Before the giant E3 video game exhibition takes place every year, it is proceeded by a series of vast press events, where publishers hope to snag just a little of the world’s attention with their latest mega releases. Filling huge venues and live-streamed to a global audience of millions, these one-hour hype-fests can make all the difference between blockbusting success and ignoble failure.
Here, then, are our 17 favourite announcements, culled from all the pre-E3 shows. We’ve stuck to games that were either revealed for the first time on stage, or were finally confirmed after months of gossip, leaks and rumours. These are the titles we want to discover more about at the show, and over the months to come.
Anthem (EA Bioware; PC/Xbox One/PS4; Fall 2018)
The latest adventure from Bioware Edmonton, the studio behind the Mass Effect and Dragon Age titles, is a co-op online shooter, pitching elite troops named Freelancers out of a safe city and on to an inhospitable planet – to shoot monsters. Players don customisable space suits with various abilities, and missions have narrative arcs with cinematics and conversations.
Elevator pitch: Destiny meets Titanfall.
Assassin’s Creed Origins (Ubisoft; PC/Xbox One/PS4; 27 October)
As the title suggests, Ubisoft is heading back to the beginning with this tale of the assassins’ guild founders, fighting their way through ancient Egypt. The lead protagonist is Bayek (or “By ‘eck” if you’re from Yorkshire), a warrior who acts as a guardian to his people – while stabbing enemies. The developer is promising an overhaul of the familiar Assassin’s Creed systems, with a drone-like hawk to scout new areas rather than the old tower system, and new boss battles.
Elevator pitch: Assassin’s Creed reinvented.
A Way Out (Electronic Arts; PC/PS4/Xbox One; early 2018)
Another arresting adventure from Josef Fares the creator of heartbreaking indie title Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. This time, two players must work together to break characters Leo and Vincent out of prison and then help them avoid the authorities. Apparently the very different characters have to build trust and friendship as they go.
Elevator pitch: Prison Break: the game
Beyond Good and Evil 2 (Ubisoft, tbc)
Fans have been waiting years for a follow-up to the 2003 sci-fi action adventure from Ubisoft luminary Michel Ancel. Now, here comes a prequel, in which players are able to work together to help fight for the rights of animal-human hybrids. Interstellar travel, seamless online play and swearing are all in abundance.
Elevator pitch: Destiny meets Firefly via Animal Farm
The Crew 2 (Ubisoft; PC/PS4/Xbox One; 2018)
The online open-world driving game returns offering the ability to race in practically any vehicle, from airplanes to motor boats. There is 2,000 square miles of varied American land to zoom across, from the Rocky Mountains to New York City, while a huge variety of competitions lie out there in the unknown to discover. The original was a loved by petrolheads – can a second outing tempt the rest of us?
Elevator pitch: Burnout Paradise races Forza Horizon on land, sea and air
Dishonored: Death of the Outsider (Bethesda; PC/PS4/Xbox One, 15 September)
A stand-alone spin-off from the dark stealth adventure series sees mercenary Billie Lurk setting out to kill the Outsider, the god-like figure at the heart of the series narrative. New weapons, locations and abilities will emerge including Lurk’s “displace” power which lets her teleport to any location she’s able to imagine.
Elevator pitch: Dishonored unleashed.
The Evil Within 2 (Bethesda; PC/PS4/Xbox One; 13 October)
A surprise return for this traditional survival horror adventure from Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami. This time the player is Detective Sebastian Castellanos a troubled detective who must search for his lost daughter in a weird, transmogrifying town.
Elevator pitch: Resident Evil meets Silent Hill at last
Kirby (Nintendo; Switch; 2018)
Everyone’s favourite pink blob is back in another bright loveable puzzle adventure, this time with the ability to convert enemies to friends by throwing hearts at them. Taking advantage of the Switch JoyCon set-up, the game lets up to four friends play together on a shared quest.
Elevator pitch: Co-op Kirby
Life is Strange: Before the Storm (Square Enix; PC/PS4/Xbox One; 31 August)
A prequel to the wrenching episodic adventure series, set three years before the events of the original game. This time the player controls a 16-year-old Chloe Price just as she forms an unlikely friendship with popular girl Rachel Amber who is hiding a terrible family secret. Developed by Denver studio Deck Nine Games, expect emotions and drama galore.
Elevator pitch: Teenage angst: the video game
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
Rumoured before E3, but announced officially on stage during the Ubisoft press event, this is – perhaps unexpectedly – a battle strategy game in which the Mushroom Kingdom has been torn apart by a mysterious force and now Mario, Luigi and co have to team up with the ludicrous rabbids to restore order. Early reports from the E3 show floor suggest a surprisingly deep tactical experience.
Elevator pitch: Mario and the rabbids meets XCOM
Metro Exodus (Deep Silver; PC/PS4/Xbox One; 2018)
Greeted with an enthusiastic cheer at the Microsoft press conference, the latest title in the grimly post-apocalyptic Metro series is another mix of first-person action, stealth and survival skills. Once again you’re navigating the wastelands of Russia battling mutant creatures and feral gangs while crafting weapons and exploring a vast sandbox landscape that changes with the seasons.
Elevator pitch: Far Cry meets the Last of Us on the Russian road-trip from hell.
Monster Hunter World (Capcom; PC/PS4/Xbox One; 2018)
The most welcome surprise at the Sony conference was this PlayStation 4 entry in the multimillion-selling action role-playing adventure series. Unlike previous titles it looks like players start out the quest alone, sneaking up on and debilitating an array of monsters in a freely explorable landscape that abandons the arena approach of old. A drop-in multiplayer system lets players adventure with three friends or call out for help from strangers during key encounters.
Elevator pitch: Monster Hunter goes large
Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Microsoft; Xbox One; tbc)
One of Xbox One’s most beautiful independent titles gets a sequel, offering more spiritual adventures within the lush woodlands of Nibel. Little else is known right now, but the rather tragic E3 trailer had fans welling up.
Elevator pitch: Revenge of the eco-platformer.
Skull & Bones (Ubisoft; PC/PS4/Xbox One; autumn 2018)
Ubisoft clearly took note of how much everyone loved the ship battles in Assassin’s Creed IV because here’s a game based entirely around them. Players kit out their own galleons and head across the high seas, searching for loot and battling other participants – either alone or as part of a pirate gang.
Elevator pitch: GTA Online meets Pirates of the Caribbean
Griftlands (Klei Entertainment; PC; 2018)
Don’t Starve developer Klei Entertainment returns with a cartoon-style role-playing adventure in which players form parties of outlandish heroes to engage in fortune-hunting and turn-based combat. However, it looks like wiles and negotiation will be as important on the battlefield as weapons.
Elevator pitch: The first turn-based charm-’em-up
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (Bethesda; PC/PS4/Xbox One/27 October)
Rumoured for ages but officially announced at the Bethesda press event, the super-exaggerated Second World War shooter marches back into the line of fire – and takes no prisoners. This time battle scarred soldier BJ Blazkowicz must travel across an alternative America battling the Nazi Empire and its cyborg warriors. Memorably referred to by Bethesda chief Pete Hines as “fucking bananas”.
Elevator pitch: Inglourious Basterds meets Man in the High Castle
Yoshi (Nintendo; Switch; tbc)
The loveable dinosaur is back in another beautiful, bright co-op platforming adventure, this time set in a lush handicraft world filled with cardboard, cotton reels and crayon drawings. The neat new feature? The scenery can be flipped around revealing a whole new set of challenges and treasures on the other side.
Elevator pitch: LittleYoshiPlanet
- Keith Stuart attended a press trip to E3 with accommodation and travel costs met by Microsoft.
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