It’s that time of year again, and with Memorial Day behind us, the Electronic Entertainment Expo is closer than ever. For over twenty years, E3 has been the go-to computer and video games trade show, where the top companies and game makers compete for the attention of tens of thousands of fans and gamers. The annual event will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in California from June 14-16. E3 is run by the ESA (Entertainment Software Association), who, in addition to running one of the largest gaming expos in the world, also serves the business and public affairs needs of companies that publish video games on consoles, PC, mobile devices, and the internet. Video game experts and professionals all over the world – from over one hundred different countries – will come together in just a few short weeks to unveil what’s to come in the next year of gaming. From software developers, programmers, and manufacturers, to industry analysts, venture capitalists, and business partners, there will hardly be a demographic within the gaming industry who will not be represented. Here’s a list of all the games currently confirmed for E3: Final Fantasy XV Square Enix has announced that the long-awaited Final Fantasy XV will be released in September of this year. Originally titled Final Fantasy Versus XIII in 2006, this next installment has since been reworked enough to demand its own numbered entry into the Final Fantasy chronicles. A playable demo is currently available if you’re just itching to try it out, and it is available for pre-order as well, for any fans who really love spending money early. The Legend of Zelda Wii U After last year’s disappointment at the complete lack of Link, Nintendo has wisened up, but perhaps overcorrected in the process. The Legend of Zelda Wii U will be Nintendo’s only game showcased for 2016. That’s it. Now granted, that could be a good thing. We all know how Nintendo likes to put all their eggs in one or two baskets, and those are usually pretty sweet baskets, with colorful plumbers and green-hatted warriors overflowing from them. This is a bit of a disappointment though, as we won’t be seeing any sign of Nintendo’s new console coming out. But there is a ray of light. Word has it that over 500 lucky fans may get the chance to play a portion of the game, in what is rumored to be over an hour long of playable material. If anything made me wish I had bought a Wii U, it’s this. Attack on Titan From the creators who brought you Dynasty Warriors, One Piece: Pirate Warriors, and Hyrule Warriors, comes a game that leaves the “warriors” out. Based on the popular anime and manga of the same name, Attack on Titan looks pretty close to playing the show. You can expect the game to be pretty action-packed and focused, and the fighting gameplay looks pretty cool and cinematic. We can only hope that it will play well, and match the anime in terms of quality. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare From what I know of this, it may be the first Call of Duty game I ever buy. The setting is in the future, and mankind has been forced to spread out amongst the stars after Earth has been stripped of its natural resources. You had me at space combat. Players will be able to fly warships and participate in both air and space combat. Which, can we all just take a moment and appreciate how far CoD has progressed from just a first-person-shooter war game? The game is scheduled to release in November of this year. Titanfall 2 For all those who were looking for more from Titanfall, this sequel to the multiplayer shooter for Xbox and PC promises a more satisfying experience. For starters, this one will actually have a playable campaign mode, which should answer questions for those unwilling to play without them. The story will be focused on grand colonial warfare, but in space. Also rumored to have an element of magic in it, the game promises to remain grounded and brutal and gritty, in staying with the original tone set by the first. In addition to those listed above, other games that are currently confirmed for E3 are: Battlefield 1 Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Dishonored 2 F1 2016 Final Fantasy Brave Exvius Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Untitled New Forza GT Sport Hitman I Am Setsuna Mafia III Milestone S.R.L. & Valentino Rossi The Game Nioh Persona 5 Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness Yooka-Laylee WRC 6 Other than game titles, there have been rumors that both Microsoft and Sony will be showcasing new versions of Xbox One and PS4, respectively. We should also expect to see a good deal of VR tech there, and I suspect the new versions of both Xbox and PS4 are accommodating for VR in their hardware changes. Rumor also has it that Nintendo will unleash the Nintendo NX, or at least some details about the console. Anyway, that’s about it for E3 for now. Word is that the whole show will be playing at select theaters around the nation, for those who can’t afford the trip to LA. I’m hoping it will be coming to a theater near me, cause unless I can convince someone with power and money to send me out (hint, hint), I’ll be stuck trying to find a way to stream the event.
