Here it is! With only a week left before the PlayStation E3 2018 conference, Nicholas and I are here to give our thoughts on just what we’ll see. While Shawn Layden, President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, has already outlined the four games getting deep dives at the conference, there’s still a few maybes to sort through. With that said, let’s dive in! Here’s out PlayStation E3 2018 predictions!
What Third-Parties Will Be There?
Samuel: I absolutely believe we’ll see From Software’s new title, first teased at the 2017 Game Awards with the tagline Shadows Die Twice. I don’t believe it’s Bloodborne 2 or any other exclusive game however, it’ll be multiplatform, likely similar to Bloodborne just like Dark Souls was similar to Demon’s Souls. PlayStation holds the Call of Duty marketing deal and while traditionally Activision has shown a campaign slice on stage, Call of Duty: Black Ops IIII does not have a campaign. Instead, we’ll likely see the Blackout mode unveiled, Call of Duty‘s take on the Battle Royale craze. Destiny 2: Forsaken is also near-sure to make an appearance, with an emphasis on the new content, how Bungie is addressing feedback and of course the exclusive guns, maps and strikes that only PlayStation players will have access to for a year.
Nicholas: We’re almost certain to see the long-anticipated Devil May Cry V revealed on the PlayStation stage. Capcom revealed Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Monster Hunter: World at the 2016 and 2017 PlayStation conferences respectively, so there’s a strong relationship there. While many rumors are indicating it might be a timed exclusive, I honestly think most likely not, especially with how Capcom’s titles have been selling lately. Capcom will probably show up with a second title, the Resident Evil 2 remake. There’s also Red Dead Redemption 2 to consider. Now, Rockstar likes to do their own thing, so we likely won’t see it however, PlayStation does a have a marketing deal for the game, so it’s not impossible.
PlayStation VR
Samuel: While PSVR will likely get some sort of sizzle reel for upcoming titles, I expect that to be the extent of it. They don’t want it to take up too much time.
Nicholas: It’ll quickly show up but it won’t take too much time. It’s also likely going to be the slow point in the show. While Moss was fantastic and Bethesda has done a good job supporting it with Skyrim and DOOM, there’s been very few strong titles that have stood out. In fact, many of them are reviewing poorly and even Sony has admitted that PSVR sales are under their expectations.
Days Gone
Samuel: I don’t think that we’re going to see Days Gone in a big capacity at the PlayStation conference. With The Last of Us Part II guaranteed to show, the inevitable comparisons between the two games wouldn’t be beneficial. While I do think the game is going to come out early 2019, anywhere from March to May, we probably won’t get that announced until later this year.
Nicholas: It’s unlikely for the reasons Sam has mentioned, plus the fact that there was just a huge blowout of coverage for Days Gone on Game Informer. That time is better spent showing off other games that we’ve yet to see gameplay from.
Bluepoint Games’ Next Project
Nicholas: We know Bluepoint is working on another big remaster or remake, supposedly their biggest ever. There’s a ton of games it could be, from Demon’s Souls to ICO. Regardless of which game it is, I think it’s way too early for them to present it. The Shadow of the Colossus remake released earlier this year in February and I simply don’t think they’ll have had time to get this new undertaking ready to show, especially given the implied scale of the project. The only possible way I can see it happening is if they announce the project with a logo or brief teaser. For example, stating they are cooperating with From Software to remaster Demon’s Souls. Other than that, I’m not holding my breath.
Samuel: I’ll just echo Nick’s thoughts here: it’s simply too early. I would love to see it, doubly so if it’s a Demon’s Souls remake but unfortunately I don’t see it happening this year.
Dreams
Nicholas: Dreams has been in development for a long time. While we were supposed to get a beta this spring, that’s looking increasingly unlikely. As such, I think this’ll get pushed back into 2019, with a beta over the holidays and a release date in January or February. That said, I don’t think this’ll be an official E3 announcement. Instead, it’ll probably be made as a PR announcement, like when Days Gone was delayed.
Samuel: Media Molecule’s long undertaking with Dreams appears to be resulting in an incredible game-maker that I’m sure gamers will use to craft incredible experiences. Unfortunately, I think it’s also a very difficult game to demo so I wouldn’t expect anything about Dreams at the conference. We might get a release date or beta announcement, assuming one hasn’t happened by then anyways.
Ghost of TsushimaÂ
Samuel: Now we arrive on the big four, the games getting deep looks at this E3 conference. I believe the first up will be Ghost of Tsushima from Sucker Punch. It’ll help set the tone for the show with a strong opening, finally unveiling the gameplay and details of the setting. Given Sucker Punch’s history with the Infamous games, it’ll be interesting to see whether or not this game takes a fully-grounded historical approach or dabbles in supernatural elements. Regardless, I think it’s landing somewhere in 2019 between May and September.
Nicholas: They’ll definitely open the show with a dive into Ghost of Tsushima, introducing us to the characters, the story and how everything plays.
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Samuel: With Marvel’s Spider-Man arriving in September, it’s the first of the “big four” to arrive in gamers’ hands. A huge blowout with Game Informer earlier in the year shared a lot of detail on just what the game will have to offer yet I still think there’s some big surprises on the way. As such, I think we’ll see a very different slice of gameplay this time around, perhaps a stealth-focused mission centered around a new villain. Whatever they show, they’ll want it to leave a lasting impression for when the game comes out. While I have myriad theories on the presence of Miles Morales and the possibility of multiple protagonists, I don’t think they’d show off something like that before launch.
Nicholas: Everything we’ve seen so far of Marvel’s Spider-Man has been in broad daylight however, missions can take place at nighttime. Showing that off, combined with some different gameplay mechanics and a section that seems less QTE heavy than past appearances would win over any remaining skeptics.
Death StrandingÂ
Samuel: So, I honestly think Death Stranding is still a ways out. When the game was announced in 2016, Kojima didn’t even have an engine, much less a studio. Given the ambitious nature of anything he puts his hands to, I’d say we’re still looking at a 2020 release at the earliest. We also know he quite literally has a blank check for development, so this’ll use cutting edge tech. Now, that could also mean this is a very costly game to make however, it’s one that Sony is willing to take a gamble on, especially with the prestigious name attached to the project. I think we’ll absolutely see gameplay at E3, even if it’s just a vertical slice. We might even see how multiplayer is supposed to work, or the unique gameplay mechanics Kojima has hinted at.
Nicholas: While I do think we’ll see gameplay, I’m not sure it’ll be enough for me without actually diving into some of the story.
The Last of Us Part II
Samuel: At last we come on the showstopper, The Last of Us Part II. It’s an absolutely huge title, one that myself and many, many others are eagerly anticipated. I think we’ll get a brief new trailer followed by a gameplay demo, showing off new gameplay systems or how older mechanics have evolved. It’s also going to likely continue the dark, oppressive, hate-filled tone of prior trailers. I don’t think we’ll get a release window beyond 2019 (if that). Even if we do, I don’t see it making that timeframe. Instead, it’ll likely be delayed into early 2020.
Nicholas: This is the grand finale, one of the most-anticipated games that’ll be at E3 2018, with Neil Druckmann not holding anything back. I fully expect him to demo the gameplay, showing off a bit of the story and maybe even some infected animals as new enemies. They’ll close the demo, and the show as a whole, on a big emotional note or suspense-filled cliffhanger. I also agree that it’s not coming out in 2019, instead, a May 2020 release will let it close out the PS4 the way the original game closed out the PS3.
So, that’s our PlayStation E3 2018 predictions. Remember, the PlayStation E3 2018 conference takes place on June 11th at 6:00 p.m. PDT. If you agree or disagree with our thoughts be sure to let us know!
