Electronic Entertainment Expo, the annual gaming convention that takes place in southern California, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, IGN has filled the gap left by the cancellation of E3 2020 with its digital event 'Summer of Gaming.'
Summer of Gaming will take place entirely online throughout the month of June. The event begins with a pre-show on June 4, and a plethora of digital events will be hosted on the following dates: June 5; June 6; June 7; June 8; June 9; June 11; June 12; June 15; June 18; June 24.
IGN released an in-depth schedule with a day-by-day breakdown of Summer of Gaming, as well as a list of ways that the event can be watched via various online platforms. The list of developers and publishers IGN is working with features 2K, CD Projekt Red, Xbox, EA, Square Enix, Devolver Digital, THQ Nordic, and Ubisoft, but more partners are being added to the event even just a week away from its start.
The most recent update was on May 27 when IGN announced that Marvel's Avengers' 'War Table' stream will take place as part of Summer of Gaming on its final day, June 24. An exclusive look at Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One has also been added to the final day's schedule, and the pre-show on June 4 will now include entertainment in the form of speedrunner LilAggy playing Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
IGN Expo is being introduced as part of Summer of Gaming and will take place on June 5, June 8, and June 9. IGN Expo is IGN's own showcase for exclusive industry announcements from developers including CD Projekt Red, Blizzard, TikTok, and Xbox. Details from Cyberpunk 2077, which is set for release on September 17, 2020, highlight the list of upcoming exclusives, but more developers are still being added to the showcase leading up to the start of the expo.
As part of Summer of Gaming's programming, IGN will be raising money through charitable donations in support of the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Two charity events have been announced for Summer of Gaming thus far: IGN’s Celebrity Island Tours in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and the Speedrunner Countdown Challenge.
IGN's Celebrity Island Tours will act as a 'MTV's Cribs' style approach to going through the islands created by various celebrities who have joined in on the Animal Crossing: New Horizons craze. The event will also feature special segments of Animal Talking, the longform interview show based around AC:NH created and hosted by Gary Whitta.
Speedrunners participating in the The Speedrunner Countdown Challenge include heyZeusHeresToast playing Bloodborne, tomatoangus playing every main-line Fallout game, Bryonato playing Titanfall 2, LilAggy playing Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Biinny playing Super Mario 64, alongside many more. The pre-show Speedrunner Countdown Challenge will feature in-depth commentary provided by the speedrun charity organization Games Done Quick.
IGN has recently started branding each month with a set theme for the website's coverage, and in June, IGN will kick off 'Icons Month.' IGN will be creating forms of content such as interviews, retrospectives and hot takes from some of the industry’s most iconic figures and franchises. Many of the focuses in the series of content will also be part of the Summer of Gaming live event.
The list of who will be a part of 'Icons Month' continues to grow leading up to the month of June, but some guests have already been confirmed. David Hayter, a writer, director, voice actor, and producer known best for his iconic voice of Metal Gear Solid protagonists Solid Snake and Naked Snake will be featured in Icons Month. Chris Avellone, a comic book writer and game designer known best for his work on the Fallout Series, will also be featured.
Frank Brian Fargo, who will also be featured as part of Icons Month is a video game designer, producer, programmer and executive, and founder of Interplay Entertainment, inXile Entertainment and Robot Cache. Gaming power-couple John and Brenda Romero, who co-founded social game company Loot Drop in 2010, will also be bringing their game development expertise to Icons Month.
IGN's Summer of Gaming kicks off on June 4, but more updates to the entire event are still being made as the show draws closer and closer. Check back in the coming days for updates before the event begins!
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