Welcome to Place to Be Nation’s official E3 2014 Report!
We are going to first take a look at the big three (Microsoft, Sony,, and Nintendo) and what they announced during this years E3. Following that, we’ll cover big-time publishers Ubisoft and Electronic Arts press conferences. We will wrap up each segment with an overall grade on how the company did.
For those that don’t know, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, otherwise known as E3, takes place each year in June out in California. The event is the place to be for video game publishers and developers, as it gives them the chance to show off their work to the gaming masses. It’s basically a big preview show similar to the Tokyo Game Show (or TGS) that takes place later in the year. Keep in mind we won’t detail everything announced as, quite frankly, there’s not a lot of information out there at present about most of the newly announced games.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, due out this November for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, will have it’s DLC land on the Xbox One first, continuing the long standing tradition of Call of Duty DLC hitting an Xbox system first.
Forza Horizon 2, recently announced, will hit both the Xbox 360 and Xbox One on September 30th. The Forza Horizon team returns for the sequel, promising the game will run at 1080p and 30 frames per second on the Xbox One.
Fable Legends for the Xbox One will be in beta this fall, the game will allow you and three others to journey through Albion. No release date was announced.
New Dead Rising 3 DLC was announced, called (deep breath): Super Ultra Dead Rising 3 Arcade Remix Hyper Edition EX Plus Alpha. WHEW! The DLC allows you to dress up and use the abilities of some of Capcom’s most famous characters. It’s available right now.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection (leaked a few weeks ago) for Xbox One will feature upscaled and reworked versions of Halos 1-4, all running at 60 frames per second. Also included: every multiplayer map from the aforementioned games (over 100 maps), access to the live-action Halo: Nightfall, and entry to the Halo 5 multiplayer beta. Halo: The Master Chief Collection is out November 11.
The Halo 5 beta will hit the Xbox One in December.
Conkey from Conker’s Bad Fur Day is back, but only as a playable character in Project Spark. The game is currently in beta for the Xbox One, there’s no set release date as of yet.
Rise of the Tomb Raider, the sequel to the Tomb Raider franchise reboot, was announced. The trailer showed Lara shooting a bear in the face at one point. No, we’re not joking. Rise of the Tomb Raider is expected to drop in 2015 for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Xbox One is set to get a slew of indie titles before the end of the year, now that indie games need no Microsoft approval for Xbox One releases. Indie games set to come out include: Threes, Plague Inc, Evolved and Cuphead.
Phantom Dust, from the original Xbox days, is getting a remake. Phantom Dust is a pseudo-card-based action/strategy game in which the player collects skills (over 300 total) and takes missions to attempt to discover why Earth is in the condition it is. It’s expected to launch in 2015 for the Xbox One.
Crackdown is jumping to the Xbox One. The game will be one “powered by an army of dedicated servers” that offers the sort of open-world superheroic police warfare the series has been known for.
Series creator David Jones introduced a short vignette, before confidently stating that “we have the right team to build the game.” Scant gameplay details were offered, but the game features both the de rigueur open-world campaign, as well as multiplayer and co-op.
So far there’s no word on when Crackdown might arrive, though when it does it will be exclusive to the Xbox One.
The PS4 free shooter Warframe from Digital Extremes is making the jump to the Xbox One before the end of the year.
Overall: Microsoft focused more on games then last year, and that’s a good thing. The recent price drop for the Xbox One helps, and they’re putting the Halo franchise to work along with other established franchises like Crackdown and Forza. As good as it is to see a focus on games, there’s not much in the way of exclusives to get excited over. Microsoft needs something new and exclusive, recycling Halo won’t always be an option. Grade: B+
Destiny is set to appear first on the PlayStation 4 on September 9. You can get the game as a standalone or with a special “glacier white” Playstation 4 console.
According to Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., this special version of the PlayStation 4 will feature a 500GB hard drive, a “glacier white” DualShock 4 controller, a copy of Destiny and a 30-day PlayStation Plus voucher. The bundle will cost $499. The “glacier white” and “urban camouflage” versions of the DualShock 4 controller will be available for $59.
During Sony’s E3 press conference, infamous developer Suda51 unveiled a short gory vignette for the PlayStation 4-exclusive Let it Die. The live-action trailer offered no gameplay information. Let It Die will debut exclusively on the PlayStation 4 at some point during 2015.
PlayStation platforms will host console debuts for a number of indie-developed games as part of a newly established partnership with Devolver Digital. The partnership’s initially announced lineup includes Free Lives’ Broforce (PS4/Vita) Acid Nerve’s Titan Souls (PS4/Vita), roll7’s Not a Hero (PS4/Vita), Dennaton’s Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number (PS4/Vita), and Croteam’s The Talos Principle.
Magicka 2 is coming to the Playstation 4. Paradox Interactive didn’t show much gameplay footage, and no release date was given.
Double Fine will bring its cult classic adventure game Grim Fandango back from the dead for PS4 and Vita, Sony announced during its E3 2014 press conference today. The remastered game is exclusive to the PlayStation platforms.
Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition will debut on the PlayStation 4 and include an exclusive dungeon packed with enemies from Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us. Alongside the standard imps and other demonspawn, this dungeon will also be populated by fungus-riddled clickers.
Techland’s Dead Island 2 is coming to PlayStation 4 with an exclusive character, level, and a pre-release 30-day beta. A release date was not given.
Far Cry 4 is set to include cooperative multiplayer, as demonstrated during Sony’s E3 2014 press conference. Two players liberated a fortress together in online co-op during the demo.
Adam Boyes, PlayStation VP of Publisher and Developer Relations, says that Far Cry 4 players on PS4 or PS3 can invite friends to partake in its co-op action without said friend having to own a copy of the game. Far Cry 4 will launch November 18 on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC.
Infamous: Second Son will be getting standalone DLC in August of this year. The DLC will be titled Infamous: First Light and seems to focus on Abigail Walker, a Conduit, who can control neon light. No pricing or further details were given about the DLC.
Sony revealed that a remake of the original Ratchet and Clank will appear on the PlayStation 4 sometime in the next year. No gameplay details, imagery or pricing information were revealed.
The Last of Us is getting remastered and hoping onto PS4 next month. At Sony’s E3 conference, the company announced a July 29 release date for the survival horror on Sony’s newest system.
Sony announced it’s PS Vita TV is coming to the West. The device that allows you to play Vita games on your TV will cost $99 standalone, or $139 for a bundle including a DualShock 3, an 8GB memory card, an HDMI cable and a digital voucher for a copy of The Lego Movie Video Game.
Users will have access to 1,000 games at launch, which will be … actually, we don’t know, sadly. PS Vita TV will connect to the PlayStation Now service, which enters public beta on July 31.
PlayStation Now, a service which will allow PlayStation 4 owners to stream playable PlayStation 3 games, will enter open beta in Canada and America on July 31. Sony didn’t offer further information on how players will gain access to the beta incarnation of PlayStation Now.
Sony briefly discussed the price structures for its rental streaming program. The shortest periods will be “priced as low as $2.99,” while most games — and presumably different rental options — will sit in the $3 to $20 range.
Sony announced that more than 25 free-to-play games will hit the PlayStation 4 over the next 12 months. Titles include Kingdom Under Fire 2, Planetside 2, Onigiri, Loadout, and War Thunder.
The PlayStation Vita is also getting a number of free-to-play games in the coming months, including Fat Princess: Piece of Cake, Big Fest, Destiny of Spirits, Reaper, My Singing Monsters, Guns Up!, along with a new version of the PlayStation 3 downloadable game Pain.
Sony is set to add YouTube to its list of broadcast options via the DualShock 4’s Share button on the PS4. SCEA Players will be able to upload clips directly to YouTube and they will have the option to both live-stream gameplay and chat to the platform.
Sony will also update the PS4’s broadcasting options to allow spectators to interact with broadcasters.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, will land on the PlayStation 4 next year. The game’s debut trailer included the game’s previous characters, Sully and Nathan Drake.
Batman: Arkham Knight will arrive on the PlayStation 4 with bonus Scarecrow missions for players to sink their teeth into. Sony confirmed that these missions are exclusive to its platform.
Grand Theft Auto 5 is coming to the PS4, along with the PC and Xbox One ports. Those with a copy of GTA 5 for PS3 or Xbox 360 will be able to transfer their progress to the new systems when the game drops this fall.
Overall: Sony made some great moves this year. Introducing some new games, along with bringing back established franchises will secure them plenty of sales and new gamers along with keeping their current customers happy. Snagging a Destiny PS4 bundle will be on gamers minds the most now, so kudos to them for making that happen. However, Sony like Microsoft needs to focus on getting more exclusives. It’s nice to get Uncharted 4, but gamers need something NEW to sink their teeth into. Grade: A
A new Star Fox game is coming for Wii U. Star Fox will be controlled using the Wii U Game Pad’s tilt controls for your Arwing fighter, which can once again transform into a ground-based Landmaster tank. Along with the Arwing and Landmaster tank, players can use a new two-player controlled helicopter.
The game is said to be a year away from release, and may even come in separate parts, like The Walking Dead from last year.
Xenoblade Chronicles X is set to arrive in 2015 for Wii U. The Monolith Soft-developed game is a successor to Xenoblade Chronicles, the developer’s 2011 Wii game.
Mario Maker was officially announced and shown off. The game lets you build your own Super Mario Bros. stages, and play through other people’s stages. The game allows players to flip between 8-bit Super Mario Bros. graphics and HD New Super Mario Bros. graphics with the touch of a button. The game is set to launch sometime in 2015.
Splatoon, an 8-player third-person shooter with weaponized ink, is coming to Wii U. The game comes from the young developers at EAD, working directly under Shigeru Miyamoto.
Players will compete in 4-on-4 battles, with the environment being coated in colorful ink. Players can also transform into squids, allowing them to swim through the rivers of ink left behind by combatants. The idea is to make your own path in ink, and stop others from making their paths to get to you. Splatoon is coming to the Wii U in 2015.
Kirby’s Rainbow Curse is coming to the Wii U in 2015. The game will have players drawing rainbow colored lines on the Wii U Gamepad to control Kirby through the levels and fend off enemy attacks.
Bayonetta 2 is still a Wii U exclusive, and coming with it will be the original Bayonetta game, along with two character suits including Link and Samus. Bayonetta 2 is set to launch for the Wii U this October.
Nintendo announced Hyrule Warriors, a hack and slash spin off of The Legend of Zelda. The game, a collaboration between Nintendo and Tecmo Koei, will feature co-op characters Zelda and Midna along with Link and others. Hyrule Warriors hits the Wii U on September 26th.
Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire were announced for the 3DS, and will land on November 21 for 3DS owners.
Eiji Aonuma revealed a new entry in the Legend of Zelda series. A video was shown featuring Link riding Epona away from what appears to be a particularly angry, laser-equipped Octorok. Aonuma says the game is less linear than past Zelda entries, saying it “will create new opportunities for gameplay not seen in earlier Zelda games.” I.E. open world.
No release date was given, nor was there an official title announcement for the Wii U Zelda sequel. The game is expected to arrive in 2015.
Nintendo has announced that its next Yoshi adventure – Yoshi’s Wooly World – will include a two-player co-op mode. Yoshi’s Wooly World is coming to the Wii U in 2015. Yoshi’s Wooly World will focus on exploration, utilizing the yarn world and Yoshi’s abilities will give players a chance to advance through the game.
Nintendo announced that the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros will be released on October 3 in both North America and Europe.
Nintendo also showed off Skylanders-like tech that will allow players to scan toy figurines called Amiibo into the Wii U version of the game.
Super Smash Brothers has a new character joining the ranks. Long a supporting character in the Kid Icarus game, Lady Palutena’s also been seen as part of Pit’s Final Smash attacks. Lady Palutena will come equipped with plenty of attacks and ready to brawl when the game launches on the Wii U later this year.
Mario Party 10 is coming to Wii U in 2015, marking the series’ first appearance on Nintendo’s new console. The game stars the big baddie Bowser, and you can play as him using the Wii U gamepad against four friends. Bowser smash!
Mario Party 10 uses amiibo, Nintendo’s new Skylanders-esque figurine and NFC system. In addition to the Bowser Party mode, the game also has a classic Mario Party mode. +
Nintendo and Capcom’s adventure game franchises clash in the upcoming Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, hitting the Nintendo 3DS in North America on August 29.
The Nintendo GameCube controller adapter for Super Smash Bros. Wii U, which will grant the use of classic GameCube or WaveBird controllers with the fighter, has been priced at $19.99. Nintendo will also launch a Nintendo GameCube controller with Super Smash Bros. markings for $29.99. There will also be a Super Smash Bros. for Wii U bundle with one controller and one adapter for $99.99. All of these items will be available the same day Super Smash Bros. launches this holiday.
Overall: Nintendo is trying to step it’s game up, taking Zelda into the open world and making it HD. They’re also relying on Smash Bros. and some good exclusives like Bayonetta 2 and Xenoblade to get players over to the Wii U. Nintendo this year is doing the best they can to bring their franchises back to the spotlight, and they have some good heavy hitters in there. While they could use some new franchises, they still have time to bring their established ones into the HD scene and spice them up. Grade: A-
Ubisoft announced during its E3 press conference that The Crew, the car racing/stealing/crime game will arrive on PC, PS4 and Xbox One on November 11, A closed beta will hit on July 23.
Tom Clancy’s The Division from Ubisoft is an upcoming third-person tactical shooter/action role-playing game. The Division is following the Call of Duty lead to bring “new content” to Xbox One systems first. What that means for the always on game is unclear however.
Ubisoft is bringing out Assassin’s Creed: Unity, which will bring the French Revolution to your consoles this October. The game will land on the PS4, Xbox One and PC. The game is set to feature four-player co-op, a first for the franchise. Players will be able to create a Brotherhood of Assassins, like in previous games, but instead of computer controlled brothers, people can use their real life friends.
Just Dance 2015 will hit before the end of the year. The trailer shown at E3 listed the Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Wii U as it’s consoles, but the official site lists PS3, PS4 and Wii as getting the game as well. The North American window for the release of the game is November.
Rainbow Six: Siege was announced as the next game in the series. The new title is set to be released sometime in 2015. Yves Guillemot, Ubisoft CEO, announced the game but made no mention of Rainbow Six: Patriots, the last installment in the Rainbow Six franchise that was announced three years ago (and has yet to be released).
Ubisoft showed off the first five minutes of the recently announced Far Cry 4 during their E3 press conference. The footage shows you passing through the Himalayas when all of a sudden your bus is stopped—and everyone around you is gunned down. The unnamed villain comes around and seems to recognize you, saving you from being killed. After killing one of his minions for not being able to follow directions, he takes a selfie with you.
Far Cry 4 is set to launch this November for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.
Overall: Ubisoft has some great stuff in the works with Far Cry 4 and a new The Crew. It’ll be interesting to see if people come back for Rainbow Six and Assassin’s Creed. Ubisoft needs to focus on revamping their tired franchises, and get some new ones going as well. Grade: B+
EA is set to drop FIFA 15 on September 23rd. The game will launch for the Xbox One, Playstation 4, PS3, and the Xbox 360. Gamers who pre-order the game’s Ultimate Team Edition will get $40 worth of digital goods from the EA Sports Football Club.
EA announced EA Sports PGA Tour, a new golf game that drops the Tiger Woods label, during their E3 2014 press conference today. While details are scarce, a teaser trailer revealed courses which appear to take place inside of other EA games.
The Sims 4 is moving into your neighborhood on September 2.
BioWare teased an upcoming Mass Effect-related project, as well as a completely new IP during EA’s conference. Unfortunately, the company spoke mostly in terms of ideas, and all footage shown was conceptual in nature.
Overall: EA didn’t show off much this year, it’s mostly sports games and too much Just Dance. However, they do have the Mass Effect and Battlefield franchises up their sleeve, and that may be all they need to keep gamers coming back. EA needs to create more franchises, and stop relying on their sports titles to pull them through. Grade: C+
The 2014 E3 event as a whole has been a great one. We didn’t get any mind boggling reveals, and what we did get that was new and exciting there was very little of. The Toyko Game Show is not too far off, and typically what’s announced at E3 gets a major showcase at the TGS. This year, there’s not a clear cut winner in terms of games and systems, but if I had to give it to one console, I’d give it to Sony.
Sony snagged a Destiny bundle along with a new PS4 color (which will sell a lot as dumb as it sounds), along with bringing back Uncharted and its soon to come YouTube sharing feature. The Xbox One is a close second, with the Halo collection going to move quite a bit and Halo 5 still to come. However both companies need new IPs, and can only rely on their franchises so long.
Nintendo played it safe this year, bringing its established franchises back, but unlike Sony and Microsoft, they still have life in them because Nintendo has yet to update them. It’ll be great to see Nintendo finally have some heavy hitters out there, the hope is that it’s not too late.
Regardless of which console you own, there’s plenty of awesome games coming out and plenty of life in the last gen and current gen. See you next year!
