E3 2019 Predictions – “The Rest”
With E3 under two weeks away it is time for the P2 team to get together and do what they do best, make wildly inaccurate predictions about what is going to appear at the big show. Even though it seems like E3 is a little bit smaller this year, we are still excited to see what rolls out. For the final predictions article, we are looking at those publishers that might not have a big conference but still use E3 to get the word out about their new games.
Shaun Nicholls
Safe Bet
The great loot shooter is back and ready to bring the mayhem. This is a game that a number of the Player2 crew are looking forward to and I am no exception. With a scheduled release for later this year, you can be sure that Gearbox Software will be bringing the hilarity to E3.
Fairly Likely
While I have picked Cyberpunk 2077 for release this year in the Player2 draft I am not so sure it will be out before the end of the year. There are indications that there may be an outside chance it will release this year, but at the very least we should see a gameplay demo.
Wishful Thinking
It is time for the return of the Third Street Saints. Just where the story could go from here having been to hell and taking over the matrix I do not know. All I know is that the people, and by that, I might mean me, maybe, need more opportunities to beat random people to death with giant colourful sex toys.
Chris Button
Safe Bet
We may not yet receive a release date for Cyberpunk 2077, but surely we’ll get further details or some indication of how complete the current build is.
Although The Outer Worlds will likely be shown at Microsoft’s presentation due to their ownership of Obsidian Entertainment, I’m including it here. We’ll receive a release date and salivate until we can feast upon The Outer Worlds tasty RPG goodness.
Fairly Likely
Devolver’s gonna continue taking the piss out of everyone else by hosting a non-conference. Everyone else is rapidly withdrawing from presenting at E3 so Devolver will follow suit by hosting an event where there will be no presentations, just a few staff playing upcoming games on the big screen for an hour without uttering a word the whole time. Journalists will awkwardly squirm in their seats, waiting to hear something, anything, but Devolver’s lackeys will continue playing. That is until 60 minutes is up and they simply walk off stage with no fanfare to the nearest catering stand.
Wishful Thinking
I’m fascinated by what Apple will bring with the Apple Arcade subscription service, but the innovative company is known for doing things their way. Meaning, they will host their own event in their own time to announce what cool mobile games we can expect from the service.
Paul James
Safe Bet
Borderlands 3 is in my top 5 most anticipated upcoming games, and it has some seriously awesome company with it, but the one thing it has that those other games don’t (yet) is a release date, meaning it has me whipped into a fanboy frenzy more than those other games (for now). 2K and Gearbox have a lot to say about the game, one that is only about 3 months away, so expect E3 to reveal more about the playable protagonists, the twin antagonists and a gajillion more guns.
Fairly Likely
When I need a pep in my step I play the music from the Cyberpunk 2077 debut teaser. When I think about upcoming games that will keep me invested for months at a time, my brain instantly goes to this game, and for good reason, The Witcher 3 is arguably the best game of the generation, and with the incredible showing that Cyberpunk had at E3 2018, you have to think that whatever CD Projekt Red shows at E3 2019 is only going to up the ante further. Apparently, it won’t be playable for those attending which is disappointing to hear and doesn’t bode well for those like myself who had hoped to be playing it this year, but I still won’t object with being able to watch another long, impressive demo from E3.
Wishful Thinking
Hideo Baba is gone and suddenly the steady trickle of Tales Of games has stopped. The games are slowly becoming more and more prominent in the West and I can only hope that Bandai Namco takes advantage of the E3 platform to unveil the next franchise entry. Give me more of that goodness!
Matt Hewson
Safe Bet
When the original Dying Light came out, I was tired of zombies. Dying Light happily proved that there was still life in the undead and changed my mind. I adored it. It took all the good bits of Dead Island, cut out the shit and added a sweet parkour system that made movement a joy. So I am very much looking forward to what Techland has on offer for the second instalment. I can’t wait to see it and hopefully get a release date to get excited for.
Fairly Likely
It seems more and more likely that THQ Nordic are getting ready to dig out some of those IP that the bought in the original THQ fire sale. Expect to see some Darksiders and possibly Red Faction, Saints Row, Destroy all Humans or even the recently acquired Kingdoms of Amalur. 2 new games have been confirmed from THQ Nordic so the chances of some of these IP getting a new title is strong.
Wishful Thinking
Good Afternoon Commander and Welcome to the Xcom Project. We have had 3 expansions for Civ VI now, so it is time for Firaxis to return to one of the best PC titles ever and give us some more Xcom. I feel the urge to once again recreate family members, give them crazy mechanical augs and watch them die in a hail of plasma fire after they miss a 99% shot. Also, a Switch port of Xcom 2 would also make me very happy.
Laura Thornton
Safe Bet
More wonderful weirdness from Devolver. I like a lot of what Devolver publish, and I’d wager we can expect a couple of announcements (and more weirdness).
Fairly Likely
I’d expect more detail on Chucklefish-published Eastward, as well as definitive release dates for House House’s Untitled Goose Game (which, if the demo at PAX Australia was anything to go by, is going to be glorious mayhem) and Humble Bundle-published Mineko’s Night Market – both expected to be coming to PC, Mac & Nintendo Switch this year.
Wishful Thinking
A release date for Hollow Knight: Silksong. I never thought I’d be wistfully longing for a sequel to a game I’m horrendous at, but that’s how good Hollow Knight is. That, and a release date for the Chucklefish-published Witchbrook. And any hints of Overcooked 3, Divinity Original Sin 3 or Crusader Kings 3 being real or on the way. So many threes! I doubt any of them are at this point, but that’s why it’s wishful thinking, right?
Adam Rorke
Safe Bet
Sony will say something, alluding to a new console, but there’s a general feeling that they’ve been caught with their pants down. Expecting to be hiding amongst a ‘Sony Direct’ style games announcement, will be a teaser for this new piece of hardware. In typical fashion you can expect a lot of big numbers, complimented with buzzwords in every paragraph as to how much more powerful this machine is than their last generation.
Fairly Likely
Half Life 3 … HAHAHA ahh, we all know that’s never going to happen. I think one of the more obvious games with ‘3’ in the title that we’ll see is going to be the new Borderlands title! We don’t have a lot to go off at the moment, but it’s following all the beats and steps that we’ve seen other companies do, so if they’re looking at a 2019 release window, E3 is the time for it to shine! Character breakdowns, the guns and of course, the story and world that will drive the players!
Wishful Thinking
In an ultimate fanboy moment, I’d like to see Capcom let go of Street Fighter V and let the world know that Street Fighter 6 is in development and that they’ll be addressing all the screw ups they made with their latest iteration. I think ‘Wishful Thinking’ is definitely the correct field for this.
