5 Big Announcements At E3 2018

The annual Electronic Entertainment Expo has arrived once again. And good news for gamers worldwide: this year looks brighter than the last. Game giants Bethesda and EA are in it to save face after last year’s MTX controversies. Square Enix brings back a fan-favorite partnership. There’s undoubtedly a lot to go through, but here are our 5 favorite E3 2018 announcements.

5. Cyberpunk 2077 (CD Projekt RED)

Five years ago, CD Projekt Red teased a cyberpunk genre game called… wait for it… Cyberpunk 2077. They didn’t annonce a release date, only that it was coming “when it’s ready.” Well, it seems RED is just about ready to deliver on its promise. Cyberpunk 2077 finally has a full trailer out, and it’s filled with grit, blood, and a ton of dystopian future-tech. While Bethesda and EA speak of putting players first, RED has a history of actually showing it.

4. Anthem (Bioware)

EA used to be a great name. And to be fair, it’s still a great name as far as investors are concerned. As far as gamers are concerned, EA is an anti-consumer studio killer that hasn’t published a single decent new IP in the past year. Bioware, the studio behind Dragon Age and Mass Effect, seems to be EA’s last chance to get on customers’ good side. While CEO Andrew Wilson seemed more excited about the (terrible) Command & Conquer mobile game, fans set their eyes on sci-fi action game Anthem.

Bioware promised no loot boxes or pay-2-win advantages in Anthem. EA is still on their toes after the Battlefront 2 mess, after all. Does that mean EA has learned? Probably not. EA’s goal is to make money, and if they can get away with it in the future, they will likely try to push the line again. But for now… Anthem makes us feel hopeful.

3. The Elder Scrolls VI (Bethesda)

Bethesda fans have a right to be worried after the studio announced the intent to pull away from free mods in favor of the Creation Club. Even If it’s happening to Fallout, will it happen to TES as well? Shady business practices aside, perhaps E3 is supposed to be a good time for players worldwide. Let’s focus on the bright side. Eleven years after TES5: Skyrim, we finally have a teaser for TES6. The trailer opens up with a view of mountains, followed by the title and Skyrim opening theme… and then it ends. The crowd goes wild over 30 seconds of mountains. The announcement itself is disappointing. Thanks Bethesda. In all honesty, it’s great that one of gaming’s largest fantasy universes is getting its next installment.

We’re hopeful… but we’re also certain that this has the greatest possibility of blowing up in our faces. But hey. High risk high reward, right?

2. Beyond Good and Evil 2 (Ubisoft)

But what about something low-risk and high-reward? The prequel to the cult classic Beyond Good and Evil is here, and soon-to-be-protagonist Jade looks as badass as ever. Gameplay footage is interesting, featuring a game system where the player can zoom out from the surface of a planet, all the way into space, similar to the Space Age gameplay of Spore. How massive the gamespace really is is anyone’s guess. But if Ubisoft can deliver the same quality as with the original, then this will be an easy contender for game of the year… whenever it comes out.Overall, an excellent E3 trailer.

1. Death Stranding (Kojima Productions)

Hideo Kojima is an undeniable genius in terms of creativity and game design. But this is his first chance to present that fact free from the constraints of Konami Entertainment. Death Stranding is probably one of the most mysterious titles at E3. And it is definitely one of the most hyped. We finally have a glimpse of actual gameplay, and even then, we still know very little of what it is about besides how bizarre things are gonna get. Lea Seydoux and Lindsay Wagner join Norman Reedus and Madds Mikkelsen in what is turning out to be a star-filled production. If any thing, it just builds expectations even more.