Fantasy Friday: Big Summer Games, Big Summer Shake-Ups!

Happy Friday, y’all. As this heatwave batters the U.S. (karma, perhaps?), we’ve got some equally fiery developments to share on the Fantasy Gaming front.

It’s been a month since our last Fantasy update. In late May, we conducted a waiver wire session that promised to transform the league. Games were dropped; others were picked up. As spring wound down, our contestants made some calculated gambits in anticipation of the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2.

Well, that launch has come and gone, and with it, we’re finally starting to see the full Fantasy picture begin to take shape. Strap in for a meaty update — we’ve got quite a few shake-ups to break down for you.

With the Summer Comes the Heavy-Hitters…

Normally, summertime is a muted time for the games industry. Consumers go outside. Developers go silent, preparing buzz trailers for Gamescom and finishing their games ahead of the fall and winter rushes.

Not this year. Whereas 2024 saved many of its biggest hits for Q1 or Q4, 2025 has been firing on a much more consistent cadence. Obviously, the big story here is the Nintendo Switch 2, punctuated by the launch of Mario Kart World (with the main course, Donkey Kong Bananza, still to come). But Nintendo isn’t the only story. Other big names, like Deltarune and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, have also come in hot, ensuring this summer is one to remember.

Here’s a quick recap of the Fantasy high points:

• June 5, 2025: Mario Kart World released to strong (if not stellar) reviews. It earned a commendable 86 on Metacritic, providing Team Sam with a small but welcome boost.
• June 5, 2025: After years of anticipation, Toby Fox dropped Chapters 3 and 4 of Deltarune. While the game still has three chapters in active development, Fox is marketing Deltarune like a traditional release — and outlets are reviewing it as such, making it fair game for Fantasy. Deltarune currently has an 84 on Metacritic with six outlets weighing in, giving Team David its first score of the year.
• June 13, 2025: The Alters, the latest game from 11 Bit Studios, released to equally strong reception. It has garnered an 84 on Metacritic, marking yet another win for Team Amanda. (While you’re here, check out Amanda’s The Alters review.)
• June 26, 2025: When it rains, it pours. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach also released in June, to widespread critical acclaim. It currently boasts a 90 on Metacritic, delivering a massive (and much-needed) victory for Team David.

…And Some Disappointing Lightweights

They can’t all be winners. We have two games from early summer that I’d categorize as “disappointments,” Fantasy-wise. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I’ll let you be the judge.

• May 30, 2025: Elden Ring Nightreign squeaked in right after our May Fantasy update, but its impact cannot be understated. While the game hardly can be considered “bad,” its score simply isn’t up to snuff with what we’ve come to expect from the folks at FromSoftware. The game settled in at a 77 on Metacritic, slowing a bit of Team Amanda’s momentum.
• June 10, 2025: MindsEye… Okay, let’s be real: There’s no silver lining for this game — it just sucks. The game, led by ex-Rockstar executive Leslie Benzies, garnered some hype based on name value. Unfortunately, that excitement ended up being unfounded. The game released to an staggeringly terrible 38 on Metacritic. Normally, this would spell disaster for its owner, Team Zack. Thankfully, he kept this game on the bench ahead of launch, wisely averting the trainwreck.

Release Dates Galore!

It wouldn’t be summer without Big Game Announcements. While Summer Game Fest was largely a snooze, we did get some tasty morsels of information from Microsoft and other events like Steam Next Fest.

Here’s a quick look at what’s upcoming for our league contestants:

• October 16, 2025: Ahead of the launch of the Switch 2, Nintendo shared a release date for Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The sophomore entry in a spin-off series initiated by Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Z-A could be the shot in the arm Team Zack needs to bust the competition wide open.
• October 29, 2025: After plenty of marketing buzz, Microsoft finally pulled the curtain back on The Outer Worlds 2 during its summer presser. The big takeaway? It’s confirmed to release this fall, giving Team David some added firepower in what’s shaping up to be a confident lineup.
• October 31, 2025: As part of a new Steam Next Fest demo, Yacht Club Games announced that its much-anticipated next game, Mina the Hollower, hits storefronts in October. I loved my time with the recent demo, just as I had when I played an older build at PAX East 2023. If the game sticks to its date, Team Sam should be in for a great performance.
• “Confirmed” for holiday 2025: By far the biggest headline from Microsoft’s presser? The news that Hollow Knight: Silksong would be available in time for the holiday launch of the ROG Xbox Ally X. I’ll believe it when I see it, but if Silksong does release this year, it’ll be massive for Team David.
• Confirmed for 2025: Far more believable was the announcement from Supergiant Games that Hades II will be leaving early access and releasing its 1.0 update later this year. Having played Hades II a bit on my Steam Deck, I know this is already shaping up to be something special. This is another big-upside play for Team David.
• Delayed to 2026: One disappointing bit of news was the confirmation that Marvel 1943 has been pushed to next year. While not “bad” news by any stretch (insert Miyamoto’s “A rushed game is forever bad” quote), this puts a bit of pressure on Team Gary, who has otherwise been enjoying a stellar year.

Let’s Peek at ‘Dem Standings

Phew. A lot of news, but how does it all shake out in Fantasy terms? I’ll let the standings do the talking:

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Thanks for Reading!

As always, thanks for being a part of the Fantasy Gaming journey.

Like this month’s format? Let me know in the comments below.