E3 2016 is right around the corner. In fact, this past week has already seen plenty of announcements before the event has even begun. However, there’s still plenty to come and we here at The Outerhaven couldn’t be more excited, especially the crew for SonyCentric. In fact, the cast all have ideas about what to expect from the Sony E3 conference on Monday evening. Here’s what we all think will be present for the show:
Jason Kwasnicki (@SolidKwas)
The Last Guardian was officially revealed during Sony’s E3 conference in 2009. I was in college, and I was ecstatic to see what is (presumably) the final chapter in a trilogy dating back to 2001, when Ico was first released. Shadow of the Colossus is easily a “Greatest of All Time” contender for me, so to see that story continued was much desired. It was therefore painful to watch the project become embroiled in development hell these past seven years (nine, if you count full development time). Shenmue and the Final Fantasy VII Remake might have had folks on the edge of their seats last year, but it was The Last Guardian that had my hands in the air. With multiple shifts in Sony’s slate, I have certainly become suspicious. Both Hello Games and Guerilla Games have stated they need more time with their respective projects, and that may be true. But could Sony also be preparing to drop this title in the fall, or even next month? It has certainly been in development long enough to have been done for a while, just waiting for Sony to give it the green light. With Bend Studio having been silent since 2011’s Uncharted: Golden Abyss, could they have a game ready to drop this year as well? We’ve heard numerous rumors about “Dead Don’t Ride” from very reputable inside sources, and have seen enticing concept art. Shuhei Yoshida himself has teased how excited he is about the studio’s project. It’s hard to believe that whatever they have cooking is not in the final stages if not ready to go gold, as they’ve now been in a development cycle to rival that of Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls and Fallout series. Last year, Sony amazed us with games we wouldn’t actually see for a while. Will this year be the show where they do it again with games we can play in a mere few months, if not weeks?
Mark Sullivan (@nibelheimian)
There’s a lot left over from Sony’s 2015 conference that has yet to be followed up on. The public has yet to see The Last Guardian again (which Sony claimed was a 2016 release), Shenmue III has been MIA, and who knows where Final Fantasy VII Remake is in development. I feel it’s not out of the question to expect updates on the three big announcements that crowned their conference last year. Horizon, in order to satiate fan’s disappoint of the recent delay, will likely see a big push and probably a new gameplay demo, as will the upcoming Gravity Rush 2. I feel it’s not out of the question to expect something for Ninja Theory’s Hellblade or Team Ninja’s Nioh either, two big action exclusives on the platform. Not to mention, VR, VR, and more VR. Playstation VR is coming this October, so definitely be ready to see a ton of demonstrations and (hopefully) games that will make us not only want it, but need it. Lastly, I fully expect the Playstation Vita to get mentioned less than 5 times, or be utterly and completely ignored. History sadly repeats, no?
Delaila Lugo (@ASSASSINA_SAN)
There has been a lot of leaked information, slip ups, and rumors since Sony’s 2015 conference. Leaked God of War images with Norse mythology environments and concept art, as well as a confirmation from Santa Monica Studio’s creative director Cory Balrog that development of a new God of War game is underway. I have no doubt that there will be a new God of War reveal trailer at this year’s conference. There have been accidental mentions of a sequel to The Last of Us from interviews and conversations on live streams with voice actors and creative directors from Naughty Dog, such as referring to The Last of Us as “the first Last of Us.” More evidence includes The Last of Us easter eggs in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, such as a firefly pendent collectible and more importantly a picture of a girl who looks like a pregnant Ellie with a gas mask (or is it her mom?). While I doubt this game will be released until 2017/2018, I think there will be a very small teaser reveal during the conference, just to confirm. After about a decade of being in limbo with The Last Guardian, Sony’s 2015 conference rekindled our interests and expectations. I think a release date announcement is finally expected.
Cody Maynard (@CFMaynard)
With many games now confirmed for Playstation VR, I’m not sure what we’ll see—EVE: Valkyrie? Gran Turismo Sport? Psychonauts: In the Rhombus of Ruin?—but it’s probably safe to say that some portion of the conference will be dedicated to selling us on the VR experience. There is also the confirmed Star Wars Battlefront sequel, so maybe we’ll at least see a 2017 release teaser for the next game in the series. Sony showed off Battlefront last year, and I see no reason why they wouldn’t slide it in somewhere during this year’s conference. Finally, CD Projekt Red confirmed that they will be presenting something at E3 this year, but it will (sadly) not be Cyberpunk 2077, so I’m calling Gwent: The Witcher Card Game. Wouldn’t that be a nice palette cleanser between some of the more action-packed trailers and teasers?
Some of these things are variable, but we’re pretty positive that most of them will be on stage at Sony E3 2016. The crew also made some wild predictions about what might happen, which you can check out below. Otherwise, stay tuned to The Outerhaven for more E3 coverage in the next week.
