The 10 best trailers from Summer Game Fest 2024

A strange mask
(Image credit: Jyamma Games)

Geoff Keighley told us not to get our expectations too high for big reveals at this year's Summer Game Fest, and perhaps it wasn't a barn burner, but Civilization 7 is pretty darn big if you ask me, and the animated trailer for upcoming RTS Battle Aces is so good it risks overshadowing the game itself.

Below are the trailers from Friday's Summer Game Fest stream that we think are most worth your precious viewing moments. We're also expecting a big showing from Microsoft on Sunday, so come back for our coverage of that, as well as for our own PC Gaming Show—here's the full June gaming showcase schedule.

Civilization 7

Sid Meier’s Civilization VII - Official Teaser Trailer - YouTube Sid Meier’s Civilization VII - Official Teaser Trailer - YouTube
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Admittedly, you're not going to get much out of this trailer: Sid Meier's appearance at Summer Game Fest told us precious little about what to expect from Civilization 7, which is getting a bigger reveal in August. But I'm just glad that we can finally say officially that Civilization 7 is coming out next year

I'm super curious to see how Firaxis builds on the series, which has more competition than it used to. We loved 2021 grand strategy game Old World, for instance, which came from Civ 4 designer Soren Johnson.

Slitterhead

Slitterhead - Gameplay Trailer - SGF 2024 - YouTube Slitterhead - Gameplay Trailer - SGF 2024 - YouTube
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This is a new horror game from Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama's studio. Two of us at PC Gamer said "looks sick" when we saw it, so I think that qualifies it for inclusion here. 

Battle Aces

Cinematic Trailer | Battle Aces - YouTube Cinematic Trailer | Battle Aces - YouTube
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OK, so this is an RTS game that looks pretty neat—check out Lincoln's hands-on impressions—but instead of gameplay, I put the animated story trailer above because, damn, that's a badass animated trailer.

Alan Wake 2 Night Springs expansion

Alan Wake 2 - Night Springs Expansion Launch Trailer | PS5 Games - YouTube Alan Wake 2 - Night Springs Expansion Launch Trailer | PS5 Games - YouTube
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Remedy has a great aptitude for switching tones, and the first Alan Wake 2 expansion is among the more exaggerated examples of that skill. The Remedyverse crossover fan service is fun, too. Alan Wake 2 owners note that the expansion's out in mere hours

Enotria: The Last Song

Enotria: The Last Song - Summer Game Fest 2024 Trailer - YouTube Enotria: The Last Song - Summer Game Fest 2024 Trailer - YouTube
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Did he kill that guy and then take his face and put the face on his face so he could stroll outta there all casual? Because that's pretty cool. 

As Jon put it in February, Enotria is "a soulslike with the flashy, colorful outfits and neat folklore of renaissance Italy"—it's scheduled to release on Steam on September 18.

Skate

An Update from M-Corp | skate. - YouTube An Update from M-Corp | skate. - YouTube
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The Skate revival is exciting, but still in "pre-pre alpha." I mainly put it here because it's a Tim Robinson sketch. Not an S-tier one, but his delivery of "that's actually a home issue" and the face he pulls after it is the good stuff.

Monster Hunter Wilds

Monster Hunter Wilds - 2nd Trailer: The Hunter's Journey - YouTube Monster Hunter Wilds - 2nd Trailer: The Hunter's Journey - YouTube
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I'll let Mollie speak for this one: "I am so irrationally excited to attack monsters while riding my giant chicken."

Cairn

Cairn Interview and Trailer with Emeric Thoa and Audrey Leprince | Summer Game Fest 2024 - YouTube Cairn Interview and Trailer with Emeric Thoa and Audrey Leprince | Summer Game Fest 2024 - YouTube
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"When I was a teenager my dad prepared an expedition to Mount K2, but half his team didn't come back," Audrey Leprince, CEO of developer Game Bakers, said to set up this trailer for Cairn. "And I always wondered why do alpinists risk their lives in such extreme conditions. This is something we wanted to explore in Cairn."

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Saints and Sinners Trailer - YouTube Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Saints and Sinners Trailer - YouTube
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As Fraser put it: "This is our second look at the game, and it's pretty much got it all: folk getting battered, buddies getting into trouble, good times and bad times, guns, swords and a wee taste of siege warfare."

Phantom Blade: Zero

Phantom Blade Zero - "The Blade is Drawn" Gameplay Trailer | PS5 Games - YouTube Phantom Blade Zero -
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Phil described this one as "Sekiro on a drunken night out" when it was announced last year. Don't let all the PlayStation branding fool ya—it's coming to PC.

Tyler Wilde
Editor-in-Chief, US

Tyler grew up in Silicon Valley during the '80s and '90s, playing games like Zork and Arkanoid on early PCs. He was later captivated by Myst, SimCity, Civilization, Command & Conquer, all the shooters they call "boomer shooters" now, and PS1 classic Bushido Blade (that's right: he had Bleem!). Tyler joined PC Gamer in 2011, and today he's focused on the site's news coverage. His hobbies include amateur boxing and adding to his 1,200-plus hours in Rocket League.

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