Last month, I mentioned how May is often the last “good” month we get for new releases before the arrival of the dreaded summer drought. That’s usually how it happens, but not this time. This year, June is going to be an objectively awesome month for us horror game enthusiasts, and unlike last month’s offering of games you’ve probably already played, the games we’re about to dig into aren’t mostly comprised of re-releases.

Among the Sleep

Okay, so there may be one or two re-releases. There’s nothing wrong with a good old fashioned port, especially when that port belongs to Krillbite’s charming indie horror game Among the Sleep and its tale of a two year-old and his mission to find his mother when she disappears from their home in the middle of the night.

Among the Sleep is also expected to come to retail within the next couple months. Stay tuned for more on that.

Release Date: June 3 (XBO)

Edge of Nowhere

Ratchet & Clank creator Insomniac’s upcoming horror adventure game Edge of Nowhere is an Oculus Rift exclusive that was designed specifically for the VR headset. Unlike its competition, it’s played from the third-person perspective so as to minimize the sometimes nauseating effects of wearing a virtual reality headset on your face for too long.

There’s a strong line-up of Lovecraftian-themed horror games coming between now and next year, but the handful of titles we’ve actually seen in action — The Sinking City and Call of Cthulhu have only appeared in static shots, for example — haven’t quite matched the promise seen in Edge of Nowhere. I can’t think of a better game to set a standard for what’s to come.

Release Date: June 3 (Oculus Rift)

Dead by Daylight

Another first we can expect next month is the official start to the asymmetrical multiplayer stab ’em ups, which kicks off with the release of Behaviour Digital’s slasher game Dead by Daylight. Much like how Edge of Nowhere will set the bar for the year’s other Lovecraftian horror games, Dead by Daylight will set one for the other similarly themed video games that are coming this year, including Friday the 13th: The Game and Last Year.

Release Date: June 14 (PC)

E3 2016

Bisecting the month is year’s biggest gaming expo. The unofficial holiday of E3 2016 is that very special time of the year where the industry tries to cram an impossibly huge amount of news and trailers, peppered with a smattering of world premieres and various other big reveals, into a 3-day convention. It’s either intense and stressful or wildly entertaining, depending on which side of the industry you’re on.

We already have a wish list for what we’d like to see this year, and like the last five years’ worth of pre-E3 wish lists I’ve written, my wish for Left 4 Dead 3 is likely to go unanswered. Your cruelty knows no bounds, Gabe.

E3 2016 Schedule:

EA Media Briefing – June 12, 1PM PST / 4PM EST
Bethesda Media Briefing – June 12, 7PM PST / 10PM EST
Microsoft Media Briefing – June 13, 9:30AM PST / 12:30PM EST
Ubisoft Media Briefing – June 13, 1PM PST / 4PM EST
Sony Media Briefing – June 13, 6PM PST / 9PM EST
E3 2016 (Official) – June 14 – 16

Umbrella Corps

Capcom aims to return to the world of competitive multiplayer-centric Resident Evil spin-offs that are just similar enough to the short-lived Outbreak series to be irritating with Umbrella Corps. With a budget price of $29.99, a surprisingly deep character customization and ten maps set across a gamut of iconic locations taken from earlier games in the series, it’s clear that Capcom is eager to appeal to both newcomers and series veterans.

We’ll know if they’re successful in just a few short weeks. I don’t know how invested any of us will be in that outcome since the week before this game arrives will almost certainly bring news of an actual Resident Evil game.

Release Date: June 21 (PC, PS4)

Deadlight: Director’s Cut

It’s been a long time since I last played Tequila Works’ moody, post-apocalyptic puzzle platformer Deadlight. It’s one of only a handful of games we featured in our co-op review series — back when my BFF and former master TJ the Taraszka was still with us — and now, four years later, it’s coming back with a Director’s Cut.

Deadlight: Director’s Cut builds on the original by enhancing its visuals and tightening up the controls, as well as by adding 1080p support and brand new animations. It’ll also come with the obligatory wave survival mode, called the Survival Arena.

Release Date: June 21 (PC, PS4, XBO)

7 Days to Die

Telltale’s new publishing label is bringing 7 Days to Die to consoles, because everyone deserves a chance to play an insanely addictive video game and enjoy the countless hours of exploring, scavenging, crafting, shooting, surviving, mining, and building it offers to anyone who listens to its Siren song.

Release Date: June 28 (PS4, XBO)

Resident Evil 5

Capcom has been working to bring the last three games in the main Resident Evil series to the PS4 and Xbox One, only they’re doing it in reverse-chronological order. Resident Evil 6 arrived in March, Resident Evil 5 in June, and Resident Evil 4 sometime this fall. And no, none of these are remasters.

Release Date: June 28 (PS4, XBO)

Crowdfunding Campaigns

Night Dive’s remake of the original System Shock is headed to Kickstarter on June 29. Give it all your money and we won’t have a problem. If you can’t do that, tell someone who can and we still won’t have a problem.

That’s all of ’em! So, which of these games will you be getting?