Okay Geek Farm
OkayGeek's E3 2011 prediction extravaganza special
Ricardo Trejo
With only a mere few days until the year’s biggest gaming event, tension is rising high for those glued to their calendars and controllers. 2010 was definitely Nintendo’s show; what with the announcement of a new Kirby, Zelda, Kid Icarus, and a 3D enabled DS. However, Microsoft came out with guns blazing, sights set on Nintendo’s casual market with the formal revealing of Kinect and the new 360 slim. Sony was just a joke, and so far this year they have a lot of “esplainin’ to do!” So without further ado, let’s get into what we think will go down at this year’s E3.
Nintendo
- The 3DS needs games now
Sure, it’s had a lackluster release window but that all comes down to there being no substantional, must-have game on launch. Demand isn’t too high on the streets for Nintendo’s latest handheld either, which is why we expect the handheld to get multiple big name titles announced and dated for release throughout the summer and fall, maybe even a tease of a 3D enabled Pokemon Gray version. Games we guarantee will be teased of fully shown: Super Mario 3D, Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros 3D, Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater, Star Wars, Kid Icarus, Metroid: Dread, Kingdom Hearts: Dream, Drop, Distance, Final Fantasy, and Kirby.
- Project Cafe
Nintendo has already notified the world that they will be revealing their next major console, so all eyes and expectations will definitely be on Nintendo. This will especially be a much harder crowd to please after all the crazy rumors we’ve been hearing about “Cafe” in the past months; talk of streaming 1080p resolution screens wirelessly from tv to controllers will definitely be on people’s minds, as well as graphics that are said to rival even today’s standards. As for us, we think Nintendo will actually come through on all these promises, and even surpass what we expect the system to be, as well as a jam packed line-up of 3rd party developers ready to jump back on the Nintendo bandwagon.
- Completely redone online system
In line with all the Project Cafe hype will also be the revealing of Nintendo’s plan to completely revamp their online platform. Friend codes will be non-existent and an online system similar to Microsoft’s Xbox Live will be introduced when Nintendo teases real-time gameplay from an upcoming Super Smash Bros. “Cafe” title.
Sony
- PSN resolution
Sony will definitely address the PSN hack and what they’ve done to counteract any further attacks and what it means for current and future customers. Kevin Butler will start the show and knock a couple jokes outta the park right from the start to easen the tension, though we expect Kaz himself to come out and speak a little bit more on the matter.
- PS3 exclusives and HD ports
Kojima quite recently spilled the beans on Konami’s plans to re-release Metal Gear Solid 2, 3, and Peace Walker as an HD collection on the PS3 and Xbox 360. And with last week’s announcement that an interation of Monster Hunter first seen on the PSP would be making the leap onto the PS3 we’re not excluded any possibilities of a lot of ports making ther way onto the living room screen. That being said, as for PS3 exclusives we’re still waiting on Final Fantasy Versus XIII, which I believe will finally receive the grand unveiling people have been waiting 5 years for. Oh, and not to mention the completely unncessary Final Fantasy XIII-2.
- NGP gets solid date, games, price
We’ve already been given an extensive tour of the NGP’s specs and features, however we’re still waiting on pricing and a release date. Rumors swirling around have the handheld coming out later this year across the globe simultaneaously, and at a $299 and below price tag attached to it. Big name launch titles, such as Uncharted and Modnation Racers will be available on the system’s release.
- PS4 tech demo
In 2005, we were shown a tech demo featuring a lot of rubber duckies sitting in a tub of water as a tease to what was possible on the PS3. We expect a similar flex of the muscle from Sony in what we’ll be seeing in the next iteration of the Playstation home console. Whether it proves to be just another up in graphics and computation possibility remains to be seen, but Sony may try its hand at innovation rather than a simple upgrade in hardware — the flaw that hurt the PS3 significantly right out of the console generation’s starting gate.
Microsoft
- Hardcore Kinect
Star Wars and, ummm… what else is there? The Kinect may have had a WAY more successful launch than we all thought it would, even though it wasn’t anything at all from what we were shown 2 years ago, but even Microsoft can’t deny that pushing the hardcore envelope on a motion-sensor control scheme isn’t that easy. Though it’s completely up in the air where they plan to take this, though we do have a wild theory that Milo hasn’t been completely canceled — just put on the shelf for his surprising revival at this year’s show.
- Shooters and a Halo remake
This might be the first E3 where a Bungie produced Halo game will not be the focal point of the hardcore shooters Microsoft graces players with. Though I don’t think it’ll be missed seeing as Gears of War 3 and Call of Duty: MW 3 are more than enough to keep the frat boys busy not taking care of their kids and neglecting their girlfriends. However, we haven’t forgotten about the very viable rumor that 343 Studios is working on a remake of the original Halo, set to hit stores this September right on time for the franchises’ 10th anniversary.
- Stereoscopic 3D
The PS3’s got it, so why doesn’t the 360? 3D gaming still doesn’t feel like the next step… or does it? With the 3DS’ release it’s been a back and forth between people who think it’s pivotal in moving this form of entertainment forward, while others still refuse to think of it other than a plain gimick. Either way, the sales of 3D televisions doesn’t prove to me that there’s a high demand for this sorta thing just yet. We expect Microsoft to not say a word about 3D at their presser.
- ???
Microsoft has been playing it very close to the vest these past few months, despite having a Spring update that really didn’t move the platform forward. The future is uncertain for those on the outside looking into Microsoft; they were the first to launch in 2005 but now that Nintendo’s volunteered to go first we believe that the software maker could possibly be just waiting it out, hoping to get a look at Nintendo’s hand before dropping any hints of where they’re going. But at the same time Microsoft has never been one to just sit a round out, always moving one step forward even when not saying much — look at last year’s 360 slim announcement.
