Summer Game Fest is the brainchild of Geoff Keighley: an online-only games event that makes up for the cancellation of physical events around the world during the pandemic – and with E3 officially cancelled, this year’s show is set to be more popular than ever.
With announcements from Bethesda, Ubisoft and other major games studios, it is set to be a huge event for the gaming world.
The most important day will almost certainly be the giant kick-off stream spectacular, set to take place on 8 June, which in the past has teased new game reveals, announcements and much more. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s happening, when, and how to watch it all.
What is Summer Game Fest?
Summer Game Fest is exactly what it sounds like: a celebration of all things videogame that runs through the month of June.
Launched in 2020 to make up for the cancellation of industry events ranging from E3 to the Fortnite World Cup, it’s returning in 2023 and will include news announcements, in-game events, special playable content and more.
How long does it last?
The Summer Game Fest will kick off on 8 June 2023, but the end date is yet to be confirmed by organisers.
It’s possible that it may be extended if more events are announced amidst the cancellation of E3. Last year’s event ran throughout the month of June, so the same could happen again.
How to watch the Summer Game Fest launch stream
The most important event of the Summer Game Fest calendar is usually the launch event, which will feature “events, announcements and updates from more than 25 of the industry’s leading publishers, platforms and developers.”
This is really the only Summer Game Fest exclusive event, as everything following are other industry events and streams being promoted under the Summer Game Fest umbrella.
If you want to watch the kickoff event live, it takes place on 8 June 2022 at 12pm PT/3pm ET/8pm BST. The stream will be available on YouTube, as well as on Twitch, Facebook, Twitter and more.
We’ll embed the stream below once it becomes available, so mark the date in your calendar and head back here on 8 June to tune in.
What are the other Summer Game Fest events?
Beyond the launch stream, Summer Game Fest is really a bit like E3: a branding banner that covers events from most of the big publishers and companies in the games industry this year.
Without an official E3 event, it’s likely that the Summer Games Fest will have a packed schedule – though only a handful have been announced so far. Here are all the events officially included in the Summer Game Fest right now, along with confirmed times (some are still TBC):
| Summer Game Fest schedule | Event Date (UK) | UK time (BST) | EU time (CEST) | East Coast US time (EDT) | West Coast US time (PDT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Game Fest Launch | 8 June 2023 | 20:00 | 21:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 |
| Starfield Direct | 11 June 2023 | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC |
| Xbox Games Showcase | 11 June 2023 | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC |
| UbiForward | 12 June 2023 | 18:00 | 19:00 | 13:00 | 10:00 |
| Devolver Direct | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC |
We’ll continue to update this list in the coming weeks as more events are confirmed.
If in doubt, you can always sign up for notifications from the Summer Game Fest site to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Author: Hannah Cowton, Senior Staff Writer
Hannah Cowton is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor and Macworld, working across entertainment, consumer technology and lifestyle. Her interests and specialities lie in streaming services, film and television reviews and rumours, gaming, wearables and smart home products. She's also the creator of The London Geek, a geek culture and lifestyle blog.