E3 2021 Predictions & Wishes

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Here we are about a month out from the start of E3 2021 so it is once again time for something that has become a little bit of a yearly tradition around here. What are your bold predictions? What are your craziest wishes. No predictions too bold! No wishes too crazy!

As more information become available I will update this post with times/dates for various Press Conferences/Events.

Saturday June 5th
The Guerrilla Collective Stream 1 - 11am EDT / 8am PDT
Black Voices In Gaming - 1pm EDT / 10am PDT

Tuesday June 8th
Panic Playdate Update - 12pm EDT / 9am PDT

Thursday June 10th
Summer Game Fest Opening Event - 2pm EDT / 11am PDT

Friday June 11th
Netflix Geeked Week Kick Off - 12pm EDT / 9am PDT
Prime Matter Showcase - 3pm EDT / 12pm PDT
IGN Expo - 4pm EDT / 1pm PDT

Saturday June 12th
The Guerrilla Collective Stream 2 - 11am EDT / 8am PDT
E3 Pre-Show Day 1 - 1pm EDT / 10am PDT
Wholesome Direct - 1pm EDT / 10am PDT
Ubisoft Forward - 3pm EDT / 12pm PDT
Devolver Digital - 4:30pm EDT / 1:30pm PDT
Gearbox Entertainment - 5pm EDT / 2pm PDT
Upload VR Showcase - 6pm EDT / 3pm PDT

Sunday June 13th
E3 Pre-Show Day 2 - 11:45am EDT / 8:45 PDT
Microsoft & Bethesda Game Showcase - 1pm EDT / 10am PDT
Square Enix - 3:15pm EDT / 12:15pm PDT
Warner Bros Games Back 4 Blood - 5pm EDT / 2pm PDT
The PC Gaming Show - 5:30pm EDT / 2:30pm PDT
The Future Games Show - 7pm EDT / 4pm PDT

Monday June 14th
E3 Pre-Show Day 3 - 11am EDT / 8am PDT
Intellivision Showcase - 12:45pm EDT / 9:45am PDT
Take-Two Interactive - 1:15pm EDT / 10:15am PDT
Mythical Games - 2:10pm EDT / 11:10am PDT
Freedom Games - 3:30pm EDT / 12:30pm PDT
Limited Run Games - 4pm EDT / 1pm PDT
Capcom - 5:30 EDT / 2:30 PDT
Razer - 6pm EDT / 3pm PDT

Tuesday June 15th
E3 Pre-Show Day 4 - 11am EDT / 8am PDT
Nintendo Direct - 12pm EDT / 9am PDT
Nintendo Treehouse Live - 12:40pm EDT / 9:40am PDT
Bandai Namco - 5:25pm EDT / 2:30pm PDT

Wednesday June 16th
Steam Next Fest - 1pm EDT / 10am PDT

I would like to see the new PS VR more. The promotional stuff is fine but I would love to see it actually used.

More Nintendo games - specifically a release date for Breath of the Wild 2 and Metroid Prime remaster.

Wishes:
A release date for Bethesda's Starfield!
A release date for Final Fantasy XVI!
A release date for Dragon Age 4!
A brand new Prince of Persia game!
Persona 3 and 5 on PC

Predictions:
Final Fantasy XIV comes to Gamepass
Sony reveals new VR hardware

farley3k wrote:

I would like to see the new PS VR more. The promotional stuff is fine but I would love to see it actually used.

Is this thread meant for E3 specifically, or any big summer announcements around that time? Sony will not be at E3, so PSVR announcements are off the table outside of one of their own events.

A few predictions:

  • Elden Ring will be the most talked about game that isn't actually shown anywhere.
  • Nintendo might show a little bit of BotW 2, but there won't be any big new announcements. At this point, I am convinced that they are coasting on the Switch's insane success and keeping several big bombshell announcements under wraps to unveil with a new Switch iteration.
  • Microsoft will won't have much new to show in terms of gameplay for their future exclusive titles aside from Halo, but they will have some big new announcements for Game Pass that will further cement it as an insane value for the money.
  • Ubisoft has always been the first major non-first party publisher to jump into new generations, so I expect to see at least a couple announcements for next-gen exclusive titles.
  • In general, I don't think this E3 is going to be super exciting on the next-gen only front due to the lingering effects of COVID and the scarcity of next-gen hardware from chip shortages.

More wishes than predictions, and in no order other than what comes in my head:

-Significant talk about the next Mass Effect game
-A release date and name for the next Dragon Age game
-Knights of the High Republic
-A redesign and restock of PS5
-A new Switch revision
-Beyond Good and Evil?
-NCAA Football 2022
-Something from Naughty Dog that is not The Last of Us or Nathan Drake
-A new Fire Emblem

And finally...

-Giant Bomb to live stream the press conferences with a new cast I am excited to get to know.

beanman101283 wrote:

Wishes:
A release date for Bethesda's Starfield!

Lots of rumors and some leaked website assets have people thinking this will likely be reveals at their press conference with a November release date. Bethesda are also supposedly already buying ad space in print magazines (wow those are still a thing) for it. Obviously grain of salt and all that

Dyni wrote:

Is this thread meant for E3 specifically, or any big summer announcements around that time?

Any of the big E3 adjacent summer press conferences, events, or streams are fair game. Most of the interesting stuff doesn't actually happen at E3 proper it usually happens at the press events that start sometimes a week before actual E3.

Hoping for news of Elden Ring and Silksong (fingers crossed for trailers and release dates!). Wouldn't be upset about breath of the wild 2.

Not sure anything else will pique my interest at the moment. I've got a new Ratchet and Clank game coming in June, so that's exciting

From the "it'll never happen, but I wish it would" department, I would love a new Mega Man Legends game.

Every year I say XCOM3, and every year I'm wrong. I feel like this is the year, though. And the nice thing about Firaxis is that they tend to announce and then release within ~6 months, so it's coming this year.

Like others here, I'd also be interested in some kind of date for Dragon Age 4, but given the recent news that they switched direction from live service to single-player RPG, I can't imagine it coming out for several more years at this point.

I always look forward to the big press conferences at E3 every year. The times are a-changing with the new format, more spread out events, but even still the announcement of new titles or first gameplay reveals of hotly anticipated games has me excited.

My predictions:

• Hideo Kojima will reveal Kojima Productions next title, it will be horror game, set in a smaller but more densely packed open world. You will play a character who gains monster like abilities as the game progresses akin to Prey. The shared world concept from Death Stranding will return in an even more creative way. There will be areas that can only be accessed when certain collective milestones are hit by the games player base

There will be a specifically designed co-op, story driven, open world game announced by a AAA dev. There will be timed missions where each player has to go to unique locations for shared goal. Missions will be specifically designed so that each player can take different roles eg one player scouts out enemies from afar, whilst the other infiltrates the base. There will be missions like A Way Out were you work together to get into or out of locations, helping each other bypass cameras, open doors, leaving useful items in places for the other to find etc

• A classic franchise from the PS1 era will be resurrected in the form of a full blown remake aka Demons Souls.

• There will be a new Die Hard game made by the same team within Rockstar that worked on Max Payne 3.

• Agent finally gets a release date & it's exclusive to Stadia.

• Nintendo announce a brand new IP that looks like a cute Diablo 3 with unique traversal & their own blend of diverse hero's.

• Metroid Prime 4 won't be shown at all.

• There will be multiplayer esq Mirrors Edge type game that shows off extremely quick transitions between multiple characters, going at blistering speed doing parkour style moves through a futuristic city. People will proclaim the SSD drives are the holy grail of the new consoles.

My Wishes:

• A brand new Getaway game is announced for the PS5, complete with underground travel on the Tubes. No HUD, destructible interiors & fast travel in real time via black taxi's.

• Naughty Dog show Factions their standalone multiplayer component to TLOU2, it's 4 v 4 with added elements to Listen Mode that will make it even more strategic.

• Metroid Prime 4 gameplay is shown, even if it's a brief trailer.

• A small team in Retro Studios are working on Tropical Freeze DLC that gets stealth released on the day of the Direct.

• Playdead's next game is revealed, just like Inside the setting, world & puzzles look intoxicating.

Horizon Forbidden West gameplay, it would be nice to see all the improvements over the original. A few including better combat vs other human enemies, improved traversal mechanics over mountainous terrain, the visual fidelity matching that of the gameplay snippets in the first trailer.

• RDR2 enhanced edition announced for current gen consoles, all the bells & whistles the PC release received, plus 60fps & dual sense integration.

• Outer Wilds DLC gets a release date.

• A multiplayer mode announced for Returnal, separate from Selene's story, perhaps using a few new characters that you can fight room to room, area to area against hordes of aliens.

• God Of War: Ragnarok & Breath Of The Wild 2.....anything gameplay wise, however short would hit the spot beautifully.

• I'm very intrigued to see if Starfield actually looks like a big step up both in animation quality, traversal & general polish than Bethesda's previous efforts. I hope it's very different from Elder Scrolls & Fallout. They need to badly improve that atrocious Creation Engine, that thing is an eye sore in nearly every department.

• Bungie's new game to turn up & have all the hallmarks of Destiny's tight gunplay but in a completely different setting with a more fleshed out world.

• Hollow Knight: Silksong release date!

• I'm excited for more new IP's (AAA or indie) that try new ideas or are completely different from the norm in some respect.

That's all just off the top of my head, keep the predictions & wishes coming, this a fun thread

Predictions:
Not a super bold one but here is one for Microsoft: New Studios. They will announce the acquisition/creation of 3 to 4 new studios including on bigger (but not Bethesda sized) one.

Rockstar will announce GTA6.

Kojima shows off something that makes no sense at all but has Kojima fans ruining their shorts anyway.

Wishes
I am hoping we get to see Halo Infinite and the new Fable game and Starfield and maybe something about the next Mass Effect (though I think DA4 is more likely) and maybe a remake of KotOR.

These are wishes that are mostly reasonable.

  • Donkey Kong 3D Platformer
  • Ace Attorney 7 -- more likely to get announced at TGS
  • New Pushmo game
  • Captain Toad 2
  • 2D Zelda (I'll also accept the Oracle games remade in the new LA engine)
  • MegaMan 12/X9/Legends3
  • Big budget Castlevania reboot like Dark Souls
  • Dragon Quest IV-VI on Switch
  • Final Fantasy Tactics on Switch

And here's some crazy sh*t that will never happen, but I would nevertheless kill to see happen.

  • Ape Escape 4 -- I used to consider this a reasonable wish before Japan Studios was killed
  • Zelda II remake
  • new Ganbare Goemon game
  • Single player Bomberman game (e.g. Bomberman Hero)
  • StarTropics III
  • Kirby 3D Platformer

New stuff and IPs are also welcome, but I can't exactly be wishing for something I don't know about.

Djinn wrote:
  • 2D Zelda (I'll also accept the Oracle games remade in the new LA engine)

You know they don't even have to remake them. I would really like to see Nintendo do something similar to Xbox and get all of their old games that they can up and running on Switch/Switch2 (and not do any of that stupid time limited or Nintendo subscription stuff like they have done with some games). If I could play every Zelda and Metroid (and Mario too I guess) game ever made on a single platform I would be buying that platform pretty quickly. Wind Waker, A Link Between Worlds, and Metroid: Samus Returns ported to Switch would all be great as well. I am pretty close to giving in and getting a Switch anyway (and a fully backwards compatible Switch 2 or New Nintendo Switch since they name everything stupidly these days would also push me over the edge) and those would do it for sure (actually been considering adding more recent Nintendo consoles to make VG collection since the N64 is the newest one I have).

GTA 6 - Game Pass exclusive.

Half-Life 3

A flourescent orange Xbox Series S.

Grenn wrote:

Half-Life 3

Stop trolling Grenn!

NathanialG wrote:
Grenn wrote:

Half-Life 3

Stop trolling Grenn!

It's not trolling if you believe.

Now that I've posted the show, I can share mine!

-A bunch of CapCom games announced for the Switch, but I will only have eyes for Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
-Major Dragon Age 4 announcement
-Sony announcing major changes about their supply/demand/scalper issues
-Remedy announces Control 2

Seeing some reports that Team Cherry has stated they will not be showing Silksong at E3. This is my sad face.

Wishes

Bayonetta 3 and while I wish for the impossible Bayonetta 2 on PC.

News on bloodlines 2.

Prediction is that Ubisoft will hype the new game plan with a bunch of buzzwords that ultimately mean nothing.

billt721 wrote:

Every year I say XCOM3, and every year I'm wrong. I feel like this is the year, though. And the nice thing about Firaxis is that they tend to announce and then release within ~6 months, so it's coming this year.

Like others here, I'd also be interested in some kind of date for Dragon Age 4, but given the recent news that they switched direction from live service to single-player RPG, I can't imagine it coming out for several more years at this point.

I agree. XCOM3 but no date. Just that it's in the works, some teaser stuff, and maybe a 2022 release date.

Dragon Age 4 details, but nothing too crazy.

I just want to see something neat that I was not anticipating. I will be watching indie showcases most closely.

Valve announces the Index 2. It will include a wireless PC connection, inside out tracking, and come bundled with Half Life 3, which will be a VR exclusive.

UpToIsomorphism wrote:

-NCAA Football 2022

Yes please.

Spikeout wrote:

• Metroid Prime 4 won't be shown at all.

...

My Wishes:
• Metroid Prime 4 gameplay is shown, even if it's a brief trailer.

Hope your wishes are better than your predictions.

Stele wrote:
UpToIsomorphism wrote:

-NCAA Football 2022

Yes please.

Spikeout wrote:

• Metroid Prime 4 won't be shown at all.

...

My Wishes:
• Metroid Prime 4 gameplay is shown, even if it's a brief trailer.

Hope your wishes are better than your predictions.

You & me both!

Indie Live Expo will stream on June 5th at 5am ET, which is bound to be too early in the morning for most of us. It's mostly focused on Japanese indies from what I can gather. More info here. Limited Run Games will also do theirs on June 14th, 4pm ET.

As for predictions, oddly enough, most of my bold predictions can roll over. Still, there's been some leaks recently that got me curious. My thoughts? They're plentiful, so I'll spoiler-tag by section.

Spoiler: MICROSOFT

Right now, Microsoft wants to come out swinging, but not necessarily on the level most expect. It's not just about first-party. Others have already observed it well before I have, but it's all about Game Pass, and part of that Game Pass strategy is getting third parties just as on board with Day One Availability as the first parties are.

So while I expect to see Halo: Infinite looking much better and with a confirmed release date, I also anticipate seeing Starfield with an emphasis on Game Pass availability. Evidently Obsidian's Avowed is further along than anticipated, which wouldn't shock as Microsoft probably purchased studios with something in the works as well as for their reputation. Hellblade II will no doubt make an appearance as well, with a potential 2021 release date even. We also already know they got Psychonauts 2 slated for 2021, so expect that to be upfront and Game Pass ready. If we're due for a new Forza then I'd also expect that to be present as well. I would expect to see a new title from Rare, though whether that's a new IP or something else, who knows. Fable might make an appearance, or might be kept in the vault until there's more of it to see.

They've got some other studios with nothing new to announce, but some of them, like The Initiative, are doubtful to be in a position to show off anything right now. Still, the above is plenty of 1st Party content by itself, in addition to whatever new updates they're planning for Minecraft or its spin-offs, or Sea of Thieves content.

Instead, my boldest predictions would be for them to push to very specific games as being available on Game Pass day one. With Sony effectively giving Japan a giant collective shrug (aside from buying exclusivity from Square Enix's Japanese titles), the table is free for Microsoft to make a big push. You'll see efforts to purchase exclusivity here as well, such as the rumored Kojima Productions project. That's a move that'll appeal to both Western and Japanese gamers. However, I also anticipate they'll go further than that and get both Tales of Arise and Elden Ring to be available on Game Pass day one. Now, this is a pretty bold prediction for Elden Ring, and may be locked to just Xbox consoles in order to guarantee sales across multiple platforms (see, presumably, why Outriders is currently Xbox-only on Game Pass and not on PC Game Pass). However, I feel like it's plausible for Tales of Arise, especially since gamers in Japan are starting to migrate more and more to PC these days (y'know, when they're not buying the Nintendo Switch).

Now, rumor is that Sony is currently working on restructuring PlayStation Now to more closely resemble Game Pass or something to that effect, but we don't know for certain. Really, though, I think Sony is relying way too heavily on Naughty Dog's prestige (especially if the Schreier article is true and they really are trying to make everything too faux-Hollywood), and they're losing their hunger. Right now, Microsoft is hungry and Phil Spencer has been doing a decent job attempting to course correct this mammoth vessel. I may be skeptical of Microsoft and have my issues with Game Pass, but I think right now Sony is going to rely on more of the same and the magic of solid-state drives to convince players where to go. I think Microsoft is going to deliver a surprise left-hook and come out guns blazing to compete not only in terms of variety of content, but affordability of it.

Will it work? Man, I dunno, and from what I can gather PS5 sales numbers are higher than Xbox Series numbers. How much of that is due to supply during Covid? I dunno. Both consoles look to be sold out all over the place, so numbers could simply be due to Microsoft not pushing out nearly as many systems. Thing is, Microsoft is also competing on the PC platform, and if a console gamer like me can start making the push towards PC gaming over next-gen console, then I think competing on Game Pass is the best push because it means there's less reason to bother getting a PS5.

In the end, actual victors don't matter to me. The battle is fun to watch from afar, but to me, I win so long as someone is hungry and willing to fight harder and smarter. Sony was at their best after they lost with the PS3, and now Microsoft is primed to get better now that the Xbox One was a pretty big disaster in terms of quality content throughout most of the system's lifetime.

Now if only they could get some of their console OS to stop sucking so bad.

Spoiler: NINTENDO

I know what I want from Nintendo, but I dunno what I can predict. Ironically, I couldn't even predict Splatoon 3, which under most circumstances would be a given.

It's for that reason that I predict a Nintendo Switch Successor/Upgrade, but don't know if it's due to wishful-thinking/want or because the signs are really there. In addition to believing the hardware and software came in hot in 2017, I just get the feeling there's been a lot of silence not only due to Covid, but due to games being designed for new hardware but with compatibility with current hardware in mind. So the aforementioned Splatoon 3, the upcoming Breath of the Wild 2, and Pokemon Legends: Arceus are all being primed for new hardware. Perhaps even Bayonetta 3 has been such a no-show in part due to that reason.

The real question is, even if this is the case, will these things be revealed at E3? Chances are, if Nintendo is planning a Direct for E3, their primary focus is going to be releases throughout the summer and into September, with some teases for the holidays. On one hand, if there's no new hardware announcement, then we're probably not seeing a lot of the big guns as they focus more on the time leading up to the holidays. However, if there is a new hardware announcement, then there's bound to be a huge smorgasbord of content to stuff your gaming gut with. What my gut is telling me, though, is that if there is new hardware on the table, it's not going to be releasing in 2021, as the reports of Nintendo securing chips and all that is just to continue meeting plain Nintendo Switch demand.

With all that said, I will continue to predict a new 2-D Metroid title, though I'll get less specific about it being a remake of Metroid: Fusion. It could even be a remake of Super Metroid, despite the teaser at the end of Samus Returns. Regardless, there's enough churning in the rumor mill by more-or-less reputable sources to suggest such a game is primed to be released. Speaking of unplanned puns, first footage of Metroid Prime 4 will be shown, but it will still be far ahead. Just something for fans to at least gain confidence and excitement. There's a possibility of a new Fire Emblem Echoes releasing as well, a remake of another older title with Genealogy of the Holy War being the big fan prediction. It's too soon, I think, for a new mainline title as big as Three Houses was, but a remake of a classic game is certainly possible if development began after Three Houses' engine was feature locked and such.

No doubt there will be updates for the next Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC character, as well as Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Not sure what else I'd predict right now, though. There's a lot of possibilities, and honestly, I've written about the items I care about most. We'll just have to wait and see.

But I really hope they announce a new Switch model so I don't have to bother with my system's busted sounding fan for much longer...

Spoiler: SQUARE-ENIX

Evidently there was a company that had a huge leak not too long ago, with all kinds of information regarding E3 plans leaked out. Many have claimed it to be Square-Enix, which could either explains the sudden information regarding Final Fantasy Origins, or is being used to suggest the validity of... well, one or the other. "See? It was Square-Enix, which is why we know about Final Fantasy Origins!" Conversely, "See, this leak has to be real, because it was Square-Enix whose whole plan was leaked!"

Either way, what I predict most will be for Sony's wallet to have opened up something fierce for anything made by the Japanese side of Square-Enix. So we'll see more Final Fantasy XVI without a doubt, and probably a release window, if not a release date. The question is: does the confirmation of the game being a PS5 exclusive also prevent it from coming to PC? Are we looking at another FFVIIR situation, which should have been ported by now if the game only had a one-year exclusivity window?

Oh, yeah, probably one last sizzle reel of Final Fantasy VII Remake Interlude because what is wrong with Tetsuya Nomura's naming conventions.

We'll definitely get more footage of Neo: The World Ends With You and updates on Project Triangle Strategy for Switch as well. Undoubtedly there will be more content for Marvel's Avengers, though there's a lot of question as to how soon Squenix may abandon the title. There's also questions of potential Outriders DLC, though People Can Fly have stated they'd rather do big, chonky expansions rather than drip-feed roadmaps and seasons. If that's the case, it might be too soon to be teasing an expansion already. It's high time we see more of Babylon's Fall, which actually has an update or two long overdue. That, at least, should be available on multiple platforms and not held hostage over any exclusivity.

We're actually due for a Dragon Quest Anniversary stream tomorrow, so we'll see what is in store for that franchise. I imagine they're going to mostly focus on other titles during E3, but one or two titles from the anniversary stream will likely make their way into E3. Dragon Quest XII is my prediction for that.

At this point it's kind of tough to make predictions over Square-Enix. In some ways they surprise you, in others they don't. Will they have another classic game port like Legend of Mana or SaGa Frontier Remastered? Who knows! We could see a new Tomb Raider, as there's already one rumored (confirmed?) to be in development to link the reboot and classic timelines (why?). It's possible a new Just Cause will be announced as well. Will they finally do something with Legacy of Kain/Soul Reaver as they own that property? Man I dunno. Guess we'll just have to see.

SONY
Sir not appearing in this film.

EVERYONE ELSE
Eh, I've lost steam writing this overly verbose post out. Maybe I'll come back around, but honestly, the likes of Ubisoft, EA, Activision, etc. don't interest me overly much. Capcom will probably have new announcements, but dunno what to predict there. Guess it's just a wait-and-see for them.

Wishes:
* A release date for Sable
* A new Tomb Raider that focuses on exploration and puzzle, not on murdering random dudes (Shadow was a step in the right direction, IMHO)
* PS4/5 ports of the two Vita exclusives I actually liked and care about: Soul Sacrifice Delta and Freedom Wars, or sequels or, better yet, both. Yes, I am aware that this will not happen, but this is the 'wishes' section
* A re-release of Skies of Arcadia Legends on current platforms (mostly so that I can nominate it for the JRPG club)

I haven't been paying much attention to the gaming news recently. To be honest I'm more excited about getting my first vaccine dose next week and a friend possibly visiting this summer than anything else.

Xbox's Game Pass additions for June are looking pretty anemic, but they also only run from the 1st through 10th. I'd expect them to be announcing a bunch of additions for the rest of June at E3 as a hype building mechanism.

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