As we rapidly approach E3 Expo next week (effectively our Christmas) it seems we’ve gotten a few presents early already in the form of some exciting game announcements. I’ll be updating this page leading up to, throughout, and following E3 with all the juicy announcements and reveals we’ve been craving. So add it to your favorites, make it your homepage, do what you need to do because it’s about to get crazy.
SONY CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS:
God of War
The new God of War has been revealed with a fairly long gameplay trailer. This time around Kratos, now much older, will take on the norse gods. The God of War logo has also been noticeably changed.
Days Gone
The long silent Sony Bend finally reveals their latest project, Days Gone. A cinematic trailer introduced early story elements of this post-apocalyptic game. Later during the conference a gameplay demo was shown.
Last Guardian – Oct 25th, 2016
Over a decade after its announcement, Last Guardian finally has a release date! A new trailer shows some new story elements. It’s really happening guys!
Horizon: Zero Dawn – Feb 28th, 2016
The exciting new IP from Guerrilla Games showed a lengthy gameplay demo showcasing multiple new features including conversation options and a vast open world.
Detroit: Become Human
Quantic Dream’s latest title gets a new trailer showcasing in-depth conversation options and decision-based gameplay.
Resident Evil 7 – Jan 24th, 2017
A haunting trailer for Resident Evil 7 (stylized Resident EVII, for roman numeral VII) announced the game’s release in January. A demo is reportedly available tonight!
Playstation VR – Oct 13th, 2016
PSVR has been given a release date as well as a $399 price point. Fifty games will be released for PSVR by the end of the year. These games including new IP Far Point, a Star Wars Battlefront X-Wing mission, Batman Arkham VR, and more.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – Nov 4th, 2016
Single-player gameplay showcases how intense space battles can get both in and out of aircraft.
Crash Bandicoot Collection
The Bandicoot is back! Crash 1, Crash 2, and Crash Warped are being remastered from the ground up. Crash will also be joining the skylanders in Skylanders Imaginators…
Skylanders Imaginators – Oct 2016
The latest journey to Skylands will allow players to customize their skylanders in a seemingly infinite number of combinations!
Death Stranding
The first title from the all new Kojima Productions has been revealed and it seems the partnership with Norman Reedus that began with the now-cancelled Silent Hills has remained intact as he appears to be the protagonist. No mention of del Toro, however this cinematic trailer was quite chilling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0ladBsb7rg
Spiderman
Insomniac’s next project has been revealed as a new Spiderman game! This trailer showed what appeared to be in-engine gameplay and the hype around this game cannot be understated. No mention of a tie to Homecoming, it appears to be a new story.
UBISOFT CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Just Dance 2017 – Oct 2016
Dance number to announce the release date of Just Dance 2017. No other information given about game or any new features.
Ghost Recon: Wildlands – Mar 7th, 2017
A lengthy gameplay demo showed off a co-op mission in the massive open world Ubisoft has created. Wildlands will be playable both by yourself or with friends. A release date was also announced, next Spring is shaping up quite nicely!
South Park: The Fractured But Whole – Dec 6th, 2016
Trey Parker and Matt Stone came on stage to not only discuss various story elements for their new game, but also showed a lot of gameplay. South Park: Stick of Truth was a surprise hit when it released last generation and I cannot wait to jump into this new superhero adventure this December! When you buy The Fractured But Whole you’ll get a next-gen copy of Stick of Truth for free, available immediately!
Division
Survival expansion was shown off as Ubisoft continues to outline Division Year One. The first DLC pack (Underground) will launch June 28th on Xbox One and August 2nd on PS4.
Eagle Flight – Fall 2016
Ubisoft’s upcoming VR game had an on-stage demo with help from Oculus.
Star Trek: Bridge Crew – Fall 2016
A new VR Star Trek game where you and your friends can boldly go where no man has gone before, together!
For Honor – Feb 14th, 2017
For Honor received a new cinematic trailer revealing story elements for the highly-anticipated new IP. Following an Earth-shattering earthquake left the planet ravaged, left standing are the factions of Knights, Vikings, and Samurai as they fight one another in brutal skirmishes to take control of precious resources. Also shown is an ominous antagonist, Apoleon (spelling?) who manipulates these factions from behind the scenes. A gameplay demo showed the viking clan siege the samurai stronghold in a battle reminiscent of the Battle of Blackwater (Game of Thrones).
Trials of the Blood Dragon
The love child of Trials and Blood Dragon got a groovy retro trailer and is available NOW!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7i7sSkt7CE
Watch Dogs 2 – Nov 15th, 2016
More gameplay for Watch Dogs 2 was shown. Watch Dogs 2 will continue to partner with Sony for DLC early access like its predecessor.
Steep – Dec 2016
The show closed with a trailer for Steep. Described as an open world, action sports title Steep looks to make big waves in the multiplayer game space. Players will be able to take on different challenges while skiing, snowboarding, hang gliding, and more. These methods of traversal can be changed on the fly via a quick selection wheel.
MICROSOFT CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Xbox One S – Aug 2016
The show opened with the reveal of the new slim Xbox One model. Significantly smaller than the launch model, the Xbox One S also has an integrated power supply, 4k capabilities, and an improved controller. Starting at $299!
Gears of War 4 Â – Oct 11th, 2016
Gears of War 4 will be the first game of Xbox’s new Play Anywhere program where Xbox One games will also come with a copy to use on Windows 10. It will also support cross-play for co-op portions of game. A live gameplay demo was shown with Laura Bailey (voice of Kait). A new Gears of War edition of the Elite Controller was also revealed.
Killer Instinct Season 3
Another Xbox Play Anywhere title. General Raam from Gears of War was revealed as a new playable character, playable for free this week!
Forza Horizon 3 – Sep 27th, 2016
Forza Horizon 3 got a reveal trailer and will take place in Austrailia! Game was shown running on Xbox One SÂ as well as Windows 10. Forza Horizon 3 will also feature 4 player campaign co-op, shown on stage via Windows 10 and Xbox One cross-play! Forza Horizon 3 is also an Xbox Play Anywhere title. Releasing in only a few months!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTSUgXkfooA
ReCore – Sep 13th, 2016
ReCore got a release date as well as a new gameplay trailer showing some of the companions in the game.
Division DLC
First on Xbox starting June 28th, the first DLC pack for Division will launch. This DLC will focus on the underground areas in New York featuring new missions, new dungeons, and more.
Xbox Live
Multiple new features for Xbox Live were announced. Cross platform play is now officially supported, the first game doing so, Rocket League, was mentioned in particular. Background music will now be supported, similar to Spotify’s functionality on the PS4. Cortana will be coming to Xbox One. A new community feature called “Clubs” will allow like-minded gamers to find each other and talk about their shared interest. Another community-centric feature is Looking For Group, will allow players to group up in multiplayer games such as the Division or Destiny.Also announced is a new tournament platform, Arena on Xbox Live.
Minecraft
Multiple new features make playing Minecraft with friends far easier. Dedicated servers will allow players to host their own worlds. iOS, Windows 10, Surface, and Android can all play together cross-platform. Minecraft’s VR capability was also shown off on stage via Oculus. Minecraft Add-Ons will be available on Pocket and Windows 10 editions this Fall.
Xbox Design Labs
Official, custom Xbox One Wireless controllers were shown in a brief video. Gamers can customize the color of virtually every piece of the controller, as well as having a custom engraving. Pre-Orders open later today at xbox.com/xboxdesignlab and will reportedly cost $79.99 plus $9.99 for optional engraving.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGxxXkDqRS8
Inside – Jun 29th, 2016
The latest game from the creators of Limbo releases later this month. To celebrate, Limbo is free on Xbox One starting today.
We Happy Few
A gameplay demo for We Happy Few was shown. It will be next months game for Xbox’s Game Preview program. First to console on Xbox One.
Gwent
Many gamers, like myself, found themselves enamored with this new card game found in the Witcher 3 called gwent. CD Project Red has been working on a full standalone game for gwent over the last year and has reworked some mechanics, introduced new ones, all while keeping gwent true to its roots. Gwent will have both a single player campaign as well as cross-platform multiplayer modes. A closed beta for Xbox One and Windows PC will launch in September
Tekken 7Â – Early 2017
A new trailer for Tekken 7 was shown. This cinematic trailer pitted Heihachi against Akuma from Street Fighter! Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is available for free on Xbox One right now.
Dead Rising 4 – Holiday 2016
Frank is back, baby! A reveal trailer for Dead Rising 4 was shown heralding the return of fan-favorite Frank West.
Scalebound – 2017
A new gameplay demo for Scalebound showed off co-op gameplay. Scalebound joins the growing roster of Xbox Play Anywhere titles.
Sea of Thieves
A new gameplay trailer for Rare’s latest project was shown. Also part of Xbox Play Anywhere. This new pirate-centric IP looks incredibly fun for a co-op experience.
State of Decay 2 – 2017
Reveal trailer for State of Decay 2.
Halo Wars 2 – Feb 21st, 2017
New cinematic trailer for Halo Wars 2 was shown. Story details were revealed as was a release date! Open beta also goes live this week!
Project Scorpio – Holiday 2017
Yet another piece of Xbox hardware was announced, Project Scorpio will not replace the Xbox One but run alongside it as a more powerful option for gamers. All existing games and accessories for the One will work on Project Scorpio.
BETHESDA CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Quake Champions
Bethesda opened the conference with a reveal trailer for id Software’s Quake Champions. Twenty years after the release of the original, Quake joins the roster of classic reboots that Bethesda has impressively cranked out over the past few years. For those unfamiliar with Quake (like myself) Quake centers around Arena-style FPS gameplay with an emphasis on multiplayer.
Elder Scrolls Legends
The campaign opening cinematic was revealed. Legends will also be released on Mac, Android, and iPad in addition to iOS and PC as originally revealed last year.
Fallout 4 DLC
Various free DLC updates to workshop as well as the additions of “contraptions” will launch soon. There is also a new theme park area centered around Nuka Cola. Also announced was that Fallout 4 will be released for the HTC Vive next year!
Skyrim Special Edition – Oct 28th, 2016
Next gen gets a rehaul of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim this fall. This “special edition” also includes previously PC-exclusive features like mods.
Prey – 2017
After years of silence following the reveal of Prey 2, Arkane reveals the reworked/retitled Prey with a new trailer.
DOOM DLC
Upcoming free DLC for DOOM was shown, including many additions to SnapMap as well as new game modes. Also revealed was the first “premium” DLC: Unto The Evil. This DLC will include three new maps, a new playable Demon, a new gun, equipment items, armor sets, taunts, and more. Look for it next month!
ESO
Launching in Japan later this year. Dark Brotherhood DLC launches this Tuesday.
Dishonored 2 – Nov 11th, 2016
Dishonored 2 got a new trailer showcasing the new area players will explore in addition to the Dunwall we know and love. A separate trailer showed off gameplay and new story elements. Players will once again find themselves falsely accused and subsequently tasked with unraveling the conspiracy that vies for their death.
A collector’s edition was also announced. No price as of yet.
EA CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS:
EA E-Sports:
EA CCO Peter Moore discussed e-sports possibilities across multiple EA franchises. He went on to highlight three new “tiers” of EA community events that will happen year-round.
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Story details of Mass Effect: Andromeda were revealed. Mass Effect: Andromeda also joins the ever-growing roster of games running on Frostbite engine. A new trailer showed off some more behind the scenes work as well as new gameplay! More info was promised this Fall, no release date as of yet unfortunately.
FIFA 17Â – Sep 2016
A redesigned career mode has been revealed in a new trailer called “FIFA 17: The Journey”. Reminiscent of NBA 2K16’s career mode, the story will follow Alex Hunter through a story-driven journey on and off the pitch. Jose Mourinho was on stage helping to announce that Premiere League managers will be in-game. Four major changes to FIFA 17: Set pieces have been retooled, physical play has been overhauled, a new AI intelligence system, and new attacking techniques.
EA Originals
EA emphasized its commitment to smaller developers and helping them reach their full potential with this new program. New-IP Fe was announced, a game emphasizing the all encompassing nature of, well, nature. Very reminiscent of Ori and the Blind Forest.
EA Star Wars:
The various Star Wars properties being worked on by EA were discussed. A behind the scenes dev-diary discussed these new IPs, but no dedicated trailer for any of them. Brief early in-game footage of Visceral’s game was shown.
Battlefield 1 – Oct 21st, 2016
A new story trailer for Battlefield 1 was shown, highlighting the intensity of World War I. The trailer showed some gameplay, however a full hour of gameplay follows the EA conference. A new dynamic weather system is also shown. An open beta was announced for later this summer.
PRE-SHOW ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Persona 5 – Feb 14th, 2017
The long-awaited Persona 5 finally has a release date in the west as well as a collector’s edition! The “Take Your Heart” edition will cost $89.99 and come with a whole slew of physical goodies (pictured below). Persona 5 is also coming to PS3, however Take Your Heart is exclusive to PS4 editions of the game. While many were hoping for Persona 5 to land this year, I would venture to guess it’ll be well worth the wait.
Injustice 2 – 2017
Shortly after a leaked poster made its way online, Injustice 2 was officially revealed! The highly anticipated sequel to Netherrealms’ fusion of Mortal Kombat and DC Comics is coming sometime next year. While no gameplay was shown, the trailer depicts some of our favorite heroes brawling once more this time with what appears to be armor augmentations. While it is unclear whether these will be tied to the super meter or to different variations (like MKX), my money is on the latter. Check out the trailer below!
[UPDATE #1] A new trailer (already??) shows off gameplay and reveals some new characters as well. Atrocitus, Gorilla Grodd, and Black Manta are playable this time around. Officially my most anticipated game of 2017.
Watch Dogs 2 – Nov 15th, 2016
Last night the trailer for Watch Dogs 2 leaked, somewhat spoiling the reveal planned for later today as Ubisoft had originally planned. The trailer can be found hopping around various hosting sites if you really want to find it now, however once it is officially published on YouTube I’ll post it below. From what I saw last night, it seems we’re making our way to San Francisco to bend the ctOS to our will once more but perhaps not as Aiden Pierce.
[UPDATE #1] A full length reveal was posted by Ubisoft showing both gameplay and behind the scenes footage. The protagonist this time around is named Marcus.
[UPDATE #2] Six, that’s right, SIX editions of Watch Dogs 2 will reportedly be available. While some are Uplay exclusive and it is still unclear which editions may be region specific, the five special editions are described as follows:
- Deluxe Edition ($69.99): The base game, plus two “Deluxe Packs” with in-game “premium” customization items for your character, weapons, vehicles, and drones.
- Gold Edition ($99.99): The Deluxe Edition plus the Season Pass.
- San Francisco Edition: The Deluxe Edition plus a Collector’s Box, a figurine of Marcus, San Francisco stickers, lithographs and a map of San Francisco.
- Wrench Junior Robot Collector’s Pack (Uplay Store Exclusive): Either the standard, deluxe, or gold edition (your choice) plus a 7.8 inch replica of an in-game robot controllable by an iPhone/Android app.
- Return of DedSec Collector’s Box (Uplay Store Exclusive): The Gold Edition of the game plus real-world DedSec items, the Marcus figurine, Marcus’s scarf and hat, and an art book.
As of Update #2, the San Francisco and Return to DedSec editions have not been confirmed for the US, however the other four are available for preorder now.
Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue – Dec 2016
A new trailer for Kingdom Hearts 2.8 showed off “key moments” from each of the three pieces to this latest compilation. Dream Drop Distance looks as pretty as ever and I eagerly await being able to play it on a screen larger than my 3DS. Birth By Sleep 0.2 Fragmentary Passage (which follows Aqua in the Realm of Darkness) showed some gameplay with some familiar elements from the first tech demo we saw of Kingdom Hearts 3, namely the column of Shadow Heartless, as well as a brief glimpse at Terra. Now I’m not saying I squealed when I saw Terra, but I’m not saying I didn’t either. The bulk of the trailer was for X Back Cover which will be a collection of cinematics fleshing out the story of Kingdom Hearts [Unchained] X. The cinematics shed some light on the fabled “Old Masters”, another crucial element to Kingdom Hearts 3. Speaking of which, more announcements for KH3 will be coming this winter according to this trailer. See it for yourself below!
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided – Aug 23rd, 2016
A new gameplay demo for Mankind Divided highlights both the open world exploration as well as the numerous approaches players can take for each mission. Augmentations both old and new show how diverse Adam Jensen can truly be.
Destiny: Rise of Iron – Sep 20th, 2016
Eyes up Guardians, the latest (and possibly final?) piece of DLC for Destiny has officially been revealed. Seemingly standard fare with new story missions, weapons, armor, raid, strikes, zones, etc. No new retail editions have been announced yet. If this DLC is anything like the Taken King, sign me up. Check out the cinematic trailer below!
New LEGO Dimensions Wave – Fall 2016
A new trailer from LEGO shows off some very impressive new partnerships. No date has been given for these sets or just how many sets each new IP will bring to LEGO Dimensions, but the trailer was incredibly fun in true LEGO fashion. Some of the new IPs shown are: Harry Potter, The Goonies, (new) Ghostbusters, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, E.T., Sonic, Adventure Time, Mission Impossible, The A Team, Gremlins, and Teen Titans. LEGO Dimension’s roster of IPs wasn’t exactly scarce before this announcement, and there seems to be no end in sight. It seems following Disney’s departure from the Toys-to-Life space that LEGO is more than happy to fill that gap. Check it out!
Titanfall 2 – Oct 28th, 2016
Titanfall 2 receives its first full trailer as well as a release date mere hours before EA’s conference. The trailer introduces some story elements for the new game which will have an actual campaign unlike its predecessor. Titanfall 2 will also make its way to PS4 as well as XB1.
Batman: The Telltale Series – Summer 2016
The first screenshots for Telltale’s latest undertaking have been revealed, showcasing everyone’s favorite brooding superhero. Along with these new screenshots, the star-studded cast has also been revealed including: Troy Baker as Bruce Wayne, Travis Willingham as Harvey Dent, Erin Yvette as Vicki Vale, Enn Reitel as Alfred Pennyworth, Murphy Guyer as Lieutenant James Gordon, Richard McGonagle as Carmine Falcone, and Laura Bailey as Selina Kyle. More casting will be revealed as the season progresses, according to Telltale. The engine has also been reportedly revamped.
And that wraps up the major announcements (for now), look out for separate articles about what we see on the show floor in the coming days!
Director of GNN's Gaming Department and King of Impulse Decisions. Keep up on Twitter @tntharalson
