E3 2011 Preview

Although we are over five weeks out of E3 2011, with Nintendo's confirmation of the planned unveiling of the successor to the Wii, I guess it is as good as a time as ever for my E3 2011 preview. So here it goes:

Nintendo:

With slumping sales of the underpowered Wii, Nintendo did not surprise me at all with plans to unveil their next system at E3. Rumors swirl in regards to the control scheme, including zany predictions of a dual stick controller with a built in six inch touch screen. I would be surprised to see this, especially with the likelihood of Wii backwards compatibility, but Nintendo has often broken the mold with its consoles. Without a doubt, the system will be more powerful than the five year old 360/PS3 and feature HD output. I expect an early 2012 launch, but if they can push it out by Christmas, that would give Nintendo a HUGE advantage going into the next generation. And with the system playable at E3, holiday 2011 is not out of the question.

Software wise, I expect to see Zelda Skyward Sword in gorgeous HD and as a launch title for the Wii 2. Any title would be hard pressed to compete with Zelda in HD as game of show. Who knows what other games Nintendo will showcase and quite frankly, who cares. All they need is the next system and Zelda and they will garner insurmountable press. Nintendo wins E3 2011 hands down.

Sony:

Sony is not expected to even mention a new console at E3, but instead will push their Next Generation Portable (NGP), due out holiday 2011. Uncharted and a handful of other titles will be playable on the floor. As for the PS3, they will hang their hat on a very strong lineup of first party titles including Uncharted 3, Resistance 3, Ratchet and Clank, and Infamous 2. That said, Infamous 2's launch during E3 is questionable at best. I mean will the title even be noticed during a storm of gaming blockbuster unveilings?

Speaking of lost games, I'd love to see Rockstar's PS3 exclusive Agent, based on cold war spying in Berlin. I also expect to see some mature titles for the Move, which I have really enjoyed. Overall, Sony will finish with a solid second place.

Microsoft:

Microsoft is sort of in a tough spot to impress at E3. Nintendo has the new console, Sony has the NGP, so what will Redmond bring to the table? Simply put, Microsoft must tease the next Xbox console at the end of their press conference, just to keep their brand even mentioned in the same paragraph as the Wii 2 and NGP. That said, I don't expect any specs, let alone demos or playable hardware.

For the second E3, Gears 3 will be predominately displayed. An internally developed, Halo Combat Evolved remake is a virtual lock for November. I'm also sure M$ will talk some big third party developer to showcase their wares at the Microsoft press conference. Will this be where Modern Warfare 3 shows up? But no matter what they do, short of unveiling a fully functional Xbox Next, Microsoft is a lock for third place.

Software:

Simply put, this will be the best, and last, holiday season for this generation of hardware. Rage, Skyrim, Arkham 2, Gears 3, Battlefield 3, Uncharted 3, and Mass Effect 3 are all phenomenal, can't miss experiences and represent the peak of the game designing craft. I look forward to finding them all on the show floor and being dragged away by security.

Bioshock Infinite and Ghost Recon Future Soldier both look amazing and I can't wait to see more, but God knows when they will actually hit store shelves. Update: Both have slipped into 2012. And speaking of 2012, the PAX demo for Kingdoms of Amalur looks amazing. Can a new game studio dream team really turn RPGs on their head?

As for unveils, other than maybe Agent and Halo HD, I expect Grand Theft Auto 5, Splinter Cell Next, Assassin's Creed 3, and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 to be shown, along with a few other surprises. Respawn Entertainment is still too young to likely see anything from them yet, but Bungie is due for an unveil. Is a faction-based, FPS, MMO in our future? And what about Insomniac's multi platform debut? Questions, questions...

Summary:

Between the Wii 2, NGP, Xbox Next tease, and an absolutely stunning array of pending and future releases, this will be the best E3 in years. I can't wait to get to LA and get things rolling. Check back in a month for press conference impressions, daily show updates, and my wrap-up awards. Until then, happy gaming and start saving for Fall!!!


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