PaulH
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ElizabethS
If you're like me, then that bubbling sensation you were feeling last week has probably grown so tingly that can hardly count the days until the kick off of the grandest gaming spectacle of the year -- the Electronic Entertainment Expo (hint: it's in five days).
During the E3 festivities, which run from June 1 through June 4, we can expect to be stunned, overjoyed, and likely, floored at least once or twice. Really, there is no better time to be a gamer than right now.
So, what better way to honour such a decorated event than with the obligatory predictions posts us gaming bloggers simply can't resist writing? In case you missed my Microsoft and Nintendo predictions I encourage you to check them out and let me know what you think. As the final console maker presenting at E3, Sony's press conference has a lot riding on it. Will they end the show off with a bang, or a whimper? Let's do some educated guessing, shall we...
Sony Press Conference - June 2 at 11:00am PST
It could be argued that on paper Sony should be trailblazing this generation. Not only is the PS3 the most powerful hardware on the market, the console also has a solid line-up of must-have AAA exclusives such as Killzone 2, Metal Gear Solid 4, and LittleBigPlanet to name a few. It's rather peculiar then to see the PS3 hardware sales not keep pace or exceed the competition from a pure numbers game. Well, one look at Sony's upcoming fall line-up and you might wonder if momentum is about to swing in their favour.
Unlike its rivals who have held their cards tight, Sony has been rather forthright in dishing out gaming announcements. We know that Naughty Dog is hard at work developing a new Uncharted game, Insomniac Games is busy making a new Ratchet & Clank adventure, Quantic Dream is busily trying to finish its adult adventure game Heavy Rain, and as we heard at last year's E3, SCE Studios Santa Monica currently has the mighty God of War 3 in development. Zipper Interactive is working on M.A.G., and Sony Online Entertainment still has their hands full with The Agency and DC Universe Online. Oh, and there's also a sleeping giant that Polyphony Digital is (hopefully) putting the finishing touches on called Gran Turismo 5 that should finally see the light of day this year.
So that's what we know, but what about those announcements we don't know about yet. Let's see, for starters I think Sony will likely announce release dates for most of the games listed above, and I wouldn't be surprised if all them make it out this fall aside from God of War 3. Yes, sadly, I think that game will be next year's Killzone 2 and land in either February or March. While this be a little disappointing, keep in mind that Sony has more than enough blockbusters to satiate our gaming hunger this fall.
I also think that Sony will likely introduce at least one new PS3 bundle, perhaps we'll get the inFAMOUS one that is hitting the U.K., or see a Gran Turismo 5 bundle announced for this fall. There is also a slim chance we'll see a price drop for the PS3, although given how ardent Sony is at denying such rumours, I give it 3:1 odds.
To please RPG fans (and to tide them over until FFXIII drops) I expect Sony to show an English trailer for Level 5's White Knight Chronicles. Given that it's currently being localized, odds are we'll see this game in 2009 as well. FFXIII probably will show up in some form during the Sony press conference, and expect Final Fantasy XIII Versus to also make waves.
Perhaps the biggest and best surprise I think we'll see at this year's show is the unveiling of Team Ico's tightly guarded project. It's closing on four years since Shadow of the Colossus hit shelves, and in the words of Sony's VP Shuhei Yoshida, Team Ico is the company's "Olympic Team" since they tend to release a game every four years. I would imagine their game would be close to completion by now. In fact, if the leaked video is true, the game is called Trico and likely will be a direct sequel to their PS2 sleeper hit game Ico.
Unfortunately, one of the games we shouldn't expect to see at this year's E3 is Eat Sleep Play's secretive PS3 game headed by David Jaffe of God of War 1 & 2 fame. According to David, he's "not showing anything at E3". That's too bad, especially since many people believe the game in question is a new Twisted Metal.
Finally, I think it's a certainty that we'll see the announcement of a new PSP model, one that will drop the UMD Disc and be download-only. Perhaps it'll also come with a touch screen, but don't expect two analogue sticks. Sony will jump in with some heavy hitters on display including Patapon 2, Hammer Hero, LittleBigPlanet Portable, Motorstorm: Arctic Edge, and they will also showcase third-party games such as Rock Band: Unplugged and Assassin's Creed. On top of that, expect at least one or two major PSP software announcements to supplement this already strong line-up.
Well, there you have it. All three console maker predictions are done. Let me know what you think of my predictions!
