Events like E3 and Gamescom are super exciting for gamers, no doubt about it. Unfortunately, unless you're lucky enough to physically be there and get hands-on time with the games on offer, you're never really gonna get much of an idea of whether a new title really appeals to you.
Don't get me wrong, previews and recaps and impressions from the fans, journalists, and influencers that do get to go hands-on are an invaluable resource - but nothing can compare to actually playing a game yourself, right? That's why I'm super excited for the solution that Geoff Keighley has put forward for The Game Awards this year. The idea? Bring the games to the players.
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The Game Festival is an all-new experimental event that will bring no less than 13 free demos of some of the biggest indie games to Steam for 48 hours. Starting from 6pm today and running until 6pm on Saturday, December 14th, you'll be able to go hands on with the likes of CARRION, System Shock, Spiritfarer and Röki. All you need is a Steam account and an internet connection.
"Six years ago I bet everything I had to create The Game Awards as a way to celebrate our passion for gaming," said Keighley in a statement.
"Now feels like the right time to take the next step with The Game Festival, a completely digital approach to the consumer event space. Let's face it: not everyone can attend a physical trade show or consumer event. The Game Festival is designed from the ground-up as an event without barriers, extending the benefits of a physical event to the global gaming community that watches The Game Awards."
You can check out the full lineup of 13 games below. There are bound to be some who are disappointed at the lack of AAA games on offer, but believe me when I say each and every game on the list deserves your attention. Also, you're being given 13 free games to play for 48 hours. Quit your whinging.
- System Shock (Nightdive Studios)
- Eastward (Pixpil/Chucklefish)
- Spiritfarer (Thunder Lotus)
- Moving Out (SMG Studio/Devm Games/Team17)
- Röki (Polygon Treehouse/United Label)
- Chicory (Greg Lobanov)
- Wooden Nickel (Brain&Brain)
- Haven (The Game Bakers)
- Heavenly Bodies (2pt Interactive)
- Acid Knife (Powerhoof)
- The Drifter (Powerhoof)
- CARRION (Phobia/Devolver)
- SkateBIRD (Glass Bottom Games)
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The Game Awards kicks off later today (December 12th) in the US, which is technically 1:30am tomorrow morning (December 13th) here in the UK. Aren't time zones fun?
We have absolutely no idea what to expect from the show, but a number of big video games tend to be premiered at The Game Awards. Last year we saw a new Dragon Age, The Outer Worlds, and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled. Rumblings suggest this year we might see the long-rumoured Batman game, as well as a brand new Crash Bandicoot platformer.
We'll have all the trailers that matter on our Facebook page throughout the night/morning, so be sure to stick with us if you, too, are staying up 'til the wee hours.
Featured Image Credit: The Game Awards/ValveTopics: The Game Awards, Steam, Indie