We know it’s only been said every year, but this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo is certainly one to get excited for. As if Nintendo announcing a new console wasn’t big enough, there’s so much more to be uncovered at the Los Angeles Convention Center, this June.
Nintendo in high-definition
This is the biggie. During their E3 press conference, Nintendo will announce a brand new console to launch in 2012. Following its announcement, it will be playable on the LACC show floor. Countless rumors have codenamed the platform “Project Cafe” or “Stream”, and have said its architecture is more powerful than that of a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360.
It’s a high-definition platform — Nintendo’s first — supposedly designed to look like a modernized SNES. Rumors have priced it within the $350 to $400 range. It’ll output in 1080p and possibly support stereoscopic 3D.
Naturally, we expect Nintendo to detail the platform’s first wave of games. The possibility of seeing a Mario, Zelda, or Donkey Kong game in high-definition already gives Nintendo’s showing a huge edge. Coupled with the possibility of current PlayStation and Xbox publishers appearing on stage to announce third-party high-definition games for the new platform — say, Grand Theft Auto V — then Nintendo should have one hell of a show.
The Next Generation… Portable
Sony’s PSP successor has been announced and in the know since January, but we’ve yet to see the PlayStation manufacturer begin marketing the platform. Though, with no date, price, launch lineup, or official name revealed yet, that’s expected. At E3, we expect Sony to bear all.
Rumors have said the platform will launch first in the west, with January and March 2012 being the date range. It should have least four first-party launch titles, those being Uncharted, wipEout, ModNation Racers, and a new game titled Smart As. Sony has yet to confirm these for launch, but we expect they will do so at their press conference.
Third-parties should be on-stage revealing games, as well. A new Call of Duty has already been confirmed at the platform’s January reveal, and a few of well-known Japanese developers have already said they have NGP projects in the works. With NGP being an “easy” platform to bring games over from PS3, we wouldn’t be surprised if Sony’s new PlayStation 3 announcements made it out to NGP, as well. Or, if they decide to backlog some games.
Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima should announce his “project of [his] dreams” for NGP at the show.
An influx of PlayStation 3
The relationship between exclusive games and PlayStation 3 will grow ever stronger at this year’s expo. With inFAMOUS 2 and Motorstorm: Apocalypse out by show time, Sony should be marketing The Last Guardian, Twisted Metal, Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One, Resistance 3, Uncharted 3, and the Ico / Shadow of the Colossus Collection on the first-party end. Speaking of Uncharted 3, Naughty Dog has promised to “blow you away“.
Third-parties should bring forth anticipated exclusives like Disgaea 4, No More Heroes, White Knight Chronicles II, Atelier Totori, and Tales of Graces F. We expect Sony will continue their new-found tradition with multiplatform games and announce partnerships for exclusive content in the PlayStation 3 version. Last year, they announced exclusive additions to EA‘s Dead Space 2 and Medal of Honor and 2K Games‘ Mafia II.
With Move out since November and most of its once-anticipated releases now in stores, we expect Sony to announce a new wave of titles for the motion controller. We also expect they set a release date on their most intriguing of Move titles, revealed at last year’s E3, Sorcery. Also of note, Earth Seeker dev Crafts & Meiser has been developing a Move-based game. Sony’s conference could play host to its reveal.
Several Sony studios / studios affiliated with Sony are working on new PlayStation 3 games, all possible for an E3 reveal. SCE Cambridge has been working on a new PlayStation 3 game in a “multi-million [dollar] selling franchise“, which rumors have pointed to being a new Medievil.
In early April, Quantic Dream boss David Cage said the developer was currently “in discussion” with Sony over an E3 reveal for their next game. Though not owned by Sony, Cage has said the developer will remain loyal to Sony as a PlayStation 3-only developer. Domain registrations have pointed to the game having something to do with the name Fiv5.
Sucker Punch has recently revealed it has a brand new PlayStation 3 game in production — one not related to either inFAMOUS or Sly Cooper. With that, we assume it’s a new IP.
Sony Bend, the developer behind Syphon Filter, has been rumored time and time again to be working on Syphon Filter 5 for the high-def platform. Considering the rumors have been going since 2009, this year’s E3 would be a great time to finally announce the game.
Lightbox Interactive, the new developer opened by Warhawk boss Dylan Jobe in March 2009, is supposedly working on a little sequel named Starhawk. This week, it was rumored the game would be announced in May.
French studio Dontnod Entertainment has been commissioned by Sony to create a new “AAA action–adventure game” for PlayStation 3, reportedly titled Adrift. The unknown developer has already confirmed their presence at the show. Bottom line: expect the announcement.
Sony’s Santa Monica Studio is rumored to be working on multiple projects — one being God of War 4 (rumors here) and the other a first/third-person shooter including both an open-world and vehicle combat. This may be that “modern FPS” that Quantic boss David Cage was asked to help out on.
Sony Online Entertainment currently has no PlayStation 3 games on their schedule, with both DC Universe Online and Free Realms out on the console. They’ve teased EverQuest Next on PlayStation 3 in the past, and with Sony being so big on console MMOs this gen, we may be able to expect a reveal at E3.
We should see the return of Final Fantasy Versus XIII during the expo, according to game director Tetsuya Nomura, though plans on that aspect have not yet been finalized. Keeping with Square Enix, we may finally hear more on the PlayStation 3 version of Final Fantasy XIV.
With L.A. Noire snooping the streets and Max Payne 3 marketing put into full swing by June, Rockstar might finally share details on the PlayStation 3-exclusive Agent, which SCEA CEO Jack Tretton announced two years ago at E3 2009. Apparently, the game is “truly spectacular“.
Rumors have pointed to the reveal of an all new high-definition PlayStation collection akin the recent Tomb Raider Trilogy or upcoming Ico / Shadow of the Colossus Collection. According to the source, it’s something “you’ll like”, but they’ve provided no hints. We’re placing our bets on Metal Gear or Final Fantasy, though we’ve more expectation for the former.
Only because we’re not sure what’s become of it, maybe we’ll see something on Sly 4.