Final evening noticed the Peacock theatre in LA replenish with outstanding sport business people all desperate to be blasted with trailers for 4 hours straight. We weren’t within the room for The Recreation Awards 2025, however half of the staff stayed as much as be to be assaulted with bulletins in real-time through livestream, whereas the opposite half caught up on the barrage this morning.
Having now had some sleep, we determined to gather our ideas on Geoff-fest 2025 and by no means use it as a technique to level out who’s trying essentially the most drained.
Julian: What ho, Mark! You look horribly fresh-faced and well-rested. I’ve not braved a mirror however, going by my lack of sleep after protecting final evening’s Recreation Awards, I would guess the face staring again would appear like the approximation of a human visage made out of white playdough.
When it comes to kicking issues off, I am eager to know, if you acquired up this morning and skim our *plug* The whole lot Introduced at The Recreation Awards 2025 submit *plug*, what did you watch first? What jumped out at you from the present?
Mark: Howdy Julian, you look completely ravishing this wonderful Friday. After I rose from my slumber this morning and went straight to the RPS homepage RPSly to scroll by means of RPS’ the whole lot introduced article, the very first thing that struck me was that Larian’s Divinity sport was truly simply known as Divinity. Regardless of these emblems suggesting the identify could be a monolithic single phrase, I couldn’t fathom there not being one or two additional phrases tacked on the tip. Magic beans or perhaps evil goop given the trailer.
The Star Wars racer was the sport that I instantly couldn’t wait to play, as I proceed to fail to deviate from the stereotype I’ve established for my tastes, although I couldn’t assist noticing that it appeared relatively lonely when it comes to large reveals close to the tip of the present. Was the latter one thing you live-watchers felt as you reacted in real-time, that the Geoffs perhaps felt a bit frontloaded this yr?
Julian: It is an odd one. Whenever you’re protecting it reside, the tempo is pretty fixed as a result of even when there are lulls within the bulletins you’ll nonetheless be writing up no matter it was that was simply proven.
That mentioned, after the announcement trailer for Highguard I used to be nonetheless anticipating an enormous closing reveal. In any case, all through the present the digital camera had picked up large identify builders within the viewers, people like Hideo Kojima and Todd Howard. Whereas large Todd had given out an award for finest sport director, I would not have been shocked if he had additionally been there to point out off an replace on the Elder Scrolls 6, say.
I realise that is probably unfair to Highguard. Amid a number of cinematic trailers the place builders confirmed nothing tangible about their video games, Wildlight revealed their hero shooter with a video that gave a very good sense of what it should appear like after we get to play it on the finish of January. Which may’t be mentioned for Warlock and even, sorry to say it, Larian, Divinity.
Specializing in that sense of absence, have been there any video games specifically that you simply suppose have been lacking? I do know there’s one I used to be certain was going to be a part of the showcase that did not flip up…
Mark: In earlier years, there’s normally been a sport I prepped a shell article for purely on vibes after which acquired left within the system like a snowman in spring. There was one summer season showcase the place I did what nonetheless VG247 newsman Sherif dubbed the ‘non-committal Kojima shell’ simply because Geoff had beforehand had him on to announce a podcast, so I used to be certain he’d characteristic in some way. He didn’t.
Nothing of the type this yr, primarily as a result of I had much less time to fill with prep. The Elder Scrolls 6 could be it when it comes to video games I’d have been very intrigued to see, however I’ve form of given up on making an attempt to anticipate something about after we’ll see that at this level, one thing I can’t think about I’m alone in. Even some new CGI gubbins to interchange these mountains everybody’s seen 20 million occasions would have achieved. Outdoors of that, CD Projekt dominated out any Witcher weeks prematurely, which might’ve instantly stolen my consideration prefer it did final yr.
When it comes to what did present and didn’t instantly blow me away, however I could nicely find yourself actually into as soon as I’ve performed it, Star Wars: Destiny of the Outdated Republic looks as if it might match that invoice. As a younger whippersnapper concerning the treehouse, I’ve not given the primary two KOTORs a go regardless of their legendary standing, which meant the nostalgia wave didn’t instantly get me on board when Casey Hudson popped up.
What was it that you simply have been anticipating, however didn’t present? In any case, Miss Piggy, Batman, and Lenny Kravitz all made cameos – who else do you want?
Julian: Clearly I used to be glad once I was in a position to cross them off my bingo card. You all mentioned I used to be silly to recommend each Kravitz and Miss Piggy would flip up however, then, I’ve been doing this for a very long time and my contact ebook is in depth. No, the factor I used to be certain was going to be on the present was the Murderer’s Creed IV: Black Flag remake. It isn’t solely one of many worst-kept Ubisoft secrets and techniques (from an organization that’s notoriously leaky), however there was even a leak earlier this week which put it firmly in Recreation Awards announcement territory for me.
It is good to see Hudson is engaged on Star Wars once more. I’ve fond reminiscences of spending an Easter weekend taking part in by means of Knights of the Outdated Republic and consuming chocolate eggs, so I’ll strive my darndest to recreate the expertise with Destiny of the Outdated Republic. That mentioned, there wasn’t even a touch of a launch date within the trailer and Arcanaut Studios solely fashioned this yr, so I would not be stunned if we have been 2028 or 2029 launch. With the quickly dropping cocoa content material in Cadburys lately, Hudson higher get a transfer on if I am to have a hope of performing a Destiny of the Outdated Republic egg playthrough.
On nearer time period releases, I’ve been ready so as to add a few video games to my psychological checklist of video games I am anticipating in 2026. Ace Fight 8 and The Free Shepherd are each on there. I really like an arcade-leaning dogfighter, and the Ace Fight video games wrap their foolish motion up within the veneer of a sim, so I stroll away considering that, sure, push involves shove, carry out a Cobra maneuver in a stalling SU-27 if want be. And The Free Shepherd enables you to play a sheep canine herding sheep in a sci-fi world. I’m simply happy.
I dearly hope Whole Conflict: Warhammer 40,000 will likely be out earlier than subsequent Christmas, as a result of it seems like it should play in another way from all the opposite video games within the collection. What with the plethora of autos, ranged items, and, nicely, orbital strikes, however contemplating Inventive Meeting’s official line is “We’re not sharing a launch date right now, however can have heaps extra to speak about later in 2026”, I’d guess they’re aiming for 2027.
I am guessing for those who have been leaping by means of the present in catchup kind, did you decide up any sense of The Recreation Awards reflecting what’s been happening within the business this yr?
Mark: There have been the same old few sections when some acknowledgement of the likes of encouraging younger girls to get into growth given time amid the adverts, which is best than nothing. I wouldn’t say I’m that satisfied the Geoffs will ever be capable of discover a technique to actually reckon with the usually ugly actuality of the business in a style that doesn’t really feel a bit compelled or jarring. In the identical approach that company monoliths have realized to write down layoff statements which discuss across the truth individuals have misplaced their jobs, the objective of each Keighleyfest is to craft a trailer and plaudit-filled bubble during which merchandise prefer to reside.
That’s to not say that we should not discover different locations and methods during which to confront the reality and battle for these affected by – for instance – mass layoffs at billion greenback corps or the job market contracting to such an extent that the dance from gig to gig is ever more durable to do with out the music stopping. If Keoff and co, having seemingly given up on initiatives just like the Future Class (at the very least for now), don’t suppose it’s their duty to go all out in that regard, the likes of unions and protest teams are already displaying they’ll push to decide up the slack.
That’s not an ideal state of play, however I believe it could be the most effective we will hope for at present. Except somebody manages to radicalise Miss Piggy by changing the newspaper in her and Kermit’s bathroom with a duplicate of the Morning Star.
However, I did suppose the award giving out itself, regardless of being a tiny fraction of the present as regular, was properly achieved. I’ve not performed Clair Obscur as a result of I’m saving all of the Last Fantasies and FF-adjacent RPGs to play within the remaining years of my life so their nomenclature feels as apt and relatable as potential, nevertheless it was good to see Sandfall get an evening within the highlight.
Julian: There is a particular rigidity inside this showcase the place it is each aiming to be a prestigious awards present wrapped within the language of this inventive business’s ardour, and in addition a severe cash maker for its organisers. As we realized this week, it may price as a lot as $1 million to display screen a three-minute trailer at The Recreation Awards. It isn’t a charity occasion, it is a advertising and marketing software. One thing Alice put much better than I can after the showcase again in 2023.
This is not distinctive to The Recreation Awards and we will at all times hope it should do higher. I believe the section during which Felicia Day introduced on representatives of Women Make Video games was a step in the proper course. In earlier years these moments have felt rushed and squeezed between different trailers and awards, whereas this yr it felt prefer it was truly given area. However, you might even have simply watched final evening’s showcase and don’t know that exterior have been a gaggle of builders protesting the business’s mass layoffs.
There may be additionally a restrict to how a lot we must always anticipate this of an awards present and, as a substitute, we might want to look into ways in which we will platform the voices we’re not listening to.
Let’s examine what we will put in place in time for subsequent yr.
