E3 Predictions 2020: No E3 Edition

[TheMightyEthan]

This is going to be harder than most years, because we're not actually getting an E3, and the streaming events that are replacing it are all through June and into July. Here's the schedule we know so far:

 

IGN's Summer of Gaming - Throughout June
Media Indie Exchange's Guerrilla Collective - June 6-8
EA Play - June 11
Ubisoft Forward - July 12
Microsoft's Inside Xbox 20/20 - July

 

Sony is also widely rumored to be doing a PS5 event in early June, and Nintendo is expected to do a Direct, although there's no known date for that.

 

So, with all of that said, here are my predictions:

 

Microsoft

Clearly there's going to be information about the Xbox SEX, but specifically I'm expecting a release date announcement, probably for mid to late November. Halo Infinite as a launch game (again, obviously), and a bunch of gameplay from that, as well as from some big third party titles. Maybe something like Assassin's Creed Valhalla running on SEX, or Cyberpunk. Then a montage trailer with short clips of a bunch of different games.

 

Sony

Again, PS5 news is obvious, I'm expecting a release date also in mid to late November, either one week before or after Xbox. Announcements of PS5 versions of Ghost of Tsushima and TLoU2 (not just back compatibility for those games). Announcement of whatever their back compatibility program is, probably it will run PS4 games, but I'm not expecting anything as involved as Microsoft's smart download system or whatever they're calling it, just straight bc, possibly with performance/resolution enhancements over PS4 Pro like what Pro does with base PS4. We'll also see at least one 1st party launch title that we haven't heard about yet. They'll show some big third party game on PS5, possibly Valhalla or Cyberpunk, whichever MS doesn't have.

 

Nintendo

Animal Crossing. BotW2. Other insane shit no one can predict.

 

EA

Some info on the next Dragon Age, but it won't be coming this year. Lots of Apex. Remastered Mass Effect trilogy.

 

Ubisoft

Valhalla, obviously. More about Watch Dogs Legion, which won't be coming out this year. And I'm throwing out a hail Mary for a new Splinter Cell.

 

What's everybody else think/expect?

[Mister Jack]

I think Nintendo said recently not to expect a direct any time soon but instead they'll randomly be dropping trailers like they did for Paper Mario.

[TheMightyEthan]

Well either way, that's what I expect to see them from them in this window.

[TCP]

This isn't a prediction, it's a guarantee:

-The PlayStation 5 will be unveiled as a console/portable hybrid, with the subtitle of Vita 2. That's right, PlayStation 5: Vita 2. It will take proprietary Sony memory cards.

 

[TheMightyEthan]

You're either a lunatic or a genius.

 

I actually do wish though that Sony and MS would follow Nintendo's path and make their consoles portable hybrids.

[MetalCaveman]

Microsoft

 

Xbos SEX, with 3 models, X, E, and S, X is their flagship, the one that does everything we've seen so far, E is a more budget version, lacks some features but still is a pretty decent system, S is a budget version for smaller markets, has no disc drive and can run simplified versions of X games (no ray tracing, lower resolution, etc.) however, it'll be much cheaper.

 

A Series X Halo Infinite special edition, with a special controller, game comes in digital version.

 

The different editions of Halo Infinite are revealed.

 

AC Valhalla or Cyberpunk are shown, a Gears sequel/spinoff is teased.

 

Sony

 

Full PS5 reveal, including release date, probably late November, early December. Backwards compatibility involves paying to get an upgrade to PS5 versions, won't be full price, but won't be free either. Price reveal too, with a warning that it'll have some production/availability issues at launch increasing its price.

 

Controller will release with a couple of different colours available.

 

Elden Ring gets talked about, no gameplay yet, Bloodborne 2 gets teased.

 

Nintendo

 

Animal Crossing, BotW2, Pokemon DLC stuff, nothing too big.

 

Metroid Prime Trilogy coming to Switch, 4 is still MIA.

 

New StarFox gets announced, will be a party game or something.

 

EA

 

Dragon Age, Mass Effect, some sports stuff, possibly some new Battlefield stuff, DLC or a new game, either way, not coming this year.

 

Ubisoft

 

Valhalla, Watch Dogs Legion.

 

New Splinter Cell gets teased, it'll end up an MMO-lite with tiered loot and a hub where you can see players running around wearing bright green outfits with neon lights integrated. Stealth is optional.

 

Others

 

Before this I would have predicted some kind of announcement from XSEED on Kandagawa Jet Girls, but they recently confirmed it's coming out this summer so...

 

Bayonetta 3 gets a teaser. The Nier remake shows more stuff.

[TheMightyEthan]

18 minutes ago, MetalCaveman said:

Microsoft

 

Xbos SEX, with 3 models, X, E, and S, X is their flagship, the one that does everything we've seen so far, E is a more budget version, lacks some features but still is a pretty decent system, S is a budget version for smaller markets, has no disc drive and can run simplified versions of X games (no ray tracing, lower resolution, etc.) however, it'll be much cheaper.

 

Ooh yeah, I want to jump on this bandwagon (not necessarily the specifics, but definitely the multiple models of varying powers).

[TheMightyEthan]

So Sony delayed their event, so it will still be a while before we find out if that controller is white or black.

 

I do want to add a Sony prediction though: they will show something to do with HZD2. It might just be a logo, or a mention that they're working on it, but something will be there.

[deanb]

Yeah I'm seeing a lot of chatter on the Horizon Zero Dawn front. HZD was already quite pretty, so can only go up from there. Plus Killzone Shadowfall was a PS4 launch title, so I think Sony and Guerilla are kinda happy with that arrangement (heck I think was a Killzone game also a launch for PS3...and maybe also one for Vita too). Horizon is one of their best selling games.

I think it'll be "Horizon: Something Else" mind rather than "Horizon: Zero Dawn 2", just cos the first game is sort of subtitled. Like "Horizon: Gaia Prime" or something.

Also we already know they're working on it; a lot of the chatter is the various hires they've been taking on.

 

Watch_Dogs Legion has pretty much vanished completely and I don't know if it's maybe being reworked or something to be a bit less...current-affairs-ey.

 

Mass Effect - reckon we'll see a remaster series or something. Maybe announced for current n next gen (also we on like Gen 10 now?)

 

PS5 will be a free Epic store exclusive.

[TheMightyEthan]

You're correct, Killzone 2 was a PS3 launch title. Killzone Mercenary was a Vita title, but it wasn't a launch title, and it wasn't developed by Guerrilla Games, it was developed by Guerrilla Cambridge, which was actually just Sony Computer Entertainment Cambridge that they rebranded for Mercenary.

 

I agree it won't be called Horizon: Zero Dawn 2, but Horizon: Some Other Subtitle.

 

11 minutes ago, deanb said:

PS5 will be a free Epic store exclusive.

 

[MetalCaveman]

Much as I would prefer a new Killzone, I think Horizon: Infinity Evening is more likely.  

1 hour ago, deanb said:

Watch_Dogs Legion has pretty much vanished completely and I don't know if it's maybe being reworked or something to be a bit less...current-affairs-ey.

 

It'll resurface as an PVP only game where teams of hackers go against each other trying to obtain hidden data from some corporation or something, there may or may not be a team trying to prevent them from succeeding.*

 

*Based on what happened with R6 Patriots.  

[Mister Jack]

I think you mean Horizon: One Fine Afternoon

[deanb]

So adding/revising a few guesstimations:

 

Half-Life: Alyx for PS5 VR. I kinda figure making it just for Valve index is a bit limited, and Sony and Valve have worked together in the past.

 

Xbox Sex going to have some kind of VR implementation. MS on Windows have hedged their bets on "mixed reality" on Windows which is a bit cheaper than full blown VR so might be to use that. Like not sure it'll be announced right away per se but it'll have some kind of expansion port support for it, like a display port addition on the back or spare USB port (or bespoke port; like what the PS4 has).

 

I think we'll get a new Astrobot game. I think they did well enough with that and it's sort of become a bit of a mascot to PSVR. Maybe (though it's in Ubisofts court...I think) a new Star Trek VR game. Discovery and Picard (plus all the other stuff coming up) will have amped it up somewhat.

 

Polyphony Digital have made all of one Gran Tursimo game for PS4, and it was slammed for being slow. The SSD thing on PS5 is meant to be quite a selling point so I think they might do a new Gran Turismo with a thing being of almost immediately jumping into the games.

 

I'd like to see a new Motorstorm, but kind of feel that with that studio disbanded it'll be unlikely unless Sony had secretly formed a new studio.

 

Xbox Sex will be included in the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality, but it will take 7 years for people to notice it amongst everything else included.

[TheMightyEthan]

Counter prediction: Sony will not mention VR at all. Not that there won't be a PS5VR, but they won't talk about it for quite some time.

[TheMightyEthan]

 

Let's see how I did:

 

On 5/27/2020 at 8:59 AM, TheMightyEthan said:

Sony

Again, PS5 news is obvious, I'm expecting a release date also in mid to late November, either one week before or after Xbox. Announcements of PS5 versions of Ghost of Tsushima and TLoU2 (not just back compatibility for those games). Announcement of whatever their back compatibility program is, probably it will run PS4 games, but I'm not expecting anything as involved as Microsoft's smart download system or whatever they're calling it, just straight bc, possibly with performance/resolution enhancements over PS4 Pro like what Pro does with base PS4. We'll also see at least one 1st party launch title that we haven't heard about yet. They'll show some big third party game on PS5, possibly Valhalla or Cyberpunk, whichever MS doesn't have.

 

On 6/3/2020 at 6:38 AM, TheMightyEthan said:

I do want to add a Sony prediction though: they will show something to do with HZD2. It might just be a logo, or a mention that they're working on it, but something will be there.

 

On 6/3/2020 at 3:52 PM, TheMightyEthan said:

I agree it won't be called Horizon: Zero Dawn 2, but Horizon: Some Other Subtitle.

 

Well, only 5 right so far, not doing so hot. I'm not counting the others as wrong yet, because we're still in the E3 season, but it's not looking good.

[MetalCaveman]

I didn't get anything right...  

 

Closest was my prediction of Bloodborne 2 which ended up being a Demon's Souls remake.  

[deanb]

On 6/3/2020 at 9:35 PM, deanb said:

Yeah I'm seeing a lot of chatter on the Horizon Zero Dawn front. HZD was already quite pretty, so can only go up from there. Plus Killzone Shadowfall was a PS4 launch title, so I think Sony and Guerilla are kinda happy with that arrangement (heck I think was a Killzone game also a launch for PS3...and maybe also one for Vita too). Horizon is one of their best selling games.

I think it'll be "Horizon: Something Else" mind rather than "Horizon: Zero Dawn 2", just cos the first game is sort of subtitled. Like "Horizon: Gaia Prime" or something.

 

 

 

On 6/9/2020 at 9:16 PM, deanb said:

So adding/revising a few guesstimations:

 

Half-Life: Alyx for PS5 VR. I kinda figure making it just for Valve index is a bit limited, and Sony and Valve have worked together in the past.

 

I think we'll get a new Astrobot game. I think they did well enough with that and it's sort of become a bit of a mascot to PSVR. Maybe (though it's in Ubisofts court...I think) a new Star Trek VR game. Discovery and Picard (plus all the other stuff coming up) will have amped it up somewhat.

 

Polyphony Digital have made all of one Gran Tursimo game for PS4, and it was slammed for being slow. The SSD thing on PS5 is meant to be quite a selling point so I think they might do a new Gran Turismo with a thing being of almost immediately jumping into the games.

 

I'd like to see a new Motorstorm, but kind of feel that with that studio disbanded it'll be unlikely unless Sony had secretly formed a new studio.

 

Felt like I didn't do too bad. So HZD2 doesn't seem like it'll be launch (there's no release date on it; even a "Holiday 2020"). The "Forbidden West" made so much sense too, I'd heard it bandied about in the past as a potential subtitle (it does get mentioned a few times and come to think of it I think that's where Aloy does say she's going at the end of the game).

Not super sure if Astrobot is a VR game or not. Like the previous Astrobot games have been, but tbh it didn't seem very VR-ey. So not sure if that completely counts.

 

Shame no Motorstorm, did kinda like that game. In fact there wasn't really much for racing games aside from Gran Turismo.

[TheMightyEthan]

I say you get the point for Astrobot, but not VR yet since it wasn't clear. I also didn't count my "no VR" prediction correct yet because the season's not over and they might surprise me.