Summer Game Fest art showcase highlights Pragmata, Borderlands 4, Absolum and more

Summer Game Fest is all about the trailers. But some of the coolest stuff on display at this year’s show doesn’t need a dramatic soundtrack or a splashy intro from Geoff Keighley. Now in its fifth year, Game Maker’s Sketchbook is an annual celebration of video game art that’s put on by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), iam8bit, and fortyseven communications. This year’s selections spotlight a wide range of art from teams across the industry, from evocative conceptual works and richly imagined environments to intricate character designs. Each piece offers a unique look behind the creative process that transforms games from ideas on paper into interactive reality.

The works can be seen at Game Maker’s Sketchbook online gallery and will also be exhibited during Summer Game Fest: Play Days in Los Angeles from Saturday, June 6 through Monday, June 8.

“Game Maker’s Sketchbook exists to honor the incredible artists whose work defines how we experience games — the images, worlds, and visual identities that stay with players for a long time,” said Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences president Meggan Scavio. “For our fifth year, we’re proud to spotlight the art that makes every bit of interactive entertainment so compelling.”

You can order prints of all eighteen selections through the iam8bit store until June 25. Every purchase directly supports nonprofit initiatives led by the Day of the Devs and AIAS Foundation, celebrating the art of games while fostering a more inclusive and creatively vibrant future for the industry. You can check out all of this year’s Game Maker’s Sketchbook selections across six categories below.

Character Art

Character Art: Corvus

• Game – Ballgame
• Artist(s) – Finn Sywester, Milton Monroe, Juan Soler Huete, Alex Schleifer
• Developer – Human Computer
• Publisher – Human Computer

Enemy Design

• Game – Mistfall Hunter
• Artist(s) – Dehong Yu, Jialei Wang
• Developer – Bellring Games
• Publisher – Skystone Games

Thresher Hat Explorations

• Game – Borderlands 4
• Artist(s) – Cameron Witt (Concept Artist)
• Developer – Gearbox Software
• Publisher – 2K Games

Curiosities

All In-Game “Moments” Illustrations

• Game – In Their Shoes
• Artist(s) – Claudia Molinari, Linda Francesca Amodeo, Nicolò Marchetti
• Developer – We Are Muesli
• Publisher – We Are Muesli

Death Rites of Gerald Parker

• Game – Ambrosia Sky: Act One
• Artist(s) – Adam Volker (Art Director and Illustrator), Vash Taylor (Illustrator)
• Developer – Soft Rains
• Publisher – Soft Rains

Cipher Zero OST Album Cover

• Game – Cipher Zero
• Artist(s) – Annie E (Illustrator)
• Developer – Zapdot
• Publisher – Zapdot

Environment Art

Skull Bridge

• Game – Keeper
• Artist(s) – Lee Petty
• Developer – Double Fine Productions
• Publisher – Xbox Game Studios

A Day In The Life Of Muziris

• Game – All Will Rise
• Artist(s) – Yuvraj Jha
• Developer – Speculative Agency
• Publisher – Speculative Agency

Environment Art

• Game – Absolum
• Artist(s) – Manu Tanon-Tchi
• Developer – DotEmu, Guard Crush Games, Supamonks
• Publisher – DotEmu

Iconography

To Be Played / Completed Pre-Scene Title Cards

• Game – In Their Shoes
• Artist(s) – Claudia Molinari, Linda Francesca Amodeo
• Developer – We Are Muesli
• Publisher – We Are Muesli

Kuttenberg Map

• Game – Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Artist(s) – Barbora Kotoul
• Developer – Warhorse Studios
• Publisher – Deep Silver

Chapter Select

• Game – Monument Valley 3
• Artist(s) – Monument Valley 3 Development Team
• Developer – ustwo games
• Publisher – ustwo games

Impact

“Emma x Slippers” Key Art

• Game – In Their Shoes
• Artist(s) – Claudia Molinari, Linda Francesca Amodeo
• Developer – We Are Muesli
• Publisher – We Are Muesli

Landship construction key art

• Game – Trailblazers: Into the March
• Artist(s) – Adrien Cantone
• Developer – Strangers
• Publisher – Joystick Ventures

Computational Exchange

• Game – Risk of Rain 2: Alloyed Collective
• Artist(s) – Sean Cruz (Concept Artist), Murphy Michaels (Art Director), Claire Bian (Lead)
• Developer – Gearbox Software
• Publisher – 2K Games

Storyboard

Rock and Roll Intro Storyboards

• Game – Borderlands 4
• Artist(s) – Erik Doescher (Storyboard Artist)
• Developer – Gearbox Software
• Publisher – 2K Games

Launch Trailer Storyboards

• Game – TetherGeist
• Artist(s) – Noah Allen
• Developer – Out of Space, O. & Co. Games
• Publisher – Out of Space, O. & Co. Games

First Contact Storyboard

• Game – Pragmata
• Artist(s) – Capcom Pragmata Team
• Developer – Capcom Co., Ltd.
• Publisher – Capcom Co., Ltd.