Finally, after the longest year in recorded history, we did it: We reached the light at the end of the tunnel. I speak, of course, of The Keighleys, which some of you call The Game Awards for some reason. It’s that magical time of the year when Geoff Keighley makes eye contact with Hideo Kojima for three consecutive hours and also people sporadically receive awards. Oh, and there are announcements. Can’t forget those.
Microsoft revealed a new Perfect Dark
It’s from a new Santa Monica-based studio called The Initiative—rather than series originator Rare—and takes place in a world shaped by ecological disaster. Corporations provided “solutions” and “a better world” (not very realistic), but that doesn’t look like it’s going to turn out so well, in the end. Microsoft plans to share more information “in the future.”
Sephiroth is coming to Smash!!
For his first act as a playable Super Smash Bros character, he murdered Mario.
Master Chief is coming to Fortnite
Halo is coming to Fortnite before it comes to Xbox Series X. That sure is...something! The Master Chief skin is available starting tonight, and a new Blood Gulch creative mode map is coming tomorrow.
BioWare showed a brief Dragon Age 4 cinematic
It was extremely short. Solas made an appearance. Fuck that guy.
Mass Effect will continue
In another remarkably brief trailer, BioWare teased a new Mass Effect. Between these insubstantial “reveals” and recent high-profile departures from the studio, it’s hard not to wonder what the heck’s going on over there.
Dead Space’s creator is making a new sci-fi horror game
It’s called The Callisto Protocol, and it’s, uh, apparently set in the PUBG universe, somehow. Glenn Schofield, creator and executive producer of Dead Space, said he wants to make the “single most scariest game” for PC and consoles. In the trailer, a space zombie barfed on a dude. Not necessarily scary, but definitely gross!
Ark: Survival Evolved is getting a sequel...starring Vin Diesel
Ark 2 debuted with a lengthy cinematic trailer in which Diesel and other characters fended off dinosaurs and fled into a cave. There, they found a sci-fi pod-type object that revealed Diesel’s character’s identity. He seemingly wiped the data. “Lights out, old friend,” he said. To be honest I was hoping it was going to turn out to be a new Riddick game—you can’t tell me Riddick wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to fight dinosaurs—but this will do, I guess.
The studio behind Gone Home and Tacoma announced a new game
The game is called Open Roads, and it’s about a mom and daughter searching for the truth about the latter’s deceased grandmother, whose past apparently included a mysterious man (not grandpa), a burglary ring, and a lost fortune. It looks like it’s going to be a road trip game, and I believe that all games should be road trip games, so that’s fine with me. Speaking of...
Season is a serene-looking bicycle roadtrip game
It looks neat! Oh, and...
Road 96 is another roadtrip game
It’s about escaping from “a country in turmoil” and looks pretty intense.
Original Left 4 Dead studio Turtle Rock showed off its new zombie game, Back 4 Blood
The goal is to make a game like co-op zombie basher Left 4 Dead, but “more and bigger.” Based on a brief gameplay demo, it looks like that’s exactly what it’s going to be.
Disco Elysium is getting a “final cut” update
It’s coming in March 2021 and will add new quests and voice acting to what is, no hyperbole, one of the best PC RPGs of all time. If you haven’t played it yet, now’s your chance, given that it will be on PC, PS4, and PS5, and apparently Xbox and Switch a little later, as well. (The PC update will be free for all preexisting owners.)
Among Us is getting a new map set on an airship
It’s coming alongside a new update that will include new tasks, ladders, and more.
A new Evil Dead game is coming out next year
There was a short trailer. Ash and others cut up and shot zombies. Seems about right!
Century: Age of Ashes is a dragon combat game
It looks kind of like Panzer Dragoon, but it appears to be focused on multiplayer dogfight-style combat.
Returnal is coming out in March
The Groundhog Day-esque sci-fi horror game from the developers of Resogun is not far off, assuming we don’t all wake up tomorrow and realize that it’s today again.
Super Meat Boy Forever is coming out in two weeks!
The looooooooooong-awaited meatquel is finally coming out on December 23.
Fall Guys’ third season is coming even sooner than that
It’ll kick off with a bunch of wintery new content on December 15.
Yakuza! PC!
Yesssssssssssssssss.
FIST is a game about a bunny with a giant arm
The rabbit punches people in what appears to be a dystopian cityscape. What else do you need, really?
Evil West is an occult cowboy shooter
You’re a cowboy. You shoot vampires. You know, like all cowboys used to. It’s from Flying Wild Hog, the studio that made Hard Reset and the new Shadow Warrior games, so I’m in.
Ruined King, the first single-player League of Legends game, got a trailer
It’s coming to consoles and PC next year.
Elder Scrolls Online is headed to Oblivion
The game’s 2021 Gates of Oblivion update is headed back to the setting of The Elder Scrolls IV—or at least, the hell part of it.
Weapons from Epic’s Unreal Tournament series are coming to Warframe
Why not!