3 Surprising Games That Skipped Summer Game Fest & What It Could Mean for Fans

The first week of June 2026 has been packed full of big video game announcements. We got PlayStation’s State of Play and Summer Game Fest earlier this week, with the big Xbox Showcase rounding things out on June 7th. Outside of platform-specific games showcased by their publishers, Summer Game Fest was the week’s culminating event. Many big games made their initial announcements, including the final entry in the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy. But some big games many expected to see were notably absent.

Ahead of Summer Game Fest, I wrote up my predictions for what we could see. While some (ahem, Elder Scrolls 6) were hopeful but unlikely, I did feel pretty confident that we’d see some of the titles on my list. But many games that I and many gamers assumed were obvious bets for Summer Game Fest didn’t make an appearance. This is not only surprising, but potentially concerning for fans hoping to see these games release in the coming years. Here are the 3 most surprising games that didn’t show up at Summer Game Fest, and what the silence could mean.

3) Hogwarts Legacy 2 

Admittedly, no one promised us a first look at Hogwarts Legacy 2. But with HBO’s TV series reboot on the way later this year and growing rumors surrounding the highly anticipated sequel, I really did expect its official announcement at Summer Game Fest. Even if the game won’t be set to release alongside the new TV series, it seems a given to try and maximize hype by formally revealing the sequel as we gear up to re-enter the Wizarding World in a new way.

Skipping Summer Game Fest doesn’t necessarily mean that the game is further off than fans think. Many rumors have pointed to a 2027 release date for this one, and that could still happen. After all, while Summer Game Fest is a big event, there are other ways to reveal a game like Hogwarts Legacy 2. September 1st, for instance, is both Back to Hogwarts day and closer to when the new TV series will launch. So while its absence from SGF is noteworthy, I don’t think witches and wizards need clutch their pearls for this game’s future just yet.

2) Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra

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Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra Release Date Update Is Good & Bad News For Fans

Poor Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra. This highly anticipated Marvel game has really been through it, with multiple release date delays making the project’s future uncertain. Many, myself included, were hoping to finally see something new for Rise of Hydra during Summer Game Fest. But despite the newly consolidated Paramount Game Studios confirming that the project was still in development mere hours before the showcase, we saw nothing of Cap and Black Panther’s upcoming adventure.

This is a bit surprising given how long it’s been since we’ve gotten any fresh details on the game. However, it’s not too concerning, all things considered. The game’s last delay came without a new launch date, so a release this year was already pretty unlikely. Recent comments from Paramount Game Studios execs further suggest we won’t see Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra until 20227 at the earliest. Supposedly, the game is in a playable state, which makes it all the more surprising we didn’t get a new look at it during Summer Game Fest. It definitely suggests that it may be quite some time before Paramount is ready to show us what it’s been working on.

1) Dungeons & Dragons: Warlock

Oh, how much I hope my gut instincts here are wrong. When the new Warlock game was revealed at The Game Awards last year, Wizards of the Coast teased the next look for “summer 2026.” Given the Geoff Keigley of it all, I kind of assumed that meant we’d almost surely get the first gameplay trailer during Summer Game Fest. Then, Wizards cancelled the single-player D&D RPG from Giant Skull, and I started to think the project could be in trouble. Then, it was a no-show at Summer Game Fest.

To be fair, Wizards never outright confirmed that Warlock would be at SGF. And they’ve hardly missed the summer 2026 window for a next look, either. All the same, I’m definitely a bit concerned about the future of this single-player narrative RPG from Dungeons & Dragons now that it’s skipped Summer Game Fest. Fingers crossed we see something from this one soon to assuage my fears and those of all D&D fans eager to experience a new video game based on the TTRPG.

Which game were you most disappointed not to see during Summer Game Fest this year? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!