest

It just feels so good to be a Resident Evil fan. Honestly, all of the memes and jokes online about how spoiled this fanbase are prove to be more and more true each and every year. Resident Evil: Requiem‘s hype has barely died down, and already we have news about the next release in this franchise. Fans were waiting to see which of the possible remakes we would be seeing next – would it be Resident Evil 0, a game desperately in need of a remake to bring it into a new age? Would it be Resident Evil 5, a game that has a pretty shaky reputation in the industry, but isn’t nearly as outdated as the other remake options?

Well, as it turns out, what we got was the best possible outcome. A remake of Code: Veronica is on the way, a game that is beloved by the fanbase, but has been forgotten by a lot of other gamers, thanks to it not being a numerical entry in the Resident Evil franchise. Claire Redfield, my personal favourite Resident Evil protagonist, is finally getting her own game in the modern era, and I couldn’t be more excited. I could hardly believe they opened the show with this, but what a way to kick things off. Easily my favourite announcement of the night, and a game I can’t wait to hear more about!

Check out the full trailer for Resident Evil: Veronica here.

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Conclusion

And that was our highlights from the first day of Summer Game Fest 2026! This was a surprisingly solid show, especially after State of Play threatened to make it look underwhelming! There are plenty more announcements to come across this huge weekend of gaming, and we’ll be sure to keep you updated right here. What was your favourite announcement from Summer Game Fest 2026 Day 1? Be sure to let us know, and thanks for reading!

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