Zion and I took our seats subsequent to the great Nicholas Serpa from Nintendo The whole lot 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 great to expertise a reside showcase after E3’s cancellation. Certain, the video games showcased weren’t all licensed bangers, however with Mortal Kombat 1, Alan Wake 2, and Ultimate Fantasy VII: Rebirth all in attendance, I actually could not complain.
The most important shock was when the one and solely Nicolas Cage joined Geoff Keighley on stage. I like this man and I am keen on his work, from the likes of Face/Off and Con Air to more moderen performances in Mandy and Coloration Out of Area. Seeing him gentle up the stage in his garish inexperienced go well with was an absolute delight and never one I will neglect anytime quickly.
A Change of Plan
As soon as the present was over, we hit In-N-Out Burger (assembly Manon Gage from the wonderful FMV sport Immortality on the best way) and proceeded to choose up our passes to the Play Days occasion.
Afterward, we had meant to attend The Combine, an indie showcase showcasing 40 upcoming video games. Simply earlier than we acquired there, nonetheless, we might acquired 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 have been about executed setting all the pieces up. For sure, the organisers have 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 Combine. We spoke with him the next day, and to say he was exhausted can be an understatement. High work, that man.
Whereas this was happening, we trotted off to a few venues that turned out to be excellent for assembly vidya sport individuals and personailities. Earlier than Play Days had even kicked off correctly, I frolicked and chatted with the great 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 With out the Bustle
Transferring onto the precise Play Days occasion, the entire setup was completely excellent. It occurred throughout what was described as a campus; a number of small buildings grouped collectively for straightforward entry.
Provided that the occasion was purely for companions and media/creators, the environment felt extremely relaxed; you possibly can stroll from one appointment to the subsequent with no stress, shake palms with builders and have interaction in dialog, and simply seize foods and drinks with subsequent to no queues (apart from the immensely common pizza stand).
There’s room for growth, although not too a lot, I hope. There have been loads of exhibitors there (together with Warner Bros., Disney, Bandai Namco, and Sq. Enix), but it surely was undoubtedly lacking a pair extra massive 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 will have been a boon.
Regardless of this, the two-day occasion was maybe the perfect E3 alternative we may have requested for; it actually was the thrill with out the hustle and bustle. We have already gone into depth with our hands-on impressions of video games like Mortal Kombat 1, Foamstars, Disney Phantasm Island, Sonic Superstars, Oxenfree II, and Little Kitty, Massive Metropolis, however that wasn’t all we noticed. We additionally checked out Fae Farm (an enthralling if unremarkable amalgamation of each farming sport you’ve got ever performed) and Sizzling Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged (a stable racer that we hope can maintain up effectively on Change).
Unsurprisingly, we ran into extra recognisable figures from the {industry}. On Saturday, I walked out of the primary HQ, face down in my cellphone checking my subsequent appointment. I regarded up and Xbox’s Phil Spencer was simply there, strolling in the direction of me. Naturally, I finished him for a fast chat. He got here throughout genuinely as a beautiful, 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 Workforce’s Takashi Iizuka strolling round, so, in fact, I needed to say hello to him as effectively, albeit with the plain concern that he may recognise my title and wag his finger at me for my Sonic Frontiers evaluate. He was extremely pleasant, and I made certain to let him know that I used to be genuinely enthusiastic about Sonic Superstars.
Nonetheless, my most weird and pleasant encounter occurred outdoors the occasion on Saturday morning. Zion and I have been hanging out within the resort 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 path. We wound up chatting for the 20 minutes it took to succeed in the campus, and it’ll perpetually stay a cherished reminiscence.
And at last, in what can solely be described as fortuitous circumstance, the primary individuals we bumped into at Summer time Sport Fest have been Package and Krysta, from uhh… Package and Krysta! They’re simply as pretty in actual life as we may have hoped, and I am eager for some future collaborations.
On the finish of the day, Summer time Sport Fest’s Play Days felt like a superb industry-focused occasion that, whereas definitely missing in earth-shattering bulletins this 12 months, was competently executed to permit for relaxed periods with new video games and an ideal alternative for {industry} friends throughout improvement and media to combine and change info. Adorned with comfy sofas and foliage in each path, I actually hope it retains the identical fashion and environment sooner or later.
A Get together Like No Different
To cap off what had already confirmed to be a visit to recollect, an opportunity encounter between Liam and Large Bomb’s Jeff Grubb resulted in an invitation to attend Large Bomb at Nite, the outlet’s reside protection of Summer time Sport Fest. Whereas we did not participate in any of the reside streams, it was fairly surreal attending the accompanying occasion. We frolicked with individuals like Kinda Humorous’s Greg Miller, Tim Gettys, Blessing Adeoye Jr., Snowbike Mike, and Andy Cortez, together with a few of the great of us at GameSpot and Kotaku.
And we could not full our journey with out visiting the LA Conference Centre and witnessing what would have been the primary venue for E3. Whereas it was definitely a powerful sight in itself, it was, in fact, fully empty. We stated our goodbyes and headed off to seize a beer and a chunk.
Drained, However Grateful
On Sunday, simply after the Xbox Showcase (which we watched from the consolation of our resort rooftop, full with a swimming pool and Dr. Pepper), it was time to go residence. I bid Zion and Liam farewell — each have been staying in LA a little bit 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 subsequent day. I am unable to sleep on planes, so I felt tough. The next rush again to Euston station and the overwhelming warmth definitely woke me up, however by the point I arrived again residence, I used to be each sleepy and glad in equal measure. Time for mattress.
I really hope to attend Summer time Sport 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 12 months. It wants greater and bolder sport 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 rather more.
