E3 2012 What Will and What Could Happen

We’re just a couple months away from the best week of the year for gamers… mother funkin’ E3!!! In case you’re a noob to the gaming scene and have absolutely no idea what the hell E3 is, let me drop some knowledge on you. E3 stands for the Electronic Entertainment Expo is a giant trade show where publishers and developers of video games come out and show off all their new wares for the upcoming year. At E3 we gamers get some of the industries biggest announcements in just a few days time, which makes the event the holy grail of video game expos. Like every year before it, publishes and developers begin to announce and leak projects as the event draws near, so here is a list of what we know will happen, what is rumored to happen and some wishful thinking of what we hope will happen. Be sure to check back to this page often as I will update information as it becomes available… once again this year, I will also do my best to give breakdowns of each publishers E3 press event. So let us begin…

Probability

Certain = 90% – 100%
High = 70% – 90%
Good = 50% – 70%
Could Happen = 0% – 50%

Activision hasn’t held a traditional press event at E3 in a few years, choosing instead to showcase their games on the stages of the big 3 and at their booth. While there’s always a chance that they will choose to have a private stage show, odds are they will stick to the plan of years past. That doesn’t mean that they wont have announcements or games to show. Here’s some expectations and speculations for the biggest 3rd party developer at the show.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Fall of Cybertron will definitely be on display at E3 this year. The game followes the events of the previous title, War for Cybertron.

Men In Black: Alien Crisis

Platforms: PS3, Wii and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

Men In Black: Alien Crisis will be released shortly before E3, so the game will probably be on display in Activision’s booth.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Certain

Recently a logo for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 has been circulating around the internet with a date of 04.28.12 (possible announcement date). It’s pretty much a given that Activision will be announcing the next installment in their premier franchise soon… and we can probably expect a release for the holiday season of 2012.

Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

Both Family Guy and South Park have games in development, so hopefully both will be at the show to see which is getting the more interesting title.

Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD was announced at the 2011 Spike VGAs. Pro Skater HD is a downloadable title for the PS3 and XBOX 360 and should be on display at the Activision E3 booth.

Bungie Project

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Good

Since the Bungie (makers of Halo) announced that they will be moving away from the Halo series and developing a new IP for multiple consoles, there has been much interest to know what they’re up to. Could this be the year we find out? Please note that Bungie is independent and will own its new IP, Activision is just the publisher.

The Amazing Spider-Man

Platforms: DS, 3DS, PS3, Wii and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Another Spider-Man title is in development, and with the popularity of action heroes being at an all time high, we should expect to see the game at the show.

Ice Age: Continental Drift

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Good

I’m sure it will be a great movie, but often games based on movies fall short. Hopefully we’ll see something at E3 to make this game an exception.

New Guitar Hero

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Could Happen

There is a rumor floating around the internet that Activision will be announcing a new Guitar Hero title before E3 [source]. The rumor doesn’t feature any hard evidence, so take it with a grain of salt… but it could happen.

Call of Duty for PlaStation Vita

Platforms: PS Vita | Probability: Could Happen

We know Call of Duty will be making its way to the PlayStation Vita, we just have absolutely no details surrounding the title… including name or development studio. With reports of the game said to be coming out in the fall [source] which I don’t see happening, we will definitely need some information on the game soon.

007 Legends

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Announced this April, 007 Legends is the newest James Bond game being published by Activision… can they bring us a good Bond game. We should know more this E3.

Atlus is one of my personal favorite publishers, and while I don’t expect any announcements from them at E3, they will have some quality titles to show at their booth.

Dragons Crown

Platforms: PS3 and PS Vita | Probability: Good

Dragon’s Crown isn’t scheduled until 2013, but hopefully we’ll get to see what Atlus has been working on.

Persona 4 Arena

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

Persona 4 Arena should be on display at the show… but with Japanese games, you can never be certain.

Gungnir

Platforms: PSP | Probability: High

The PlayStation Portable is still getting attention from Atlus, with the JRPG Gungnir. We’ll probably see it on display at the show, but nothing is certain.

Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time

Platforms: PSP | Probability: High

With a July release date, Atlus will certainly want to show off Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time. Hope to see it at the show.

Capcom has a pretty good list of announced titles to show off at E3 this year… whether or not they’ll be announcing more is up for speculation, but with Resident Evil 6 and Lost Planet 3 being announced very recently, It difficult to think of any more big announcements they could have coming. Also, since Capcom will not be having their own stage show, maybe they’ll make an appearance on one of the big three’s stages… Capcom seems to have always had a good relationship with Nintendo. Maybe we’ll see an announcement for Resident Evil 6 on Wii U (just speculating).

Resident Evil 6

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Recently announced, Resident Evil 6 will be Capcom’s premier title at the show. We know relatively little about the game and it’s set to release in November, so I expect to see a lot at E3 and Tokyo Game Show (September).

DMC (Devil May Cry)

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

There’s been much debate over the new Devil May Cry currently in the works. Passionate fans have expressed concerns about the look of the game’s protagonist. We should see plenty to ease the worry of people with nothing better to worry about.

Lost Planet 3

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Another title from recently announced from Capcom is Lost Planet 3. The game is not set to launch until 2013, but we should get some insight to what the game will be like.

Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor

Platform: XBOX 360 (Kinect) | Probability: Certain

With a release date just after E3, I expect From Software’s XBOX 360 exclusive Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor to be on display.

Dragon’s Dogma

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Dragon’s Dogma releases shortly before E3, so I expect the game to be on display for promotion purposes.

Ex Troopers

Platforms: 3DS and PS3 | Probability: Good

Just announced in Famitsu Ex Troopers is an action/shooter for the Nintendo 3DS and PS3… odd combination of platforms, may appear on more. Anyway, hope to see something at E3 [source].

*** Press Conference: Monday June 4th 1:00pm PDT ***

EA always manages to bring a huge list of AAA titles to E3 and 2012 looks to be no exception. While there probably won’t be enough time to do a live stage demo of every game in their arsenal, I’m sure EA will be paying plenty of attention to their big hitters.

Medal of Honor Warfighter

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Medal of Honor Warfighter is EA’s big holiday shooter for 2012, so expect the game to be on full display. EA will probably do an onstage demo of some epic moment in the single player campaign.

Crysis 3

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Just announced this week, Crytek’s third installment in the Crysis series should see plenty of attention at E3. We’ll hopefully see a stage demo like we did with Crysis 2.

Battlefield 3 Close Quarters/Armored Kill DLC

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

EA’s current top shooter, Battlefield 3, is set to receive some major DLC before year’s end. While it may or may not make its way to a stage experience, I expect it to be on display somewhere at E3.

New Respawn Entertainment Game

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Could Happen

For those who don’t know, Respawn Entertainment is a new development studio built on the remnants of Infinity Ward (Call of Duty Modern Warfare). Since parting ways with Activision, the team has been working on a new sci-fi shooter in the vein of Halo [source]… maybe we’ll find out what that game is this year.

Overstrike

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

The makers of the PS3 exclusives Resistance, and Ratchet and Clank should be showing their multi-platform title, Overstrike at this year’s E3. Maybe we’ll get a release date too.

Dead Space 3

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: High

Rumors of Dead Space 3 being in development have been circulating for some time now [source], but should we expect an announcement at E3 this year? As a fan of the series, I sure hope so.

Update: Bumped up from “Could Happen” to High due to new info [source]

Dragon Age 3

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Good

No official announcement as of yet, but that’s what big events like E3 are for. The game has been rumored to be in the conceptual stage for some time now [source], so an announcement could be on the horizon.

Ryse

Platforms: XBOX 360 (Kinect) | Probability: High

While Crysis 3 may be the game getting the most attention for Crytek right now, the XBOX 360 exclusive Ryse shouldn’t be overlooked. This title should be on display at E3, but I expect even more at Gamescom.

Army of Four

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Could Happen

Rumor is the next installment in the Army of Two franchise is in development, and may be named Army of Four [source]… it would only be the third game in the series, but I’m guessing it has something to do with four player co-op. Anyway, as a big fan of co-op and the series, I hope to see an announcement.

New People Can Fly Project

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Could Happen

The makers of Bulletstorm, People Can Fly are apparently working on a new project [source]… they said it won’t be another Bulletstorm, so it’s probably a new IP.  I actually really liked Bulletstorm, if it had competitive online and hadn’t released the same day as Killzone 3 it may have done better… really fun game none the less.

Madden NFL 13

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

EA Sports will have their annual titles on show as always, and the Madden NFL franchise is one of their biggest, so expect to see it at the show.

FIFA 13

Platforms: All | Probability: High

The worlds biggest sporting title, FIFA 13 will probably be making its annual appearance at E3 2012. Maybe we’ll see some new features with next year’s installment.

NBA Live 13

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

The NBA Live series has been on hiatus for a while now, but the series is finally coming back to fill the void it left in the basketball genre. I expect the new and improved series to be showing off some new features at E3 this year.

NCAA Football 13

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Another big franchise under the EA Sports label, NCAA Football 13 will be on display somewhere at the show, considering its July release date, there will be plenty of information to get to the masses before launch.

NHL 13

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

Said to release in September, the EA Sports title NHL 13 will probably be on display somewhere at the show.

Sim City

Platforms: PC | Probability: Certain

Recently announced, Sim City is an interesting looking title which could re-invent the simulation genre it helped invent. Definitely one title I’ll be keeping my eye on this year.

The Secret World

Platforms: PC | Probability: Certain

With the beta for The Secret World starting in just a couple weeks, there will be plenty to discuss about this title by the time E3 comes around.

Last year, Konami decided to do a pre-recorded E3 even to avoid any of the odd moments from past E3 events (which kinda sucks because it was always fun to see what kind of weir shit happened). I expect them to do the same this year, because last year’s pre-recorded press event went very smooth compared to their live events. UPDATE: Konami has confirmed that they will have a pre-recorded E# press event this year. 

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Metal Gear Rising Revengeance is Konami’s biggest upcoming title currently announced, so expect to see a lot of information on the game including a gameplay demo and release date.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2013

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: High

Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer series will most likely make an appearance during Konami’s E3 (or pre-E3) press event. The direct competitor to EA’s FIFA series, PES is a huge franchise for Konami which makes an appearance highly likely.

New Castlevania

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: High

The producer of Castlevania: Lord of Shadows recently tweeted this… “Today and tomorrow I am in the land of Dracul… What am I doing there?? You will see….” [source]. Along with the tweet there is other evidence supporting a new Castlevania game is in the works making this prediction likely.

Silent Hill Book of Memories

Platforms: PlayStation Vita | Probability: High

Book of Memories was supposed to release for Vita around the same time as the HD collection did. Will we see it at E3?

New Contra

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Good

At the end of Konami’s pre-E3 presser last year, there appeared the Contra flaming C logo with the text “They’re Coming” underneath. Since then, there has been not a peep about the return of the Contra series, which leads me to believe that we will see an official announcement of the game at Konami’s E3 press event.

New Kojima Project

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Good

At last year’s pre-E3 event, Hideo Kojima showed off his new FOX Engine running a demonstration of a boy in the jungle. While he said he couldn’t announce what his next project is at the time, he assures us that he will be back with an announcement… so I expect one. But what will it be… Metal Gear Solid 5, a new Zone of the Enders, possibly a new IP? UPDATE: Info on a new Zone of the Enders project has surfaced with Kojima involved. [source]

Zone of the Enders HD

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Since the announcement of the Zone of the Enders HD collection, fans of the series have been chomping at the bit to get their hands on the titles. I expect to see more on the Collection at E3 2012.

Karaoke Joysound

Platforms: Wii | Probability: High

Singing games can be fun with a group of people, so Konami may bring their new karaoke title to the big show.

Lucasarts recently released Star Wars The Old Republic and Kinect Star Wars, leaving the publisher/developer with no games in the shoot. Will we get an announcement from LA at E3? Are they working on more titles in the Star Wars line, or new IPs… or both. It’s really difficult to get a bead on LA as they are as good at keeping secrets as Nintendo, but we do know that they will be at the show and that leads me to speculate.

Star Wars Battlefront III

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Could Happen

I have followed the drama behind this game more than any other this generation, and while I have seen its corpse strung across YouTube in leaked dev videos, I still have hope. Will it finally happen? Who knows, but I would be the first to pre-order if an announcement was made.

Wii U MMO

Platforms: Wii U | Probability: Could Happen

A category for a Wii U MMO from LucasArts has appeared on the E3 map from  mapyourshow.com [source].  Is this an error, or some kind of sick joke, or something beautiful destined to happen? If it is real, that brings up even more questions… it is The Old Republic coming to Wii U, or something else? If it is The Old Republic, will we see it on other HD consoles as well? If the map is correct, we’ll know something by E3.

*** Press Conference: Monday June 4th 9:30am PDT ***

Microsoft will be first to hold their press briefing at E3 2012 and hopefully have some surprise announcements to lay on us. While some have speculated that they may announce their next generation console this year, I do not see any reason why they would. With the Wii U releasing this holiday season in limited supply and suspected to be at a higher price point than the XBOX 360, Microsoft is in a good position to sell a lot of hardware over the holiday season when consumers aren’t able to find a Wii U, or want to stay within their budget, which leads me to my first bit of speculation concerning Microsoft…

XBOX 360 Price Drop

Probability: Good

As I mentioned above, the Wii U will be the must have holiday gaming item in short supply so many consumers will choose to buy another console due to the limited availability of the Wii U. If Microsoft can offer their console at a lower price, possibly with packages including Kinect and some games, consumers will gobble them up on Black Friday (pun intended). What would be a good price point? A $150 console with some sort of hard drive would be an incredible deal for anyone just stepping into this console generation… throw in an AAA exclusive title like Halo Reach and you have consoles flying off the shelves. Competition will be intense as the 360 hardware ages and a new console hits the market, so A price drop would be a very smart move on Microsoft’s part.

Halo 4

Platforms: XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Halo 4 will be Microsoft’s big exclusive at the show this year (source: Captain Obvious). I highly expect an onstage demo of some epic moment in the campaign.

Kinect Price Drop

Probability: Good

I know, I already talked about an XBOX 360 price drop… but a Kinect price drop is just as… or even more reasonable to speculate about. Dropping the price of the peripheral would be a smart move on the behalf of Microsoft and push many more units to support sales for all those Kinect games in development.

Forza Horizon

Platforms: XBOX 360 | Probability: High

The next installment in the Forza series, Forza Horizon should make an appearance at E3 this year. This will be the fourth installment in the series this generation and proves how important this franchise is to Microsoft.

Fable: The Journey

Platforms XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Fable: The Journey will most definitely be on display at E3 2012. The next installment in the Fable series will be an all new experience for fans of the series, featuring Kinect controls with a first person perspective.

Kinect Play Fit

Platforms: XBOX 360 | Probability: Could Happen

Rumors are circulating of accessories that will track Kinect player’s health progress across games [source]. No word on if this is real or not, but it sounds likely.

Kinect Sports 3: Summer Edition

Platforms: XBOX 360 | Probability: Could Happen

I have no actual evidence that this game is even in development, just a Wikipedia page with the title “Kinect Sports 3: Summer Edition” [source]. But seeing as the Kinect Sports franchise is the most successful series of games on Kinect outside Dance Central, it could happen.

Namco Bandai has a solid list of games in development, so what will we see at the show?

Ni No Kuni

Platforms: PS3 | Probability: High

Ni No Kuni has been getting a lot of attention, as we gamers wait for an epic JRPG this generation. Could Ni No Kuni be the game we’re waiting for? Hopefully we’ll see more at E3.

Inversion

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Seems like we’ve been waiting for Inversion for a long time now. I think this is a definite showing at this year’s show.

Tekken Tag Tournament 2

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

I was a big fan of Tekken Tag, and can’t wait to see more of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 at this year’s show. I’m interested to see if it will be coming to the Wii U too.

Star Trek

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

We got out first peek at Star Trek at last year’s show… hopefully we’ll see more this year.

One Piece: Pirate Warriors

Platforms: PS3 | Probability: Good

A fun looking, purely Japanese brawler, there’s a good chance the colorful cast of One Piece: Pirate Warriors will make its way to E3 2012.

Nintendo is one of the bests at keeping secrets until their stage show. I wouldn’t be surprised if their non-disclosure agreements included a “first born” clause. However, we can be certain that Nintendo will have a huge presence at E3 this year, with the Wii U being the talk of the show.

Wii U

Probability: Certain

Nintendo’s E3 2012press conference will be centered around their new console Wii U. There’s been plenty of speculation to fill the void of factual information Nintendo has left us with, but Nintendo will most certainly provide us with the following information at E3.

• Price
• Technical Specs
• System Features
• Release Date
• Launch Software
• Future Software
• Nintendo Online Network Details

1st Party Wii U Titles

Probability: Certain

What good is new hardware without Nintendo’s coveted first party software to sell systems? I expect plenty of announcement here. There will definitely be titles designed to use the feature set of the Wii U, possibly based off the demos shown at E2 last year. Nintendo may even include a compilation of these mini games with the Wii U system (pure speculation) for gamers to have something to play and test the feature set when they get the console home.

But Nintendo will need more than a mini game compilation to sell buyers on new hardware, so we can expect to see some other first party titles at Nintendo’s stage show. Most likely a full workable Super Mario Bros. Mii (shown at E3 2011) and Pikmin 3 which has been in development for some time [source] There will probably be other 1st party announcements to be had, but I don’t think Nintendo will go crazy and announce HD titles of all of their franchises in one shot… gotta save something for next year, but either a Zelda or Metroid announcement would be enough to blow the roof off the convention center.

3rd Party Wii U Titles

Probability: Certain

Getting support from third part publishers/developers is very important to Nintendo since they want to recapture the core gamers they may have lost with the Wii. Also, every pig third party publisher will be vying for an appearance on the Nintendo stage this year since it will be the focus of much attention, so I expect some big hitters shown here beyond what was announced at E3 last year.  We could even see some mega franchises like Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed and Bioshock on the Nintendo stage (pure speculation). But personally I’m more interested to see third party Wii U exclusives.

New Super Mario Brothers 2

Platforms: Nintendo 3DS | Probability: Certain

Just announced in late April, New Super Mario Brothers 2 for the Nintendo 3DS will surely be on display as it’s one of the biggest titles lined up for release on the handheld.

Luigi’s Mansion 2

Platforms: Nintendo 3DS | Probability: Certain

Announced at E3 2011, the second out for the original GameCube title will have to be at E3 2012… hopefully we’ll get a solid release date too.

Paper Mario 3DS

Platforms: Nintendo 3DS | Probability: High

Little has been heard about Paper Mario 3DS since it’s announcement, so hopefully we’ll finally get to see something on the game at E3.

Animal Crossing 3DS

Platforms: Nintendo 3DS | Probability: High

Anyone who’s played an Animal Crossing game knows what kind of addictive time sinks they are, so having a 3D version on the go is akin to having a mobile meth lab. Hope to hear all about this title at E3.

SEGA’s current list of games in development may not be the best on this blog post, but they do have some interesting titles to show at E3. Plus, we can always hope for some announcements along the way. Hopefully they’ll bring a couple announcements, but they may save some for Tokyo Game Show in September.

Aliens Colonial Marines

Platforms: PC, PS3, Wii U and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Aliens Colonial Marines is one of the few games already announced for the Wii U and will definitely be at the show. What I’m most interested in seeing is how the Wii U game compares to the other HD console versions as it will be one of the early titles we can get a comparison with.

Anarchy Reigns

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

The next title from Platinum Games (Bayonetta and Vanquish) will most definitely be on display at E3 2012. This game seems to be flying under everyone’s radar at the moment, but hopefully it will get plenty of exposure.

Bayonetta 2

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Could Happen

Rumors of Bayonetta 2 have been circulating for a while, and recent tweets from the maker of the first lead me to believe that the game is indeed in development, but I really don’t expect to see/hear anything about it at E2 2012… maybe at TGS.

Jet Set Radio

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

Fans of the Dreamcast classic ‘Jet Set Radio’ will hopefully get a peak at the upgraded HD version at this year’s E3.

Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

The next installment in the Virtua Fighter series, ‘Final Showdown’ will probably be on display at this years E3.

Hell Yeah: Wrath of the Dead Rabbit

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

Hell Yeah: Wrath of the Dead Rabbit is a downloadable action platformer set to hit PC and HD consoles this summer. I hope to see more just because the title is so awesome.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz

Platforms: PlayStation Vita | Probability: Good

Banana Blitz is the first Super Monkey Ball game to come to the PlayStation Vita so it will most likely be on display somewhere at the show considering Vita is still the newest released hardware on the market and the games implementing the Vita’s feature set are what people want to see.

Rhythm Thief and the Emperor’s Treasure

Platforms: Nintendo 3DS | Probability: Good

Another handheld title, but for the 3DS, Rhythm Thief and the Emperor’s Treasure should be on display at the show since it releases just a month after E3.

London 2012

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

London 2012: The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games should find a place at the SEGA booth. The game releases just a couple weeks after E3, so they’ll probably want to promote it.

*** Press Conference: Monday June 4th 6:00pm PDT ***

Anyone who thinks Sony is done with this generation only needs to look at their lineup of exclusive titles coming to the PS3 and they’ll see Sony is far from done. Like Nintendo, Sony had two platforms to talk about at their press event, so they’ve taken the approach of announcing titles before E3 to build hype and so that they don’t have to dedicate too much time making announcements and spend that time actually showing off the games. While Nintendo will receive a lot of attention because they have a new console at the show, Sony will probably have the most high profile exclusive titles to show.

God of War Ascension

Platforms: PS3 | Probability: Certain

Recently announced, God of War Ascension is a prequel to the GoW canon. Kratos is an icon within the Sony brand, and will certainly be at the show.

The Last of Us

Platforms: PS3 | Probability: Certain

Naughty Dog has spent this generation making the brilliant Uncharted series, so a new IP from the game maker will definitely be receiving some attention at the show.

Little Big Planet Karting

Platforms: PS3 | Probability: Certain

SackBoy has spent this generation becoming Sony’s Mario… so Media Molecule/United Front’s (ModNation) Little Big Planet Karting is set to be Sony’s Mario Kart.

Dust 514

Platforms: PS3 | Probability: Certain

CCP’s free-to-play FPS/MMO should make an appearance at the show. We’ve seen quite a bit of the title revealed in the past couple of months, but there’s still plenty if questions that need answering with a game this deep.

Sly Cooper Thieves in Time

Platforms: PS3 and PS Vita | Probability: Certain

Sly has had his HD remake and made cameos on the PS3, but ‘Thieves in Time’ will be his first all out outing on the hardware. Sly will definitely be at the show. UPDATE: Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time will be coming to PlayStation Vita as well as PS3. 

The Last Guardian

Platforms: PS3 | Probability: Could Happen

Relatively little has been seen of Team Ico’s ‘The Last Guardian’ since it was announced at E3 2009… reports of drama in the development of the game, and the lack of information leaves many of us wondering. Will we see The Last Guardian at this year’s press conference?

PlayStation 3 Price Drop

Probability: High

Could we see a PlayStation 3 price drop at E3 2012? I can’t be certain, but it just seems like the right time for Sony to break that $200 barrier which keeps some people at bay. As I said in the Microsoft section of the article, the Wii U will be in short supply this holiday season, and probably cost over $300 leaving consumers to grab the console which is in stock and within their budget… a $200 or less PS3 would be just what the doctor ordered.

Warrior’s Lair

Platforms: PlayStation Vita and PS3 | Probability: Good

Formerly titled Ruin, Warrior’s Lair has had some drama during the development process, having development stripped from Idol Minds and taken over by Sony San Diego. Hopefully this hasn’t slowed down the game’s progress and we get to see it at E3 this year.

New Guerrilla Games Title

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Could Happen

Guerrilla games is working on something… could we hear about it this year? Could it be Killzone 4? Could it be a new IP? Hopefully we’ll find out soon.

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

Platforms: PS3 | Probability: Certain

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale… the title just rolls off the tongue (sarcasm alert). Announced recently on GTTV, the game is confirmed to be at E3 2012 and has a holiday 2012 release date. Basically a clone of Nintendo’s Super Smash Brothers, Battle Royale will be all kinds of fun with the Sony catalog to work with.

Until Dawn

Platforms: PS3 | Probability: Could Happen

This rumor goes back almost a year… Until Dawn is a rumored horror game using PlayStation Move. It could be announced at E3 this year, but I’m not gonna get all worked up if it doesn’t… even with my new found love for Move. [source]

Little Big Planet Vita

Platforms: PS Vita | Probability: Certain

Little Big Planet Vita is a huge title for the PlayStation Vita, so I expect it to be representing LBP along side LBP Karting for the PS3.

Ratchet and Clank Collection

Platforms: PS3 | Probability: High

Since Sony released it’s first HD Collection a couple years back, the demand has been high for more PS2 classics to get the same treatment. With two of Sony’s biggest icons getting an HD makeover, will we see the duo at E3 2012… chances are certainly good.

Gravity Rush

Platforms: PS Vita | Probability: Certain

Gravity Rush is scheduled to launch just a week after the show, so it should be well on display.

Killzone Vita

Platforms: PlayStation Vita | Probability: Good

We know the game is in development, but aside from that, we have seen relatively little… hope it shows up at the show with some gameplay.

Papo & Yo

Platforms: PS3 | Probability: Certain

We got introduced to the freaky ass trailer for the downloadable title Papo & Yo last E3, maybe this year we’ll get to see some gameplay. UPDATE: Probability updated to “Certain” as I have conformation the game will be at E3 2012… the game looks so interesting after finally seeing some gameplay. [source]

The Unfinished Swan

Platforms: PS3 | Probability: Certain

A PSN title from Giant Sparrow and Sony Santa Monica, The Unfinished Swan has an interesting concept as a first person painting game. I highly expect this game to be on display around the Sony booth.

Square Enix has a good looking lineup for the show. While I’m excited to see titles like Tomb Raider and Hitman Absolution, I’m more interested in if we are going to get any surprise announcements. Like always, there’s plenty of speculation swirling about regarding SE at E3, but I son’t expect too many of those rumors to be true.

Tomb Raider

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

The new reboot of the Tomb Raider series was shown at E3 last year leaving many of us to pick up our jaws off the floor. Tomb Raider will have to be on display again this year.

Hitman Absolution

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

A lot of people have been waiting for a Hitman title this console generation so I expect Absolution to be on display and getting plenty of attention.

Sleeping Dogs

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Originally titled True Crime: Hong Kong and set to be published by Activision, the game has since been renames and handed over to Square Enix for publishing. With drama like that in the development process, Sleeping Dogs is definitely a title I want to see.

Kingdom Hearts 3D (Dream Drop Distance)

Platforms: Nintendo 3DS | Probability: High

The Kingdom Hearts series has a mass cult following, so for it not make it’s way to E3 would be highly unlikely.

Heroes of Ruin

Platforms: Nintendo 3DS | Probability: High

Another big title for the small screen, Heroes of Ruin should find plenty of eager souls to see what Square Enix has planned for the 3DS.

Final Fantasy X HD

Platforms: PS3 and PS Vita | Probability: Could Happen

In September of 2011 we got the announcement that Final Fantasy X was being remastered in HD for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita… will we finally get to see something of the game almost a year after the announcement?

Thief 4

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Could Happen

It was announced that Thief 4 was in development back in 2009… since then, we have heard absolutely nothing. With Deus Ex Human Revolution out of the way, will we hear something from Eidos Montreal about Thief?

Final Fantasy XIV

Platforms: PS3 | Probability: Could Happen

Final Fantasy XIV has been out for quite some time now on PC, but is still scheduled to make its way to the PS3 as far as I know… will we hear something at E3 2012?

Final Fantasy XIII Versus

Platforms: PS3 | Probability: Could Happen

Final Fantasy XIII versus was originally announced at  E3 2006, and since then we’ve seen and heard very little about the game. Could this finally be the year we get some information on the most highly anticipated Final Fantasy title this console generation?

Catacombs

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Just announced today (04.30.12), the FPS/RPG Catacombs will be at E3 2012. [source]

Take-Two Interactive is confirmed to be at the show. While it’s not like Rockstar to be on display at E3, they have had announcements at the show from time to time. Will they have some information to share on Grand Theft Auto V at the this year’s E3? Who knows, but I bet they’ll be spitting out information on GTAV via their blog after Max Payne 3 releases this May. Even if GTAV isn’t on display at the show, Take-Two’s family of developers have plenty of other titles to show off.

Bioshock Infinite

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Irrational is back at the helm of the beloved Bioshock series, and the game is looking like one of the best of the year… so it will definitely be all over the show. Could a Wii U version be in the works (speculation)?

Borderlands 2

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Borderlands open gameplay and beautiful art style earned it a good following, and Borderlands 2 is high on the list of many a gamer, so expect to see more at E3 2012.

Spec Ops The Line

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Seems first person shooters have been the main attraction this generation, so it’s refreshing to see a third person shooter come along every once in a while. Spec Ops The Line will surely be at E3 considering it launches just a couple weeks after the show.

XCOM

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Good

XCOM has been talked about for quite a while now. At last year’s E3 it got a big showing with a gameplay demo… will it be back at this year’s E3? Probably.

Grand Theft Auto V

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Could Happen

As I said earlier, it’s not really in Rockstars character to show GTA games at E3. But it doesn’t mean some surprise announcement is out of the question. I’d keep an eye on the Rockstar blog around E3 time for more information.

NBA 2K13

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

With EA bring back their basketball franchise for 2013, 2K Sports will probably want to have their game on display since there will be competition again.

There have been many rumors circulating about THQ lately regarding whether the  company will even be around in its present form come E3 2012. I don’t know how much weight these rumors carry, so I’m going to stick with the position that THQ will be at E3 and will have plenty of games to show. UPDATE: I have received that THQ will be at E3, but will not have a major presence as in previous years… I cannot confirm that this is due to financial issues within the company, but one would suspect. 

Darksiders II

Platforms: PS3, Wii U and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Darksiders II is THQ’s biggest game fixing to hit the market for the holiday season, so it will certainly be on display at the show.

inSANE

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Good

In case you haven’t heard of inSANE (it’s understandable), it is the game currently being made in partnership with Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth). We’ve basically seen/heard nothing since the game’s announcement, so it would be nice to get some info at E3, but I’m not holding my breath.

Homefront 2

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Could Happen

The first Homefront had an interesting plot with so much potential, but fell short in my opinion. With the former Free Radical Design, now Crytek UK rumored to be developing, can the series become more than just a mediocre shooter? I hope we hear more at E3.

Saint’s Row: The Third Enter the Dominatrix

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Enter the Dominatrix is a stand alone expansion of the Saints Row series, and will be on display.

Devil’s Third

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Not Happening 

Tomonobu Itagaki’s (Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive), Devil’s Third was announced quite some time ago but little has been seen or heard since them. Will we see it at E3? It better show up or I’ll be having doubts as if the game is still being made. UPDATE: New information has surfaced saying that THQ is dropping Devil’s Third [source]. 

South Park The Game

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

Creating a role-playing game using the South Park license, seems like the perfect money maker, so this game needs to up and going if THQ is in as much financial trouble as the media makes them out to be.

Metro Last Light

Platforms: PC, PS3, Wii U and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Metro Last Light is another title which is scheduled to appear on Wii U as well as other HD consoles, so it will definitely get some attention considering 3rd party titles on all HD systems will be scrutinized to see how the Wii U fits into this generation… oh, and the game looks cool too.

*** Press Conference: Monday June 4th 3:00pm PDT ***

Ubisoft is set up to have their best software line-up for E3 ever. I can’t remember a time when Ubi had such a solid line-up for core gamers. They will be third to hold their press conference, sammiched between EA and Sony but Ubi won’t have any problem holding their own with games like this…

Assassin’s Creed 3

Platforms: PC, PS3, Wii U and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Assassin’s Creed III is the fifth installment in the series since its inception this console generation, and people still can’t get enough. AC III is also Ubi’s most high profile game, and can be expected to be on display all over E3. I wouldn’t be surprised if the game made an appearance on the stage of one of the big three… possibly even on Nintendo’s stage.

Far Cry 3

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

The Far Cry series is really special among shooters with it’s vast open campaign offering more variety than just about any other FPS, and tight fast paced online multiplayer, it’s got all types of players covered. Expect to see those beautiful blood filled oceans at E3. I highly expect an intense on stage demo.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6: Patriots 

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

Ubi announced this game a bit earlier than planned, due to the high probability that the game was going to be leaked anyway. Had it not been leaked, it probably would have been announced at this year’s E3, so I expect to see something.

Brothers In Arms: Furious 4

Platforms: PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

A reinventing of the Brothers In Arms series, Furious 4 should be on display around the show. Ubi will want to get fans of the series to get all the info on how the game is changing, and make some new fans with the new direction.

Ghost Recon Online

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Good

Ghost Recon Online is an interesting title, even with Future Soldier already being on the market before E3. It’s interesting because it was shown as a Wii U title at last year’s E3 as will as a PC title. Hopefully we’ll see more at E3 2012.

Mad Riders

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

Mad Riders looks like a cross between MotorStorm and SSX… basically, it looks like a shit ton of fun. We should see more at E3. Games like this are perfect for kiosk displays, as they don’t have a huge learning curve and are easily played in short bursts, so I expect to see in available for play at the Ubi booth.

Rayman Legends

Platforms: Unknown | Probability: Certain

A leaked ad for Rayman Legends recently appeared on YouTube [source]. It’s definitely coming to the Wii U with exclusive content, but does that mean it’s coming to other HD consoles? Probably.

Skyrim Kinect Support

Platforms: XBOX 360 (Kinect) | Probability: High

Bethesda has announced that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for the XBOX 360 will be receiving Kinect support via download. This will definitely be something both Bethesda and Microsoft will want to show off, so I wouldn’t doubt seeing it on the Microsoft stage.

Skyrim Dawnguard DLC

Platforms: XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Just announced today (05.01.12), Skyrim’s first DLC will be titles ‘Dawnguard’ and will appear at E3 2012. So far it is only listed for XBOX 360, but unless it is only meant to be used with the Kinect, I see no reason it wouldn’t be coming to PC and PS3. It could also be timed exclusive DLC.

The Elder Scrolls Online

Platforms: PC | Probability: Certain

Just recently announced, The Elder Scrolls Online, an MMO based on The Elder Scrolls universe will be at E3 2012.

Dishonored

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: Certain

Just this week, we got a cinematic trailer for Dishonored and it was very exciting to watch to say the least. If the gameplay is half as epic as the trailer, we’re in for a treat. I highly expect to see more at this year’s E3.

Prey 2

Platforms: PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 | Probability: High

We have been assured that Prey 2 is still in development, even though we haven’t seen of heard anything in quite some time… hopefully we’ll get an update at this year’s E3.

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