Summer Game Fest 2023: Start Time, How To Watch, And What To Expect

[Update: The show is now over, but be sure to check out our Summer Game Fest announcements recap for a look at all the biggest news.] Summer Game Fest has become one of the biggest gaming news events of the year, and during this Not-E3 season, it just might be the biggest. This year's show will air live across the world and will also have in-person attendance at the YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park. If you want to watch the show live--online at home or via a participating movie theater, you can do that, and we have all the information you need to see the news as it drops.

When is Summer Game Fest 2023?

The show will officially kick of on Thursday, June 8, at the following times:

• 12 PM PT
• 3 PM ET
• 8 PM BST
• 5AM AET (June 9)

How to watch Summer Game Fest

You'll be able to catch the showcase on all of the usual social media platforms that Summer Game Fest is available on, as listed below, and GameSpot will be streaming the show. Live cinema screenings of the event will also be offered. A full list of participating theaters is available if you prefer to watch it on the big screen.

• YouTube
• Twitch
• Twitter
• TikTok
• Steam

Who will be at Summer Game Fest?

Every year sees a number of publishers and studios from across the industry appear on the SGF stage, and the 2023 edition says that there will be updates from more than 40 "partners" during the year. So far, the list includes big names such as Sony, Xbox, Square Enix, and Activision, as well as a number of other companies that have made a big impact over the last couple of years, including Annapurna Interactive, HoYoVerse, and Netflix Games.

• Activision
• Amazon Games
• Annapurna Interactive
• Bandai Namco
• Behaviour Interactive
• Capcom
• CD Projekt Red
• Devolver Digital
• Digital Extremes
• Disney
• EA Games
• Epic Games
• Focus Entertainment
• Gearbox Publishing
• Grinding Gear Games
• HoYoVerse
• Kabam
• Larian Games
• Level Infinite
• Magic The Gathering
• Neowiz
• Netflix Games
• Nexon
• Niantic
• North Beach
• Paradox Interactive
• Pearl Abyss
• Phoenix Labs
• Plaion
• PlayStation
• Pocket Pair
• Razer
• Samsung Gaming Hub
• Second Dinner
• Sega
• Smilegate Entertainment
• Square Enix
• Steam
• Techland
• Tribeca Festival
• Ubisoft
• Warner Bros. Interactive
• Xbox

What to expect at Summer Game Fest

If previous years are an indicator of what you can expect, then prepare for plenty of game trailers, a few premieres, and short interviews with developers. There'll probably be some heightened security around the stage as well, especially after last year's Elden Ring incident at the Game Awards. Mortal Kombat 1 developer NetherRealm Studios has already confirmed that the first gameplay for the upcoming brawler will be shown at Summer Games Fest, and Remedy Interactive will reveal raw gameplay for Alan Wake 2 as well.

Beyond that, SGF usually doesn't have too many blockbuster reveals, and the bulk of the show normally contains a number of new trailers for games that have already been revealed. With Square Enix attending, it's a safe bet that something related to Final Fantasy 16 or its new soapy multiplayer shooter Foamstars will be shown, Bandai Namco probably has a Tekken 8 trailer prepared, and Activision could show off footage from this year's Call of Duty.

Street Fighter 6 will be a week old by the time that Capcom hits the stage, so the publisher will probably be focused on its next game, Exoprimal, and HoYoVerse will likely have new updates for Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail. Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red debuted new footage of the game's Phantom Liberty at last year's The Game Awards, and the studio did mention that it would reveal more details about the DLC in June.

On the entertainment side, Henry Cavill and the cast of The Witcher will also show off the world premiere of the season 3 trailer for the hit show ahead of its June 29 release on Netflix.

Once Keighley's show wraps up, the rest of June contains several other showcases that you can tune in for. There'll be a daily barrage of shows, so get ready for the return of Wholesome Direct on June 10, the Future Games Show Summer Showcase that same day, the Xbox Games Showcase and Starfield Direct on June 11, and Ubisoft Forward on June 12.

Day of the Devs

After Summer Game Fest, Double Fine and Iam8bit's indie games showcase Day of the Devs will be back in action. This event has been a regular part of Summer Game Fest since 2020, and shows off "unique, diverse, and beautiful" indie games across multiple genres. As usual, Day of the Devs will be livestreamed through the YouTube and Twitch links listed above, as well as on Facebook.