Summer may still officially be a few weeks off, but that hasn’t stopped the summer of games from kicking off in earnest this week.

Besides, summer is more of a vibe than a season, right?

Yesterday saw the packed start of Summer Game Fest, a week-long celebration of video games hosted by The Game Awards emcee Geoff Keighley. And today, the Epic Games Store held its own bacchanalian game-fest: The Summer Showcase.

If you didn’t manage to catch the stream of releases, reveals, and gameplay, we’ve put together the highlights of the show for you below.

 

Steamboat Willie track coming to Disney Speedstorm

The Disney Speedstorm closed beta testing phase kicked off on June 8, giving beta testers a chance to race across Disney and Pixar-inspired worlds as colorful and well-known characters suited up for high-speed racing. During today’s showcase, we got a peek at an all-new track coming to the kart racer – available throughout the closed beta window and at launch. The Silver Screen track is inspired by the 1928 classic Mickey Mouse animated short, Steamboat Willie. It looks like a spectacular track, with players starting off by driving straight into a movie screen and then finding themselves in the black and white world of that classic ‘toon. If you haven’t gotten into the beta yet, don’t forget to pre-register for the game, which is coming to the Epic Games Store among a slew of other platforms, right here.

 

Fall Guys is Free for All

Fall Guys is free for all in every sense of the term. The multiplayer party game comes to the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, and the Epic Games Store on June 21, and everyone on those platforms can play for free. Even better, the game comes with cross-play and cross-progression enabled, meaning you’ll be able to form a party of friends across all platforms. 

With new levels, obstacles, and costumes, this new era of Fall Guys is stumbling ever near. You can pre-register with an Epic Games Account for a chance to unlock in-game rewards at launch here. 

Fortnite gets some heavy breathing

 It can’t be an Epic joint without at least a little bit of Fortnite. The showcase gave us a look at the new Reality Falls point of interest, the return of Ballers, which can be used on the Screwballer Coaster, and of course, just a wee bit of foreshadowing about a coming conflict. Oh, yeah, did I mention that among the new Battle Pass goodies you’ll find Darth friggin’ Vader?!
 

Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed developers IllFonic revealed a whole class of spooks

Though you’re a new recruit in Epic Games Store exclusive Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, you’ll still come up against some iconic specters in the asymmetrical ghost hunting game. The Ectoplast is Class 5 roaming vapor that uses slime in a number of ways to scare civilians and trap Ghostbusters. They can belch a huge amount of slime to coat their target. They can turn it into a torpedo, allowing for long-range precision attack… of goo. Not only that, but they can lay sticky traps of slime to slow people down. Rile them up, and they might even unleash a ‘Slimenado’, which is exactly as gooey as it sounds. There are a number of Ectoplasts to bust—and control—in the game, but the most famous of those is Slimer, who’ll be doing all he can to leave players and civilians dripping with slime and calling for help. 
 

  Goat Simulator 3 is an Epic Games Store exclusive

 We got the first look at the follow-up to Goat Simulator, which skips the sequel and goes straight to the third game, bringing four-player online multiplayer to the series. Goat Simulator 3 is another chaotic collision between a pristine community, San Angora, and up to four goats. That might not sound like a fair fight, but these goats are fully-qualified agents of chaos, capable of driving cars and blasting fireworks, which leave devastation across the once peaceful town. The sandbox is full of interactive objects, quests, secrets, and, of course, evil goats. 
 

Kaiju brawler GigaBash hits August 5

 GigaBash developer Passion Republic Games unveiled a new titan for their upcoming, colorful arena kaiju brawler: Rawa, the Dragon King. The magnificent new combatant is decked out in heavy plate armor and seethes ethereal flame. If you tuned into the showcase, you saw the trimmed-down version of GigaBash’s new Rawa trailer, but you can watch the full trailer over on YouTube. While the Rawa unveiling was a great piece of colorful clashing, the real show-stopper was the game’s release date. GigaBash hits August 5, bringing with it a roster of ten over-the-top film-inspired titans, an eclectic set of fully-destructible battlegrounds, and even a chance to play through four single-player campaigns, each with a giant protagonist. Players can also enjoy the game as a party game via Mayhem Mode, featuring a collection of wacky minigames to enjoy with friends on the couch.
 

Survive and craft in Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria

We’re getting a new The Lord of the Rings game and I bet it's not at all what anyone was expecting. In The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria players will take control of the Dwarves as they reclaim and restore their homeland of Moria. The Free Range Games developed title, which hits in spring 2023, kicks off with Lord Gimli Lockbearer summoning a company of Dwarves to the Misty Mountains and ordering them to reclaim the lost spoils from Moria–also known as Khazad-dûm or Dwarrowdelf.

The procedurally generated realm of Moria supports solo or online cooperative gameplay. As players work to build their base by clearing locations and creating architecture on a grand scale, they’ll also have to survive the unspeakable evils that lurk below and combat hordes of Orcs. You’ll also have to conserve resources, hunt, and gather for food and manage sleep, temperature, and noise levels. The game supports the ability to craft and loot legendary Dwarven armor, tools, weapons and structures. Rebuild ancient forges to strengthen, repair and enchant gear. Upgrade and unlock new technologies and fantastical machines. If all of that weren’t enough, the game is packed with the sort of magic artifacts you’d expect from any The Lord of the Rings game, like swords that glow when Orcs are near, veins of Mithril to mine, and crafting plans for amulets that can impart strength or wisdom. Of course, your party of Dwarves can be customized in a variety of ways to make them feel like your own growing legends.

Rocket League Season 7 brings the bling 

Psyonix unveiled the upcoming Rocket League Season 7, which brings a touch of class to the high-powered sport. The game gets gilded, as gold drips from Utopia Arena and the cars, and even the goal explosions. It’s as opulent as an influencer’s lifestyle vlog, and brings the unattainable world of high glamor to everyone. 
 

New Juke Rogue, battle pass, freebies coming to Rogue Company

Free-to-play hero shooter Rogue Company first hit in open beta way back in 2020 with 13 Rogues, seven maps, and a slew of weapons. These days the game may be unrecognizable to some early players, with two dozen Rogues, and almost as many maps. There are also a bunch of new game modes, all of which feature cross-platform play and cross-progression.

In today’s showcase, we got a better look at the current state of Rogue Company as well as a bit more news about the next major update. At the top of that list is the coming of a new Rogue: Juke, who features fancy rocket boots that allow her to dash out of harm’s way and even across gulfs of space. She also can drop powerful turrets. The presentation also outlined an upcoming four-week launch event that will unlock all weapons, and increase how quickly you can earn rewards and achieve mastery. If you’re interested, make sure you check in during the first week because you’ll be able to play any of the game’s Rogues. The new Wasteland Wilds battle pass also hits with the launch, featuring new skins, emotes and more. Finally, you can pick up a free epic pack in the game today to celebrate the showcase.
 

 Saints Row reboots the series

Even when it’s ‘grounded’, Saints Row has a lot going on. The upcoming reboot will strip back the glorious excesses of the series, with a new gang, new world, and fewer superpowers. The new Saints are a burgeoning gang in Santo Ileso, an area based on the US Southwest that brings Vegas-style strips and scrubby desert to the series. The Saints are in the middle of a multi-gang war, with a number of stylized enemies to deal with. Taking over requires ruthless planning, via the War Table, that lets you pick and choose a number of themed missions, with each explosive livestream or pirate radio broadcast turning the Saints into a force to be reckoned with. 

It’s still very over-the-top. You can turn enemies into fireworks, wingsuit across the world, and customize everything from your clothes to your guns. The demo of the character creator, the Boss Factory, was just released during the Summer Game Fest, letting you play with the huge range of customization options before the game’s August 23 release, exclusively on the Epic Games Store. You can build your own boss and share your creations before the game’s release. 

Space frog meets giant robot in new roguelike Shoulders of Giants

A sword-wielding robot and a gunslinging space frog join forces to piggyback their way through Moving Pieces Interactive’s freshly revealed multiplayer roguelike Shoulders of Giants. Players simultaneously control the robot and the space frog riding atop its giant shoulders as they fight to stop the forces of Entropy spreading chaos through the stars. Shoulder of Giants, which is  coming this fall with PC exclusivity to the Epic Games Store, features four-player online co-op, randomized levels, and gameplay-altering loot. There’s even a mode where one player can control the robot, and the other the frog. If this game tickles your fancy, you should probably hop to it and add it to your wishlist. 
 

Summer brings low-grav, bullet-time, golden weapons to Sifu

The summer update for Sloclap’s liquid-fast choreographic combat game Sifu hits this August, and we got a chance to see what it will be bringing in the Summer Showcase. Among the potpourri of tweaks are a number of modifiers that do everything from change the attack speed of enemies, deliver golden unbreakable weapons to the player, and decrease the game world’s gravity. My favorite among the bunch shown off in the trailer is the Matrix-like bullet time that enhances the game’s cinematic feel. The real magic, though, is that when you activate multiple modifiers at the same time it allows you to create your own custom runs.
 

Grab your thermal paste, PC Building Simulator 2 is coming

Who knew building your own computer could be so much fun? Everyone. Everyone who has ever built one does, that’s who. But the cost, boy howdy, is it expensive to lock down the parts you need to build your dream machine. And experimenting? Even if you could get what you wanted for your system, you’re not going to chance screwing things up.

Enter PC Building Simulator: A game that lets you build to your heart’s content, free of worry. People loved growing their own computer repair enterprise as they learned to diagnose, fix, and build PCs. The game has been downloaded more than 13 million times since its early access release in 2017.

If you missed it the first time around, the good news is that PC Building Simulator 2 gets a free beta this week, running until June 20. And if you grab the free beta, you’ll get 15 percent off the retail game at launch.

The sequel includes a new career and story, as well as a major graphic overhaul. Better still, the developers have added a bunch of cool new features like thermal imaging, power monitoring, revamped thermal paste, and custom water blocks, with more to come.

 

Space Punks gets a new planet

Free-to-play online co-op action RPG Space Punks is getting a new neon-soaked planet: Spor. The newly discovered planet features a whole new landscape to bathe in fire, just keep your distance from the locals; they can be a bit … bitey. The free-to-play game is in open beta now, so check it out.
 

Tchia’s Soul Jumping lets you inhabit nearly everything

If you somehow missed out on Tchia until now, you’re in for quite a treat. The colorful adventure game delivers players to a tropical world inspired by New Caledonia, a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean. We’ve already seen how the game allows you to explore the area with free climbing, gliding, sailing, and swimming. We’ve gotten a look at the game’s fully playable ukulele, and seen how story and music will come together to deliver a compelling experience packed with diverse characters inspired by the culture of the island. But this latest trailer gives us a better look at the game’s soul jumping, which lets you take control of almost any animal or object you find in the open world. The new footage for the game, due out in early 2023, shows Tchia using soul jumping to traverse an area as a lamp, a barrel, and then a seagull. We also see her catching some sun as a coconut on a beach blanket wearing some cool shades.

RAWMEN has a tasty treat in store
Gather your closest taste buds for a delectable multiplayer experience like none other. RAWMEN, from developers ANIMAL, and publisher tinyBuild, will finally be taste testing their delectable destruction from July 1 to July 3! So be sure to sign up now. RAWMEN is a wet and wild knockabout online shooter. Slosh soup, punch 'em with pies, and serve up a beatdown to walk away with a bounty of bouillon cubes.


Evil Dead: The Game still rages on
If the Showcase whetted your appetite for Evil Dead: The Game’s intense brand of highly-acclaimed PVP multiplayer, you can get 25% off the Ash smashing using a coupon in our Epic Games MEGA Sale. Chainsaw demons while hanging out Bruce Campbell and others from the series, or flip the script and hunt them down as a Kandarian Demon. 
Coupons expire on Thursday, June 16, 2022 (11 AM ET). The complete Terms and Conditions are here. 

Catch the whole show here on YouTube: