Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Day of the Devs stream shares new details on Axiom Verge 2 and more indies

By Giovanni Colantonio Published June 10, 2021

The opening day of this year’s Summer Game Fest concluded with the Day of the Devs stream. The indie showcase featured trailers for over 20 games, including the recently delayed Axiom Verge 2.

Day of the Devs is an annual indie show organized by Double Fine and iam8bit. The event has previously highlighted indies that went on to become mainstream hits like Untitled Goose Game and Hyper Light Drifter.

Recommended Videos

The show opened with some new information on Axiom Verge 2. Developer Thomas Happ shared some new details on the Metroid-inspired sequel. The game features more melee-based combat than its predecessor and includes a hacking mechanic. Happ says that it’s possible to complete the game without fighting a single boss in order to encourage player exploration.

While the game still doesn’t have a firm release date, Happ confirms that the title will come to PlayStation 4 and PS5 alongside Nintendo Switch and PC.

A boss fight featurign a giant robot in Axiom Verge 2. — Image used with permission by copyright holder

As for newly revealed games, Vokabulantis was a particular showstopper during the event. Developed by the team behind Felix the Reaper, the puzzle platformer is being created with full stop-motion animation. The game is still early in development and isn’t set to launch until 2024.

Other highlights include Soup Pot, a cooking game that features more than 100 recipes from around the world, and The Wandering Village, a city-building game that takes place on the back of a flying creature. The event also gave a second look at some games recently revealed at Microsoft’s ID@Xbox show, including Moonglow Bay and Death’s Door. The latter is scheduled to receive a proper release date during Devolver Digital’s E3 showcase this weekend.

A giant creature with a city on its back in The Wandering Village. — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The show ended with a new look at Last Stop, followed by a montage of publisher Annapurna Interactive’s upcoming games. Annapurna announced that it’ll be holding its own digital showcase at noon PT on July 29.

Here’s the full list of indie games that appeared during the show.

Axiom Verge 2
Behind the Frame
Death’s Door
Demolition Robots K.K.
Despelote
Elec Head
Garden Story
Last Stop
Loot River
Moonglow Bay
A Musical Story
Phantom Abyss
Road 96
Soup Pot
The Wandering Village
TOEM
Unbeatable
Vokabulantis
Walk

Giovanni Colantonio

Former Senior Gaming Editor

As Digital Trends' Senior Gaming Editor, Giovanni Colantonio oversees all things video games at Digital Trends. As a veteran…

Topics

E3
Tech News

Gaming

E3 2023 has officially been canceled by the ESA and ReedPop

The Entertainment Software Association and ReedPop confirmed that E3 2023 has been canceled following a report that broke the news. E3 2023 was supposed to take place between June 13 and June 16.
Earlier today, IGN reported that two of its sources received an email from the Entertainment Software Association saying that this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo has been canceled because it "simply did not garner the sustained interest necessary to execute it in a way that would showcase the size, strength, and impact of our industry." Soon after, a tweet from the official E3 account confirmed that "both the digital and physical events for E3 2023 are canceled."
https://twitter.com/E3/status/1641546610218811393
E3 was once a prominent annual video game industry trade show but has struggled to re-emerge since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. E3 did not take place in 2020 or 2022, and a digital-only attempt at the show in 2021 did not live up to expectations. The ESA was attempting to bring the show back this year with the help of PAX organizer ReedPop, and even approved press passes for the event already, but it appears the developers and publishers have lost faith in E3. Ubisoft pulled out of the show earlier this week after initially committing to be there, while Sega, Bandai Namco Entertainment, and Level Infinite confirmed they wouldn't be there in the following days.
While E3 2023 is not happening, there are going to be many other things for people to look forward to. Geoff Keighley will host a Summer Game Fest show on June 8, Microsoft is holding a Starfield direct and larger showcase on June 11, while Ubisoft will have a Ubisoft Forward Live event in Los Angeles on June 12.

Gaming

Summer Game Fest returns just before E3 2023 next June

The official artwork confirming Summer Game Fest's return on June 8, 2023.

Geoff Keighley has confirmed when Summer Game Fest will return in June 2023. It will begin with a live kickoff show on June 8, 2023, placing Keighley's game announcement alternative less than a week before E3's grand (intended) 2023 return.
Unlike past years, Summer Game Fest Live Kickoff 2023 will feature a live audience, like Geoff Keighley's The Game Awards. It will take place in the YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park, with tickets going on sale in early 2023. It will still be livestreamed across platforms like YouTube and Twitch, though. It's currently unknown who's participating, how long Summer Game Fest will run afterward, or if it will feature a Summer Game Fest Play Days-like element for fans. Still, Keighley says all of that info will be revealed ahead of the event next year, teasing what people can expect.
"In keeping with tradition, we'll have tons of exciting announcements from the developers that are pushing the games industry forward, and will once again highlight other publisher digital events, demos, and more surprises to be announced in the coming months," Keighley says in a press release.
That June 8 start date, and the other Summer Game Fest events likely to follow, put Keighley's show just ahead of E3 2023. The ESA and ReedPop plan to bring E3 back between June 13 and June 16, 2023. With five days of lead time on E3, Summer Game Fest can coexist with the long-running gaming conference and encompass the plethora of publisher showcases that tend to precede E3.
Geoff Keighley made it clear that he wants Summer Game Fest and E3 to coexist for a while. "We've had extensive conversations with ReedPop about E3," he said in an interview with Epic Games Store. "I think it'll kind of fit together and flow kind of from what we're doing into what they're doing and stuff. E3, to me, is this kind of master brand that represents gaming news in June."
With the start date of Summer Game Fest confirmed, the coexistence of these two summer gaming events is a reality. Summer Game Fest returns on June 8, 2023.

Gaming

Don’t miss these eye-catching indies from Day of the Devs’ anniversary stream

Mina faces down a boss with its mouth wide open in Mina the Hollower.

Day of the Devs, a showcase dedicated to highlighting indie games, held a 10th-anniversary showcase today. The hourlong stream shined a spotlight on several anticipated indie games, including Mina the Hollower, Sea of Stars, and more.

Day of the Devs 10th Anniversary Indie Game Showcase 2022