Summer Game Fest 2025 has officially kicked off, and it’s already shaping up to be one of the most exciting gaming showcases in recent memory. With E3 gone for good, SGF has stepped in as the premier stage for major announcements, surprise reveals, and deep dives into what’s next for the industry. This year’s event didn’t disappoint, delivering everything from the long-rumored Xbox handheld to the spine-chilling debut of Resident Evil Requiem. Whether you’re into blockbuster sequels, cutting-edge hardware, or under-the-radar indie gems, SGF 2025 had something for everyone. Here are the biggest highlights from this year’s show.
Let’s start with the headliner: Xbox finally unveiled its long-rumored handheld gaming device, and yes — it looks like the real deal. Designed as a portable Game Pass machine, the handheld features an OLED display, full Xbox controller layout, and the ability to stream and download games directly. Think Steam Deck, but with Microsoft’s ecosystem baked in. No official price or release date just yet, but Microsoft says we’ll hear more “later this year,” and honestly, that’s sooner than expected.
Next up, horror fans got a major treat with the reveal of Resident Evil Requiem, Capcom’s next big entry in the legendary survival horror series. This one leans hard into the psychological thriller vibe, with creepy new characters, atmospheric environments, and a storyline that appears to tie into both the Ethan Winters arc and the classic Raccoon City lore. The trailer gave us chills — and a few unanswered questions that have the fanbase buzzing.
In terms of surprise sequels and spin-offs, Hades II got a fresh trailer with new gameplay footage and a confirmed early access window, and Ghost of Tsushima: Revenant was unveiled with a jaw-dropping cinematic that hints at darker themes and a new protagonist. Meanwhile, Dragon Age: Veilbreaker finally showed off real gameplay, and yes, it’s giving old-school BioWare energy in all the right ways.
One of the standout showcases during Summer Game Fest 2025 came from Epic Games’ State of Unreal presentation, which delivered two particularly juicy reveals. First up: The Witcher IV. CD Projekt Red gave fans their first official look at the next chapter in Geralt’s saga — or possibly a new Witcher entirely — built entirely in Unreal Engine 5. The demo footage was brief but jaw-dropping, showing off sweeping landscapes, next-gen character detail, and hyper-realistic lighting effects that easily place it among the best-looking games in development right now. But that wasn’t all. Epic also announced a major leap forward for Fortnite with the introduction of AI-powered NPCs and quest systems, all integrated into Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN). This new toolset lets creators generate dynamic dialogue and behaviors using MetaHuman technology and procedural systems — essentially bringing RPG-style storytelling and questing into Fortnite’s creator-made worlds. It’s a massive step for user-generated content and could completely change how we think about what Fortnite is.
Indie games also had their moment in the spotlight, with standouts like Echoes of the Deep — a haunting underwater exploration game from a brand-new studio made up of former Subnautica devs — and Neon Noir, a slick cyberpunk detective game that looks like it was ripped from the pages of a graphic novel.
One of the more unexpected highlights? A surprise appearance from Kojima Productions, where Hideo Kojima offered another cryptic teaser for OD, the studio’s upcoming horror project made in collaboration with Jordan Peele. We still don’t know much, but it’s unsettling in all the right ways.
And in classic SGF fashion, there was a rapid-fire section of updates: new DLC for Elden Ring, more gameplay for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and a gorgeous look at Final Fantasy IX Remake, which is real, it exists, and it looks incredible.
With several more showcases and deep dives still on the schedule, SGF 2025 is far from over — but if this first wave of announcements is anything to go by, we’re in for a truly stacked year in gaming. Stay tuned, because there’s plenty more on the way.
