BAR REVIEW: JULY 2025

BY LUIS GUTIERREZ

Attending preview events for upcoming video games is always fun. Most of the time, studios rent out a private area and allow you to play said game for a handful of hours, followed by interviews. As fun as that is, there is always one thing I look forward to when attending these events: the food they feed us. In July 2025, I attended four different preview events around the LA area. Meaning two things: I was able to ensure I got paid throughout the summer, and it meant I secured free food for a couple of days.

A wise man named Jarrett Green once told me, “You can always tell how good a preview event is going to be based on the food they serve.” Boy, let me say all of these events I went to were nothing less than excellent.

July opened with EA’s upcoming game Skate. The event started at 9 AM, which is standard when considering that I’d be playing the game for at least 4 hours. Thankfully, at this point in my career, I know not to eat before arriving. When I left my SUV Uber, I checked in and immediately asked, “What’s for breakfast?” I was then taken to the kitchen, where they handed me some muffins, bananas, and a breakfast sandwich. Even though the food wasn’t groundbreaking, it was good enough to keep me full until lunch.

By lunchtime, we were informed that a bunch of food was waiting for us in the same kitchen area. This is where things get interesting because EA laid out a variety of food, but a Chicken Spring Roll called me like the Green Goblin mask did in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films. But that wasn’t all I grabbed because they also had some macaroni and hot Funyuns. Everything complemented each other well, too. If the second spring roll became too much, I would eat a chip or two, followed by some macaroni. Although this wouldn’t be a dish I’d typically eat or buy for myself, it did the job. I walked away from that event not only hopeful for the future of Skate, but, more importantly, with a full belly.

During the second week of July, I attended another preview for Dying Light: The Beast. Here, I was impressed with the sheer amount of food I was given immediately. As soon as I walked in, I saw an open bar and a big wooden table filled with food. Like last time, I went in on an empty stomach to prepare for the day ahead. For breakfast, I played it light since I knew that, going in, there was going to be lunch. I grabbed a small sandwich, a pastry, and a small piece of avocado toast (pacing is everything). The breakfast selection also told me everything I needed to know about the event. The Techland team cared about this; they knew the latest Dying Light was something good and wanted the food to reflect that.

Lunchtime only emphasized that feeling more. I was among the first in line the second the food rolled out. I was greeted with Mac and Cheese, Corn on the Cob, Hot Honey Chicken Sliders, Mini Hot Dogs, and a Wagyu Cheese Steak Panini. This, partnered with an open bar, was a deadly combination I was unprepared for. I felt as if I had died and gone to food heaven; each bite tasted better than the last. If it were up to me, I would have taken all that food home. Needless to say, my time with Dying Light: The Beast was nothing short of fantastic.

A week later, I played Grounded 2 before its early access release date. Unfortunately, this was more of a work trip than an eating trip. There wasn’t much left when I got to the food, but my smoothie was easily one of the best smoothies I had ever had. Until that day, I had never eaten a frog, but the rumors are true; it tasted like chicken. That said, I’m still not sure if I would ever eat another little green amphibian.

To close out the month, I went to another EA event, this time for Battlefield 6. Like every other event, I went in with an empty stomach, and to my surprise, there was no breakfast waiting for me upon arrival. Admittedly, this set some alarms, but thankfully, we didn’t have to wait long to eat, so my suspicions were quickly laid to rest.

This time, EA rented out various food trucks that served Mexican, Caribbean, BBQ, and American food. As someone who grew up in LA my whole life, I was curious to see how this catered Mexican food tasted, mainly because almost all the cooks were white.

On day one, I ordered a plate of three Rojo Chicken Tacos. Even though I had low expectations, I was pleasantly surprised. The white boys in the kitchen knew how to get down with their food; the chicken had a nice, sweet flavor with a hint of spice. 

On the other hand, Day two was a bit different, though. I went to the Caribbean truck and ordered a burrito filled with rice and chicken. This would soon prove to be an experience. Because the second I bit into it, there was almost no flavor for anything other than the meat inside. The one thing that saved it was the salsa meant to be dipped with the chips. By the time I got to the chips, I was not only disappointed, but I was dipless. 

It wasn’t all doom and gloom because EA’s saving grace was its dessert section. The big boy in me quickly forgave them once I saw the selection of cookies and churros calling my name like a siren to a sailor out in the ocean. That said, EA had definitely put in a lot of time ensuring that they fed a wide variety of people. Even though I didn’t vibe with one of the meals, that’s something I can respect. The fact that I left both days with a full tummy proved they knew how to cater to folks.

Whenever I see a pitch coming my way regarding preview events, my eyes light up. Because I know I’m in for a good time. Whether the game is good or not, I can always count on the food provided. More often than not, they’re always carefully selected, and almost never miss.