Another year, another Electronic Entertainment Expo! With the fairly-recent release of the next-generation consoles, we think it’s safe to assume that, this year (especially), every last developer and publisher will be bringing out the big guns to June’s upcoming gaming event. That said, let’s not forget the other competitors, mainly the everlasting PC, and Nintendo’s Wii U. Will we finally see a Wii U-exclusive Zelda game? What about Metroid?
We at Analog Addiction have been eagerly anticipating 2014’s E3 (who hasn’t, really?) and because of this, here are our top five predictions, per editor. Warning! Some allegations might seem downright insane (but totally awesome if they were to actually happen).
Vlad Pintea
5. Nintendo will cut Wii U’s price to $249.99 for the Deluxe edition, and $199.99 for the Basic set.
4. Square Enix will reveal Tomb Raider 2. The show will feature a few walkthroughs, with TR2 getting a vague early 2015 release date. Additionally, Lara’s mansion will make a return.
3. Ubisoft’s mysterious Osiris will finally be revealed. It’ll be a combination between Assassin’s Creed and Prince of Persia, only with crazy super-powers and ancient Egyptian gods, which will influence the outcome of the character and the world around him. It’ll also be open-world, next-gen-only, and will have a Spring 2015 launch window. Plus, we’ll get our first glimpse at the next Splinter Cell game.
2. Phil Spencer will announce a Kinect-less Xbox One version. It’ll cost $449.99 and it’ll come in two flavors: one with Ryse: Son of Rome and Killer Instinct (featuring all characters), and the other with Forza Motorsport 5 and Dead Rising 3.
1. Nintendo will reveal the following Wii U-exclusive games, giving a release date only to the first title: The Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, and Metroid. Demos will be playable, and all three titles will make expert use of the GamePad.
Eric Pepper
5. Microsoft will showcase at least 5 exclusive titles in the press conference, one of them being a Banjo-Kazooie game.
4. Sony will once again promote their indie game selection, announcing at least 3 new indie titles being released later this year.
3. Nintendo will opt for a Nintendo Direct again and show footage from the next console Zelda. They will not rely on cell-shading this time.
2. A new Mortal Kombat game will be announced for the Xbox One and PS4.
1. Gran Turismo 7 will be officially announced and will have a trailer showcased at the Sony conference.
George Sinclair
5. We’ll get a brief teaser trailer for Uncharted but that’ll be it.
4. Microsoft will give a release date for Quantum Break as well as gameplay.
3. Both Microsoft and Sony will announce at least one new triple A exclusive game from a 1st party.
2. We’ll get our first look at EA’s Star Wars games and Mirror’s Edge.
1. Sony will announce a Vita/PS4 bundle.
Jaime “Paco” Sifontes
5. Ubisoft will surprise with a teaser of Beyond Good and Evil 2.
4. Microsoft will announce a Kinect-less Xbox One, priced at $389.99.
3. Sony will reveal an exclusive RPG from one of their 1st party studios.
2. PS One classics and PS2 classics will become available on PS4.
1. Overall, Nintendo will surprise us all with new titles and win our hearts and minds as best of show.
Jamie Briggs
5. Halo 2 Anniversary will be announced during Microsoft’s press conference, coming November 9th; alongside the announcement Halo 5 will be coming in 2015.
4. The latest Mass Effect will be revealed during EA’s press conference, which will be their biggest announcement. It will showcase a cinematic trailer and will hint towards taking place before the original trilogy. Perhaps even showcasing a character we have known from the original trilogy.
3. The follow-up to Sleeping Dogs will be shown throughout E3. Expect to see gameplay showcasing the new title.
2. Microsoft will showcase new live multiplayer games, similar to 1 VS 100 on the Xbox 360. They will require Gold subscription to play, but they will be free to take part in.
1. Studio Bend will take the stage at the PlayStation conference, showcasing their new PS4 exclusive title… the return of Siphon Filter.
Nathan Manning
5. Halo 5 release date announced – Q4 2014.
4. Nintendo announces a new Zelda game for the Wii U.
3. Ubisoft will reveal a new Ghost Recon game.
2. (Counter to George’s prediction) We will not see any footage from EA’s Star Wars or Mirror’s Edge games.
1. There will be no first party Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 games announced at E3.
Robert Key
5. Nintendo will reveal plans for a Gamecube VC store on the Wii U, but that is all they will confirm. They will also confirm N64 games will be downloadable beginning in the fall season.
4. We will finally get a glimpse of the next Zelda title. With a Nintendo system having the capability to display HD visuals, this game will have visuals akin to the tech demo we saw when the Wii U was first unveiled, which is similar to Twilight Princess.
3. Hideo Kojima will reveal the official release date for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. He will also promise the first mission alone is longer than Ground Zeroes (read our review, [here]).
2. With the Star Wars franchise finally getting new major titles, HD remakes for both the original Knights of the Old Republic games will be announced, though it won’t be handled by Bioware. Bioware will, however, announce a Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic III.
1. The next Mass Effect will be revealed for the first time, and have a late 2015 release date.
That’s it, folks! What do you think of our “prophecies?” More importantly, what are YOUR top five predictions for 2014’s biggest gaming event? Let us know in the comments below, and, as always, for all your latest news, rumours or otherwise, keep it locked to Analog Addiction.