Starting next week, the video game industry will be kicking off its yearly annual E3 press show. For those not in the know, E3 is kind of like Comic-Con, where publishers get to reveal brand new games and show new gameplay footage of upcoming titles that have already been announced. Generally, Companies like Sony, Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft, and Bethesda will make the rounds to show off the latest they have, but Sony confirmed that they won’t be showing up this year and EA will have a much smaller event than usual. Seeing that we still can’t predict the future, I can only list games that have been confirmed will be at E3. That being said, there are still plenty of games to look forward to. With that said, let’s get started.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Even if you haven’t played that many video games in the last few years, you’ve heard of the fiasco that was 2017’s Star Wars: Battlefront 2. The game became infamous for its implementation of microtransaction and loot boxes, to the point where government officials are now trying to restrict their uses. So, with so much bad press, publisher EA knew that it had to do something to get people back on their side. While that may never happen(due to their recent track record), they have left a positive first impression of the upcoming Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Taking place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, this latest chapter will be a single-player only game that focuses on Cal Kestis (played by Gotham’s Cameron Monaghan), one of the last surviving Jedi. While gameplay hasn’t been shown off, the reveal trailer has already been getting a positive buzz and it won’t have any multiplayer or loot boxes. Fallen Order has been confirmed to release on November 15, 2019.
Halo Infinite
Halo is to Xbox what Mario is to Nintendo. You just can’t imagine one without the other. While the last game in the series, Halo 5: Guardians, was a critical and commercial success, a lot of longtime fans were disappointed in Guardians. Complaints were aimed at the game’s story, the length of the single-player, use of microtransactions, and the removal of local co-op. While Microsoft has only shown off a reveal trailer, Halo Infinite still has a lot to live up to. From finishing the story that was left on a cliffhanger to addressing complaints fans had with Guardians, it’ll be interesting how Microsoft and 343 Industries will handle the next installment of the Halo franchise.
Doom: Eternal
2016’s reboot of the Doom franchise was pretty well-received by both critics and audiences. Both saw it as a welcome return to form for the 26-year-old franchise, with praise given to its fast-paced gameplay, large combat environments, and heavy metal soundtrack. The newest game will continue to refine the already excellent gameplay, while also including more enemies to blast and new weapons to use. The one shown off in last years official gameplay reveal is a claw-like slingshot that will bring enemies closers and acts like a grappling hook. We just hope there will be more at E3.
Gears 5
Another Microsoft exclusive title, Gears 5 will be somewhat of a departure of the series. Rather than starring series star, Marcus Fenix, or his son, JD, in the lead role, Gears 5 will instead focus on Kait Diez, one of the supporting characters from the last game. Along with more returning characters, Gears 5 will also uncover the origins of the Locus and the connection they have with Kait’s family. Gears 5 will feature a lot of new enemy types, like a Swarm Android-like enemy, new weapons, and much more varied environments. Gears 5 looks to be coming this fall, but we will have to wait for Microsoft’s press conference for more details.
Dying Light 2
The original Dying Light may not have been the most original game, but it combined the elements from other games so well, that it still made for a good ole zombie slaying time. The highly anticipated sequel will actually cut back on Zombies and focus more on the remaining bit of humanity and various bandits and mercenaries factions who have taken control of water supplies and other basic necessities. Square Enix has confirmed that this will be at the show, and we can’t wait to get our hands dirty with some zombie blood.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
It’s been 8 years since Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 finished the trilogy that started with 2007’s Modern Warfare. Since then, Things haven’t been looking so well for the Call of Duty series. While still selling like hot cakes, the last few haven’t been up to the same standard that the previous generation of Call of Duty games have had. Looking to bring back some longtime fans and re-igniting the series’ spark, the latest Call of Duty will be a soft reboot to the Modern Warfare series and will feature the return of fan-favorite Captain Price. Activision has also confirmed that this game will not feature a season pass, something the last game in the series was heavily criticized for, and won’t feature Zombies. Modern Warfare will drop on store shelves on October 25, 2019.
Marvel’s Avengers
A few years ago, Marvel announced that Square Enix and Deus Ex developer, Eidos Montréal, would be working on an Avengers game. Since then, we haven’t heard a single thing from them. However, Square Enix announced that this latest project will be finally shown off at this years E3.
Cyberpunk 2077
From the team that brought you The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077 will be straying from the norm. Rather than being a third-person action RPG set in a fantasy world, Cyberpunk will be set in a Sci-Fi world and will have an FPS combat system. It’ll also feature much more emphasis on character customization, branching dialog trees and more that has yet to be revealed. While the game is still years from release, Cyberpunk 2077 is already having people eagerly excited for what’s next to come.
Borderlands 3
It’s been five years since the last installment of the Borderlands series was released. While Loot Shooters have become extremely popular, with games like Destiny and The Division, no one has the same sense of crazy humor and style that Borderlands has. From its colorful cast of characters to its witty, yet raunchy humor, there’s something about Borderlands that has given it a large following. When Borderlands 3 was finally announced earlier this year, fans were overwhelmed with the new gameplay footage. It’s looking like a ton of fun and we’ll be able to play it on September 15th, 2019.
Ghost Recon: Breaking Point
The Ghosts are back and this time they’re out for one of their own. When former Ghost Member, Cole D. Walker, (Voiced by The Punishers’ Jon Bernthal) goes rogue, the Ghosts are tasked to bring him in. It won’t be easy, as the island they’re on is filled with Walkers own team called “The Wolves”, and a PMC unit called “Sentinal.” Promising a new character class system and much more focus on survival than previous installments, Breaking Point looks to be a worthy successor to 2016’s Ghost Recon Wildlands. Look for Breaking Point to hit stores on October 4th, 2019.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Final Fantasy VII is often considered one of the greatest games of all time. With its emotional driven story and flawed cast of characters, it’s become one of the most iconic games of all time. When it was announced that a remake was in the works, fans went nuts. So far, not much has been shown from the game, though it will be ditching the Turn-Based combat system, in favor of a more action-based one similar to that of Final Fantasy XV. There has been some controversy in how the game will be released in multiple parts, rather than all at once, but it still won’t stop fans from clamoring towards it. It will also give newcomers a chance to experience one of the most beloved games of all time with new visuals and voice acting.
Watch Dogs Legion
Leaked ahead of the games planned announcement, Watch Dogs Legion will have players taking control as their own customizable character, rather than the named protagonist of the last few games, and will be set in post-Brexit London, rather than a place located in the US. “Every individual you meet in the open world, has a full set of animations, voice over, character traits and visuals that are generated and guided by gameplay systems,” read a since-deleted Amazon posting. Ubisoft will have more to share with us when Watch Dogs Legion is officially announced at next weeks E3.