How time flies! It’s hard to believe it’s already June and the biggest gaming event of the year arrives next week!

While E3 isn’t as important as it once was for companies and developers to market their upcoming releases, we all still tune in and we all get hyped for games we’ve been waiting for or dreaming about.

“All aboard the hype train!” as they say.

In the lead up to E3, leaks and rumours fill our news feeds and while some of it turns out to be true, we’re not about all that noise. We just want to have a good time, and sharing predictions with friends is a damn good time. It’s impossible to contain your E3 hype once you start making predictions. We all make the mistake of sharing just one extremely hopeful prediction and just like that –

– the lid is off.

 

NEW GAME REVEALS

Keeping it simple to start with, I asked my fellow Heroes of Play compadres which titles they are expecting to be announced and revealed during any E3 conference this year.

Our newest member Callum (Sproosemoose) and Joseph (Averagus) are both joining me in predicting that Microsoft’s press conference will not be complete without the Master Chief making an appearance in a Halo 6 reveal. Callum and Joseph think Microsoft will bring in both of their heavy hitters and unveil Gears of War 5 as well. Is a new Fable possible? We wouldn’t bet on it. Banjo-Threeie? Brendan (Tamazoid) is still a firm believer it will happen but most of us gave up on that a long time ago.

As for Sony, we’re not too sure if they’ll have many new game announcements at all considering they already have titles like Days Gone, Spider-Man,
The Last of Us Part II and Death Stranding to show more of. Could we see another PlayStation All-Stars attempt featuring Knack as well as Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn? With Super Smash Bros making its way to Switch, I wouldn’t rule out a new game to compete with that series. (Everyone else thinks I’m crazy)

Perhaps the most popular prediction going around is that a new entry in the Splinter Cell series will be announced. Pete (Internedoking) is excited to see the series return after enjoying the latest additions to the Tom Clancy series in Ghost Recon: Wildlands and The Division, and while I myself have never played a Splinter Cell game, I’d probably get on-board as well after enjoying those same Tom Clancy titles. Joseph expects a new Splinter Cell will be a return to form for the series. Will (Unicycles) expects it to take Metal Gear Solid’s place in gaming. Talk about big shoes to fill!

Finally, we have some hopeful predictions for new Nintendo Switch titles. Brendan is still waiting for Retro Studios to unveil their new IP, Joseph is praying for F-Zero, Will believes a mainline Fire Emblem is more of a chance, while Pete and I are gunning for a new Mario Strikers.

“Tell ’em they’re dreaming”

Dave – Dark Cloud 3
Joseph – Phantasy Star Online 2 for Switch (English version)
Will – Armored Core 6
Brendan – Banjo-Kazooie for Super Smash Bros.
Kaeser – Lost Reavers 2 and Devil’s Fourth

 

SHOW ME MORE

Of course, E3 conferences have a major habit of showing us the same games multiple years in a row before they’re finally released. We understand that development times can be quite long though and we’re still super excited to see more gameplay of our highly anticipated games. Cinematic trailers or teasers? Not so much.

Most of us are predicting Metroid Prime 4 for Nintendo Switch will finally be shown after last year’s teaser, however, we’re split on what we’re expecting to see. Brendan, Will and Kaeser think we’ll see gameplay. Joseph and I are expecting nothing more than a story teaser. Super Smash Bros for Switch, however, is almost certainly going to have a gameplay reveal. The big question: Is it a new title or a remake of Smash Wii U with extra characters? We’re leaning towards the latter.

Pete is also predicting Pikmin 4 will finally be shown after being confirmed as in development three years ago. I think he’s right, it’s about time.

Sony may not have many surprising cards to play after jumping the gun announcing their aforementioned “big 4” will return for another showing, while Microsoft …doesn’t really have much, to be frank. Scalebound was cancelled. Crackdown 3 is seemingly in development hell but Joseph believes we’ll see it.

As for other titles, most of us are keen to see more of CD Projekt RED’s Cyberpunk 2077. Will is also anticipating more Spyro: Reignited Trilogy footage, as well as the unnamed From Software title previously teased. Callum wants to see more of Red Dead 2, while I’m more excited about seeing Anthem again.

 

NO-SHOWS

It’s happened to everyone at least once. You stayed up to watch E3, super hyped to see your most anitipcated game … and it’s not there, not in any of the conferences. You even watched the post-E3 shows which are terrible, just hoping, praying for some footage. It’s a no-show. E3 is ruined.

Brendan and I are not getting our hopes up – we’re predicting Beyond Good & Evil 2 will not appear. Both Callum and Pete have clearly been hurt before and are extremely skeptical of the promise of a new Metroid, predicting it will not be shown. (Maybe Fed Force 2 instead?) Callum and Pete are also in agreeance that Shenmue 3 will be MIA.

Finally, Joseph is predicting Todd will release Skyrim once more which means no Elder Scrolls VI, Kaeser isn’t so sure about the Final Fantasy VII Remake being shown, and Will says “fat chance” to SOULCALIBUR VI.

We clearly have some trust issues.

 

Thanks for reading. We hope you have a great E3 and may all of your predictions come true!