Zion and I took our seats subsequent to the fantastic Nicholas Serpa from Nintendo Everything whereas Liam scooted off to what I assume was a extra PlayStation-centric a part of the viewers. The present kicked off and it actually felt fantastic to expertise a reside showcase after E3’s cancellation. Sure, the video games showcased weren’t all licensed bangers, however with Mortal Kombat 1, Alan Wake 2, and Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth all in attendance, I actually could not complain.
The largest shock was when the one and solely Nicolas Cage joined Geoff Keighley on stage. I really like this man and I am keen on his work, from the likes of Face/Off and Con Air to newer performances in Mandy and Color Out of Space. Seeing him gentle up the stage in his garish inexperienced swimsuit was an absolute delight and never one I’ll neglect anytime quickly.
A Change of Plan
Once the present was over, we hit In-N-Out Burger (assembly Manon Gage from the wonderful FMV recreation Immortality on the best way) and proceeded to select up our passes to the Play Days occasion.
Afterward, we had supposed to attend The Mix, an indie showcase showcasing 40 upcoming video games. Just earlier than we bought there, nevertheless, we might obtained an electronic mail stating it had been cancelled last-minute.
Oh.
It turned out that the venue did not have the related permits to host the occasion, so the hearth marshall and LAPD shut it down simply as builders had been about performed setting all the pieces up. Needless to say, the organisers had been heartbroken. We did not personally attend ourselves however Jirad the Completionist saved the day and hosted a particular reside stream from his workplace to showcase the indie video games from The Mix. We spoke with him the next day, and to say he was exhausted can be an understatement. Top work, that man.
While this was occurring, we trotted off to a few venues that turned out to be good for assembly vidya recreation folks and personailities. Before Play Days had even kicked off correctly, I frolicked and chatted with the fantastic Nick Apostolides (Leon Kennedy from the RE2/RE4 remakes), Ben Starr (Clive Rosfield, FF16), Suzi Hunter, Brittney Brombacher, Lord Cognito, and so many extra.
The Buzz Without the Bustle
Moving onto the precise Play Days occasion, the entire setup was completely good. It passed off throughout what was described as a campus; a number of small buildings grouped collectively for simple entry.
Given that the occasion was purely for companions and media/creators, the environment felt extremely relaxed; you may stroll from one appointment to the following with no stress, shake arms with builders and interact in dialog, and simply seize foods and drinks with subsequent to no queues (aside from the immensely in style pizza stand).
There’s room for growth, although not too a lot, I hope. There had been loads of exhibitors there (together with Warner Bros., Disney, Bandai Namco, and Square Enix), however it was undoubtedly lacking a pair extra huge hitters, together with different necessary representations from retail and accent producers. We knew effectively forward of time that Nintendo would not be in attendance; clearly, that might have been a boon.
Despite this, the two-day occasion was maybe the most effective E3 substitute we might have requested for; it actually was the thrill with out the hustle and bustle. We’ve already gone into depth with our hands-on impressions of video games like Mortal Kombat 1, Foamstars, Disney Illusion Island, Sonic Superstars, Oxenfree II, and Little Kitty, Big City, however that wasn’t all we noticed. We additionally checked out Fae Farm (an enthralling if unremarkable amalgamation of each farming recreation you have ever performed) and Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged (a strong racer that we hope can maintain up effectively on Switch).
Unsurprisingly, we ran into extra recognisable figures from the {industry}. On Saturday, I walked out of the primary HQ, face down in my telephone checking my subsequent appointment. I regarded up and Xbox’s Phil Spencer was simply there, strolling in direction of me. Naturally, I finished him for a fast chat. He got here throughout genuinely as a stunning, humble man who was equally as excited as I used to be to take a look at some new video games.
Elsewhere, Zion had noticed Sonic Team’s Takashi Iizuka strolling round, so, after all, I needed to say hello to him as effectively, albeit with the plain concern that he might recognise my title and wag his finger at me for my Sonic Frontiers overview. He was extremely pleasant, and I made certain to let him know that I used to be genuinely enthusiastic about Sonic Superstars.
However, my most weird and pleasant encounter occurred outdoors the occasion on Saturday morning. Zion and I had been hanging out within the lodge café whereas Liam had already headed out. I used to be writing up my Mortal Kombat 1 impressions and mere seconds after I completed up and began strolling to the occasion, we bumped into NetherRealm’s Ed Boon strolling in the very same route. We wound up chatting for the 20 minutes it took to achieve the campus, and it’ll endlessly stay a cherished reminiscence.
And lastly, in what can solely be described as fortuitous circumstance, the primary folks we bumped into at Summer Game Fest had been Kit and Krysta, from uhh… Kit and Krysta! They’re simply as beautiful in actual life as we might have hoped, and I’m longing for some future collaborations.
At the tip of the day, Summer Game Fest’s Play Days felt like a superb industry-focused occasion that, whereas actually missing in earth-shattering bulletins this yr, was competently executed to permit for relaxed classes with new video games and an ideal alternative for {industry} friends throughout improvement and media to combine and change data. Adorned with snug sofas and foliage in each route, I actually hope it retains the identical model and environment sooner or later.
A Party Like No Other
To cap off what had already confirmed to be a visit to recollect, an opportunity encounter between Liam and Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb resulted in an invitation to attend Giant Bomb at Nite, the outlet’s reside protection of Summer Game Fest. While we did not participate in any of the reside streams, it was fairly surreal attending the accompanying celebration. We frolicked with folks like Kinda Funny’s Greg Miller, Tim Gettys, Blessing Adeoye Jr., Snowbike Mike, and Andy Cortez, together with a number of the fantastic of us at GameSpot and Kotaku.
And we could not full our journey with out visiting the LA Convention Centre and witnessing what would have been the primary venue for E3. While it was actually a powerful sight in itself, it was, after all, fully empty. We stated our goodbyes and headed off to seize a beer and a chew.
Tired, But Thankful
On Sunday, simply after the Xbox Showcase (which we watched from the consolation of our lodge rooftop, full with a swimming pool and Dr. Pepper), it was time to go dwelling. I bid Zion and Liam farewell — each had been staying in LA slightly longer — and left for the airport.
The red-eye flight was leaving at 5:30 pm PT and arriving at Heathrow at 12:30 pm BST the following day. I am unable to sleep on planes, so I felt tough. The subsequent rush again to Euston station and the overwhelming warmth actually woke me up, however by the point I arrived again dwelling, I used to be each sleepy and happy in equal measure. Time for mattress.
I really hope to attend Summer Game Fest once more. If this certainly proves to be a everlasting fixture in E3’s previous slot, it genuinely has the potential to show into probably the most prestigious, go-to gaming occasion of the yr. It wants greater and bolder recreation bulletins, that is for certain, however as an industry-focused occasion that claims a agency “no” to the overwhelming hustle and bustle of larger occasions with extra footfall, I could not actually ask for far more.
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