Every year I make a bunch of predictions and every year they’re wrong. However, I have a strong feeling that this is my year; if you throw enough darts at the board, eventually one will hit the bullseye.
Microsoft’s Project Scorpio has attracted a fair amount of brouhaha since its announcement at E3 last year. As a result, gamers’ expectations and hope that Scorpio can resurrect the Xbox brand are placed firmly on Big Phil’s and Xbox’s shoulders. To put it simply, Xbox need to smash it out of the park this E3 – and nothing says we’re back like an attractive Scorpio price point. I’m expecting a price around $449 USD/$649 AUD with Crackdown 3 as a launch title.
Given that remasters are one of the hottest trends this generation, I am expecting Sony to reveal another classic PlayStation IP for release in 2018. We got Crash and Wipeout announced last year, it wouldn’t surprise me if Spyro or MediEvil are the latest nostalgia inducers given a slick HD makeover. However, I’d love Road Rash or Porsche Challenge to be given a gig on the PS4 (no chance though). Furthermore, I expect Sony to reveal that the upcoming God of War will launch during the holiday period in 2017.
I also expect Deep Silver to formally announce the third entry in the Metro series, possibly in a partnership with Microsoft and its Scorpio console (we all know how gorgeous Metro Last Light was on PC) and to re-reveal Dead Island 2 at some point. Last but not least, I am predicting that Ubisoft finally announce a new Splinter Cell game. It’s been far too long since Sam Fisher has been cracking skulls, and while many weren’t a fan of Blacklist, I got right around it.
Set to make a comeback?
E3 last year was chock full of announcements. Mind you, at least on Sony’s side, a majority of those announcements were for games we wouldn’t be seeing in the near future. This year I’m hoping we see more coverage for titles that will release before the next E3 and hopefully we actually see titles (not just hardware) at Microsoft’s showcase. Here are my specific predictions.
I am pretty certain that Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice will be showcased by Sony at their press conference. It’s one of the less spoken about exclusives that really looks to be a show stopper. I have quietly been following its development through the development diaries that Ninja Theory have been putting out, and Hellblade has quickly become one of my most anticipated titles of 2017. I also think we will see some substantial coverage on Destiny 2. I am still pretty hooked on the original and I am very optimistic about the sequel that could be a make or break for Bungie. People are still embittered about the way the game was initially handled and with good reason, but if Bungie doesn’t make the same mistakes that they did with the original then it could potentially be a game like none other. I still highly recommend Destiny as one of the best console experiences currently and I’m very keen to see how Bungie has built on it. Lastly, I think we’ll see some more stuff revealed on Bandai Namco’s cool looking IP, Code VEIN.
This has sleeper hit written all over it
E3 2016 sure was a thing, but now 2017 is in full swing we’re looking at a whole new gaming landscape. The Nintendo Switch has landed, Sony and Microsoft keep vying for sidegrade supremacy in a never-ending war over who can truly offer a HD experience, and the VR craze seems to have settled into less of a hype fest and more of a specialty gaming niche. This means that I am looking forward to a software-driven E3, with some focus on great titles that are still waiting in the wings. Here are the specifics for my ironclad predictions:
- God of War: Beard Edition. We have seen some small gameplay details here and there, but we are yet to truly see the meat of the title. I can sense tragedy for Kratos just waiting to happen, so we may see a peek at some of the narrative for the game.
- Spiderman! This game looked incredible last year, and with the current hype wave blasting forward for Marvels ‘Homecoming’ film, I can only imagine they will want to capitalise.
- Battlefront II: I played the recent release of Battlefront, and though the game was enjoyable, there sections of it that felt like a giant unpainted piece of drywall. Like a father’s never ending home renovation, the game just stank of great ideas and intentions that just never got finished. So far, the promises made regarding Battlefront II seem to be promising the right things, but those promises could yet be broken. Show me what you go EA!
Predictions! Nintendo talks about a game that isn’t Splatoon, ARMS, or Mario. Come on, guys, it’s gotta happen. The new 2DS model will get some screen time, too. Pokemon is on the horizon. I can feel it!
Microsoft will show us what Scorpio actually is: an upgradeable Xbone. Halo will make an appearance, and people will weep for the fallen giant.
Bethesda gives us more of the new Quake, as well as a Fallout 4 spinoff game. Wolfenstein will make an appearance, because they really don’t have anything else to show.
Ubisoft’s trademark cringe will be a fine addition to the inevitable drinking game. It’s always great seeing them try to be hip with the kids. They’ll delay the South Park game. Again. Far Cry 5 is going to be another clone of the third game.
Sony will push their VR accessory and library. It’s got the best headset on consoles (which isn’t saying much), so it’s inevitable for them to jump on that gravy train very soon. Spyro remasters will be announced for release too. You heard it here first.
E3 2016 had a lot of reveals and dates (although some have been cancelled or delayed) and I’m hoping they expand on those this year, with some release roadmaps for big releases hopefully on the cards. As such, I’m expecting reveals of current known games rather than anything new but I’m willing to be surprised.
In regards to predictions I am predicting Ubisoft will show off more of South Park, a title which is no stranger to delays. Some solid gameplay might quell some of the negativity over the delays, and given the quality of the first game it’s a feather in Ubisoft’s cap that they’d be mad not to show off. Assassin’s Creed. Also in Ubi’s corner will be the new Assassin’s Creed, which has been on hiatus after negative commercial reactions to the yearly release model.
Sony has their baby in the Last of Us Part II, and it’s not inconceivable that we’ll see a snippet of gameplay, or at least an idea of the story direction.
I expect Microsoft to lean heavily on the Scorpio and the ego stroking that goes with it. I have a feeling they’ll over-focus on hardware and undersell the game aspects (much to the delight of the Sony Defence Force), but a price and release date is guaranteed.
Super Smash Bros. Deluxe will be unveiled at the Nintendo Direct and will be out early 2018. There is no doubt that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was a huge win for Nintendo, so giving Smash Bros. 4 a similar treatment seems like a no-brainer to me and gives consumers something to look forward to beyond Mario Odyssey in 2018.
Xbox Scorpio will be less expensive than the majority of people anticipate – Microsoft needs a win. They cannot just magically pull new games out of a hat after the cancellation of a number of their exclusives. They were beaten to the punch by Sony a whole year prior and the Nintendo Switch is the talk of the town. Microsoft needs to do everything they physically can to make the Scorpio look attractive, and I think one of those areas is price. If the Scorpio is indeed a premium product, offering it cheaper than what people expect would be a nice surprise and might entice people to make that step and put a pre-order down.
Either God of War, Detroit: Become Human or Days Gone will get a release date. There is no question Sony have mastered the art of press conferences over the last few years (especially last year’s masterpiece). I doubt they will have as many reveals this time around, but they would want to go more in depth on the games they’ve revealed over the last year. I still believe Sony will not have a AAA title for the holidays but I think God of War, Detroit and Days Gone will release within a year from the upcoming E3.
Ubisoft and EA will be as boring as they are every year – full of developer diaries and awkward live demos. The Switch will get one surprising third party exclusive – I don’t know what it could be but judging by various rumours, I think it will come from Ubisoft. There have been rumours swirling about Beyond Good and Evil 2 and that Mario/Rabbids cross-over, and it makes a relative amount of sense for the fledgeling console/hand-held hybrid.
I have a fifth sense for industry happenings, so you can take these predictions and more or less treat them as hard facts. Microsoft will announce a brand new IP, although it will be nowhere near ready to show but will quieten their detractors for a day or two. As some as my compatriots have stated, the console at the centre of Project Scorpio will be revealed as having a much lower price point than the shiny hardware might suggest. I’m going for $600AUD (although Zach’s $650 is probably more realistic, but realism be damned). The console will be given an actual name (I’m thinking maybe the Xbox 3 in keeping with their naming conventions), and will be mainly shown off with Crackdown 3 and whatever the latest Forza game is. They’ll throw a surprise reveal in the end there, I’m thinking a Jade Empire reboot (lock it in Eddie).
Sony will do what they do best and let the games do the talking, and alongside the obvious further details for game like Last of Us Part II, God of War: Ibiza Edition and Days Gone, FromSoftware will reveal either the PlayStation exclusive sequel to Bloodborne (Bloodborne II: Bloodborne To Be Wild), or a game that’s incredibly similar, as is tradition.
Think you know what E3’s going to dish up come Sunday? Let us know.
