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.