The biggest event for gaming, E3 has come and gone, but left tons of announcements in its wake. Started back in 1995, the Electronics Entertainment Expo, or E3 as it soon became known as, was created to give retailers the information for the year’s upcoming releases in the Video Game Industry. A first for 2017, E3 has moved away from its industry exclusive roots, and opened its doors to the general public, thus making an event of sales stats and press releases, one of hype-fueled trailers and plenty of fan service. Here are 10 of the biggest announcements from this year’s event.
The Xbox One X Revealed
The biggest thing most were waiting to hear about this E3 was the Xbox One X, formally referred to as “Project Scorpio.” Revealed during Xbox’s E3 2016 conference, Project Scorpio promised to be the most powerful gaming console to be released, and it’s looking like the One X is looking to accomplish that goal. With an Eight Core CPU, 12 Gb of DDR5 Ram, and a 1TB Hard drive, all within a form factor that makes the smallest Xbox to date, the Xbox One X aims to be a true 4k console, with a premium price point of $499.99 to match.
BioWare’s Anthem is Showcased
The creators of Knight’s of the Old Republic, Dragon’s Age and Mass Effect are back with their newest game, Anthem. Initially announced at the EA Conference, then demoed in Microsoft’s, Anthem puts players in the Role of a “Freelancer” gun for hire that leaves the walls of society to explore a dangerous world. The game, which featured the same canned player voices we’ve seen in the game reveals of The Division or Ghost Recon Wildlands, allows up to four players to drop in and explore a lush jungle environment together, destroying anything that crosses their paths. While we didn’t get any information on the game’s launch, we’re bound to see more of this game in the coming months.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Announced
A followup to Machine Games’ Wolfenstein Reboot, The New Colossus expands on the narrative of the first game in an exciting way. It takes place in an alternate history of America, where the Nazis have won WWII and have taken control of the world and the game’s protagonist, BJ Blazkowicz, who must help the revolutionary forces take it back. The game is already shaping up to create a more interesting narrative than the first outing, with a cast of characters that are already lovable. Best of all, we’ll be able to play BJ’s newest outing this October.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle Officially Announced
The long rumored Mario crossover with Ubisoft’s Rabbids has been officially revealed, and looks much better than it has any right to be. With the only stipulation that it can’t be a game about running and jumping, Ubisoft has created a unique approach to the Mushroom Kingdom, creating a strategy game that doesn’t look too far from XCOM-esque gameplay with the “charm” of Rabbids dressed up as popular Super Mario characters. Throw in a soundtrack created by Banjo-Kazooie composer, Grant Kirkhope, and Nintendo Switch Owners are looking to be delightfully surprised this August.
Beyond Good and Evil 2 Is Actually Happening
It’s the long awaited followup to the 2003 cult classic, but Ubisoft announced that Beyond Good and Evil 2 will be a prequel to the original game. While we didn’t get much info outside of the incredibly stylish story trailer, we do know that the game will feature custom character creation and a multiplayer mechanic that will be used throughout various points of the game via a “Shared World System,” where players will cross paths with other players, even when playing alone. Top all of that with the sure-to-be-included quirky character development and narratives that made the first game in the series so beloved, and 2018 may be a great year for Beyond Good and Evil fans.
Shadow of the Colossus Remake Announced
Team Ico’s PlayStation 2 classic is coming to its third console in a row, with a remastered version of the game coming to PlayStation 4. Shadow of the Colossus is being built from the ground up, with new visuals and controls to bring the 2005 game into the modern era. Fans new and old will be able to play the classic when it comes out sometime next year. Until then, you can watch its beautiful trailer on repeat.
Undertale is coming to PS4 and PS Vita
Even though this announcement was hidden within a trailer roundup before the official PlayStation E3 Conference started, it’s still one of my favorite announcements of the show. The indie darling that launched with critical acclaim in 2015 is making its way to the PlayStation platforms with trophies, Japanese localization, and a collector’s edition in tow. With more info coming soon on the game’s website, look forward to playing the RPG where no one has to die on your TV (or Vita!) this Summer.
Marvel’s Spiderman Gets Gameplay Reveal
Last year, Insomniac Games, creators of Sunset Overdrive and the Ratchet & Clank series, announced that they were working on a PS4 exclusive based on Marvel’s Spiderman. This year, Sony saved their best for last, and ended their conference with this eight-minute gameplay demo of the game in action. The game is expected to be open world, with set pieces like the one above being used to drive the narrative and spectacle of the game forward. With a helicopter wrecking ball, an unexpected cameo, and plenty of one liners, PS4 owners can look forward to Marvel’s Spiderman in early 2018.
New Metroid Titles announced for Switch and 3DS
Hardcore Nintendo fans were not disappointed when two core games in the Metroid universe were announced in the Nintendo Direct Presentation and the following Treehouse livestream. The Switch’s Metroid Prime 4 only had a logo reveal, but with a cult fanbase of the previous three first person shooters in the Metroid universe, the game is sure to be a great addition to the growing Switch library. Meanwhile, Metroid: Samus Returns is a 3DS reimagination of the Gameboy’s Metroid 2: Samus Returns. Players will be able to don Samus’ suit and explore the classic game when it launches this September.
Super Mario Odyssey is Coming in October
Finally, Nintendo released its incredibly deceptive trailer for Super Mario Odyssey, where the game’s core mechanic of possessing various enemies and items in the game is showcased. Throughout the trailer Mario becomes a Koopa Troopa, a Bullet Bill, and a T-Rex among many others, while showing a bit more of the game’s new world and exploration gameplay. We also got a surprise appearance of Donkey Kong’s original McGuffin Pauline, as the Mayor of New Donk City, and learned that the game will be coming out this October! Not to mention the catchy new theme song in the trailer, that I can only assume will be on repeat throughout the rest of the game.
Bonus #11: Devolver Joins the Press Conference Rotation
Smaller game publisher Devolver Digital, publisher of the Hotline Miami Series and Broforce, has joined the big names of gaming in presenting an E3 Press Conference. Known for their off the wall viral marketing tactics, this press conference reads much more like a late night Adult Swim infomercial than a traditional conference. The overall video is a little over 15 minutes and is well worth the watch if you haven’t seen it yet.
