E3 2018 is nearly upon us. The show formally kicks off on Tuesday, June 12, but as in recent years, many big-name publishers will host their own press conferences in the days leading up to the event. Nintendo's will once again take the form of a pre-recorded Direct-style video presentation, which is scheduled to air at 9 AM PT / 12 PM PT / 5 PM BST, just before E3 proper begins.
As usual, the company has been fairly secretive about its plans heading into this year's E3. Outside of confirming that Super Smash Bros. for Switch will play a prominent role both in its presentation and on the show floor, Nintendo hasn't announced any of the titles it plans on showcasing at the expo. However, we do know that the aforementioned video presentation won't be the extent of its plans for E3 2018.
Once again, Nintendo will follow its E3 briefing with a series of Treehouse Live streams, which will air each of the three days the expo runs. Additionally, Nintendo will host competitive esports tournaments for Super Smash Bros. Switch and Splatoon 2, the latter of which is set to receive a big, paid DLC expansion this summer. The Splatoon 2 World Championship begins on Monday, June 11, with the finals taking place on June 12. The Super Smash Bros. Invitational 2018 tournament will kick off shortly afterward and features well-known competitive Smash players from around the world.
Aside from that, however, we have little idea of what to expect from Nintendo at E3. The company has said that its presentation will focus primarily on games launching soon, so we'll get a much clearer idea of what its release schedule for Switch will be through the end of the year. It seems likely that we'll learn more about some of the titles that were announced at last year's E3, such as Metroid Prime 4 and Yoshi. We may also see more of the recently revealed Pokemon RPGs for Switch: Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eeevee.
Whatever the case, we won't have to wait much longer to find out. Nintendo will broadcast its E3 2018 presentation on its YouTube and Twitch channels. GameSpot will also host a stream of the briefing, so you can tune in right here on June 12 to follow along with all of Nintendo's big announcements.
The Dragon Ball FighterZ roster continues to grow, as two more DLC characters have arrived for the Dragon Ball fighting game. Fused Zamasu and Super Saiyan Blue Vegito are both now available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and they can be purchased either individually or as part of the Dragon Ball FighterZ season pass.
Both Fused Zamasu and Super Saiyan Blue Vegito are fused warriors who appear in Dragon Ball Super. Fused Zamasu is one of the series' major antagonists and is the resulting fusion of Goku Black and the evil Supreme Kai Zamasu. In contrast to other characters on the roster, some of his special attacks give him the ability to fly freely through the air.
Vegito, meanwhile, is the fused form of Goku and Vegeta. His special, the Final Kamehameha, is a combination of Vegeta's Final Flash and Goku's signature Kamehamha. He's also a very brash and confident fighter, which is reflected in his moveset; in his reveal trailer, he can be seen casually throwing kicks with his arms crossed. You can see both characters in action in the trailer below.
Like the first pair of DLC characters for Dragon Ball FighterZ, Broly and Bardock, Fused Zamasu and Vegito can be downloaded individually for $5 / £4 / $7.55 AU apiece. Those who've purchased the game's season pass, meanwhile, will receive both fighters at no additional charge. As before, each character also comes with his own Lobby avatar and Z Stamp.
The Dragon Ball FighterZ season pass runs for $35 US / £22 / $40.95 AU. It gives players access to eight DLC characters upon their release. Thus far, four additional characters have been revealed, leaving another four unannounced fighters still on the way for the game, although publisher Bandai Namco hasn't hinted when they'll arrive.
The Incredibles came out in 2004. That's four years before Iron Man came out and jump-started the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Before then, superhero and comics-based movies were far more hit-or-miss; 2004 also saw the release of Hellboy (beloved) and Catwoman (less so).
It's now 2018, and the entire entertainment landscape looks very different thanks to the current superhero renaissance. It's into this new era that Pixar is launching Incredibles 2, and that presents no shortage of challenges, according to director Brad Bird.
"It's kind of like going out to the football field, and there's been way too many games on it, and there's kind of this dried dirt with a few sprigs of grass and everything's kind of clunky. Life doesn't grow there anymore," Bird said during a recent press conference at Pixar's headquarters in Emeryville, California. "There's that aspect where you feel like, 'Oh, Jesus, it's really been covered.'"
Bird compared superhero movies now to westerns around the middle of the 20th century. "If you had a television, 95% of what was on was a western," he said. "We're in that phase a little bit, and it makes it very challenging on a story level, because not only do you have every superhero under the sun and cross-promoting films and blah blah blah, but you also have a bunch of television shows...It's easy to freak out and go, 'Well, why even try?'"
He said he ultimately returned to what makes The Incredibles unique: the idea of a family of superheroes living in a world in which they have to hide their powers. And he said they found plenty there to explore still.
"When we were trying to sell the idea of the first Incredibles, one of the criticisms of it was, 'Well, what is it? Is it a family movie, is it a spy movie, is it a superhero movie? What is it? What is it? You gotta pick one,'" said Incredibles 2 producer John Walker. "And I think that's been the strength of both the films, is that they are all those things, and that isn't rooted in just the superhero genre."
Bird said they aren't necessarily trying to cater only to fans of the original or please any one group of fans.
"I think that it's really distracting to think of that, if you think about pleasing an audience that has no definition--it's old, it's young, it's east, west, north, south, conservatives, liberals, you know? Everyone in between. If you try to think about pleasing that--and what will they like two years from now? I mean, you just will curl up into a fetal ball and never come out of your room," he said. "The better way to think about it is, 'I'm going in to a darkened movie theater, the curtains are opening, and I'm seeing what? What do I want to see?'"
"I feel comfortable answering that question, rather than, 'What will audiences like? What will critics like? What did they like about the last one? And do I do it again because they like it or do I try to surprise them?'" he continued. "And the answer is a little bit of both. You want the characters to feel consistent; you want the world to feel consistent, but you don't want to be able to know what's going to happen next. So that's the challenge, and it's not an easy challenge to meet, but it definitely is your job if you're making films."
As Walker, the producer, pointed out, it's taken them 14 years to get this sequel made, which "suggests that we took the challenge seriously."
"There's a saying in the business that I can't stand, where they go, 'You don't make another one, you're leaving money on the table,'" Bird replied. "And it's like, Jesus, money on the table's not what makes me get up in the morning. Making something that people are going to enjoy 100 years from now is what gets me up. So if it were a cash grab we would not have taken 14 years. It makes no financial sense to wait this long. It's sheerly we had a story we wanted to tell."
Incredibles 2 is coming out 14 years after the original, yet the sequel picks up the story exactly where the original left off, with a villain known as The Underminer bursting through the ground and forcing the family into action. That makes this movie unique in the contemporary world of long-awaited follow-ups, and Incredibles 2 director Brad Bird explained exactly why in a recent press conference held at Pixar Studios in Emeryville, California.
"I thought about aging everybody the way everybody does, and then I thought, 'No, that sucks,'" Bird said. "So that's about as deep as it went."
When the X-Files returned to Fox after a decade and a half off the air, 14 years had passed in Mulder and Scully's world. When we caught up with Han Solo and General Leia in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, decades had gone by. They'd had a kid, gotten old, and grown apart. Bird didn't want to make any similar concessions for Incredibles 2--he wanted to spend more time with these characters as they were when we left them. And thanks to The Incredibles being animated, that was possible, although they had to replace a few voice actors.
That desire to revisit these characters just as they were stems from the way he originally conceived of the first Incredibles movie, Bird said.
"When I first had the idea, I went to a comic book shop and thought, 'I've got to think up new powers.' And after about a half an hour and the comic book shop, I realized every power has been done by somebody, somewhere," Bird described. "Right after that little epiphany, I realized that I'm not very interested in the powers. That's not the part that interests me. What interests me is the idea of having a family and having there be a reason to hide the powers."
If they were to jump 14 years in the future--the original Incredibles came out in 2004--Dash would have graduated from college and Violet would be around 30 years old. Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl would be going grey. Even if they didn't stretch the gap for the full 14 years--if, say, they put Violet in college and Dash in high school--Bird said he wouldn't be interested.
Concept art showing the Underminer fight in Incredibles 2
Besides, it would ruin their whole concept for Jack-Jack, the youngest member of the Incredible family. Bird said he gave each family member powers based on their stereotypical role in the traditional, nuclear family; "Men are always expected to be strong, so I had Bob have super strength," he said. "Women, or mothers, are always pulled in a million different directions, so I had her be elastic. Teenagers are insecure and defensive so I had Violet have force fields and invisibility. Ten year olds are energy balls that can't be stopped. And babies are unknowns; maybe they have no powers, maybe they have all powers."
The reveal at the end of the first movie that Jack-Jack is a "Swiss Army knife" of superpowers reminded Bird of the idea that babies can grasp multiple languages more easily than adults, and aging Jack-Jack would ruin that.
"That idea changes if you age the characters up," the director said. "And the insight into those periods of your life and those particular perspectives disappear once you age them up."
"I'm not interested in a college age Jack-Jack. I'm just not," he continued. "It stays more iconic if everyone kind of situates themselves."
Plenty of animated shows and features have chosen this route, as Bird pointed out. "I also was on the first eight seasons of the Simpsons, and that's worked out rather well for them, so I'll stick with that," he said.
When Incredibles 2 hits theaters on June 15, audiences will get to see exactly what happens after The Underminer bursts through the ground to attack the city of Metroville. Given how directly the story will continue in this sequel, it's safe to assume the Incredibles will rise to meet him.
It looks like Borderlands could be getting a new lease on life. The RPG shooter first came out in 2009 on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, but now it may be coming to current-gen consoles as well in the form of a Game of the Year edition.
Gematsu reports the Korean Game Ratings Board has rated a title called Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition. While the game hasn't been officially announced, the news indicates a remaster is coming on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, in South Korea at least. This would mark the first time Borderlands has been re-released, unlike its sequels Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, which were remastered in Borderlands: The Handsome Collection in 2015.
In GameSpot's review of Borderlands, Chris Watters gave the game an 8/10 and praised its satisfying gunplay, tons of items and rewards, unique playable characters, and distinct art style in a sci-fi setting. "Though the core action doesn't change drastically over the course of the game, it is woven together in such a way that once it ensnares you, you'll want nothing more than to plunge into Pandora at any chance you get," said Watters.
"Combat is satisfying, and upgrading your skills and equipment is engaging. The constant stream of loot and experience is rewarding, and sharing it with some friends makes the experience that much richer and more exciting."
In other Borderlands news, developer Gearbox says, despite rumors, a game called "Borderlands 3" will not be shown at E3 2018. There have been many hints that another Borderlands sequel is in the works, which leaves the statement up for interpretation and the possibility that the game is simply not called that. Here's everything we know and want from Borderlands 3 at E3 2018.
E3 2018 promises to bring news on lots of big games, and EA's Battlefield V is definitely one we're excited to learn more about. Following the game's announcement earlier this month, EA and developer DICE plan to talk a lot more about it next month at E3. In this feature we're rounding up important details about the game including what we know about it so far, what's confirmed for E3, and what we hope to see from the game at the show. Here we go!
What We Know So Far
After weeks of rumors, EA officially announced Battlefield V during a livestream event in May. As suspected, the game is set during World War II, and it sounds like it builds on what made Battlefield 1 so great with its own set of exciting new features. Starting with what's on everyone's mind--the game has no loot boxes and all the maps will be free. EA is ditching the Premium Pass model of past games in favour of giving players access to maps and modes for free as part of an ongoing service model called Turning Tides. This is great news because it means no longer will players get separated based on DLC ownership. It's a smart move on EA's part because it will theoretically keep people in the game more--and spending more. EA is no charity, and you can still spend real money on cosmetics to create a unique-looking character. There are loads of new features in Battlefield V, including the ability to shoot grenades out of mid-air or drag a downed soldier out of the line of fire to heal them in a safer environment.
Battlefield is known for its destruction, and this is a big deal in Battlefield V, but also new for the franchise is the ability to fortify your encampments with things like a sandbag wall or by building a stationary weapon. One of the more intriguing new additions for Battlefield V is the Grand Operations mode. Building on Operations from Battlefield 1, Grand Operations are bigger and more involved multiplayer skirmishes that play out across multiple stages and modes--and there are rewards up for grabs. In addition to all the multiplayer updates and changes, DICE remains focused on single-player modes, too. Little is known about the campaign, but we know it'll be playable in co-op (the first time since Battlefield 3), and it will tell stories that "may be unfamiliar to players" instead of the well-known ones from Battlefield 1942. At least one of the War Stories will take place in Norway, with a narrative following a young Norwegian soldier fighting to stay alive during the German occupation. In what sounds like a refreshing, more unique take on war games, Battlefield V will offer War Stories from the perspective of saving your family members as opposed to saving the world.
What's Confirmed For E3
Being one of EA's biggest upcoming games, Battlefield V is expected to have a major presence during the publisher's E3 2018 briefing, EA Play. The game will be playable at EA's showcase, which is good news for fans who don't want to wait until October or the open beta. EA Play takes place at the Hollywood Palladium from June 9-11. You can find details about how to register for the event and buy a ticket here on EA's website. If you can't make it to the show, you can rest easy knowing GameSpot will have lots of news stories, previews, and gameplay videos for Battlefield V, so keep checking back for those.
What We Hope To See At E3
While EA and DICE have already shown off Battlefield V and offered the first details during the reveal event, we are hoping to see lots more of the WWII shooter at E3. EA would be smart to show off actual gameplay to help players understand what it looks like to shoot a grenade out of mid-air or pull a downed soldier to safety.
There are no loot boxes in Battlefield V, and we hope to see EA address this decision and stress to players that the game will not go down a pay-to-win path with the items it does allow you to buy with real money. Given what happened with Star Wars: Battlefront II, this will be front of mind for many, and EA would be smart to address this right away.
We also hope EA and DICE shine a light on Battlefield V's campaign, which could be one of its more intriguing elements. The story mode in Battlefield 1 did a fantastic job of showcasing lesser-known elements and locations from the Great War. World War II as a historical event has already been covered extensively in film and games, so it's refreshing to hear DICE plans to show off more intimate stories of how the war affected everyday people. At E3, we hope to see and learn more about the stories DICE plans to tell and the places the game will take players.
The Battlefield franchise is known for its impressive sense of scale--and it sounds like Battlefield V is going bigger than ever with its Grand Operations multiplayer mode. We hope to see EA discuss this mode at greater length and in more detail to help players get an idea for what this all about and why they should be excited.
San Andreas was originally available on the first Xbox, so both the Xbox and Xbox 360 versions will be compatible. Save games from the original Xbox release won't transfer, but owners will get a free upgrade to the 360 version, complete with all its enhancements. Midnight Club and its Complete Edition add-ons will be available.
Xbox One has been adding new backwards compatible games at a regular pace. Recently it addedSaints Row and Gat Out of Hell, along with Toybox Turbos. All that has combined to create a hefty and growing list of legacy games that are playable on the new hardware.
San Andreas may be best remembered for the "Hot Coffee" controversy. A sex scene had been planned for the game but was taken out of the final release. The scene itself, though, remained buried in the code and was uncovered by modders on PC. The reaction from advocacy groups was fierce and eventually led to the game being re-rated by the ESRB as Adults Only. The scene is inaccessible on Xbox systems, but technically the original release is still listed as an AO game on the ESRB website.
By Anonymous on May 31, 2018 11:22 pm Take-Two's CEO talks about possible Red Dead Redemption 2 DLC on PS4 and Xbox One, while Rage 2 developer Avalanche Studios gets bought up.
Every year for E3, the entire GameSpot crew get to wear some cool, custom-designed t-shirts. They're like band shirts, but without the band. And they really only come out once a year. This band analogy is quickly falling apart, but you can tell how long someone has worked at GameSpot by the number of classic E3 t-shirts they have in their wardrobe.
This year for both our booth design and official show shirt we partnered with designer Geo Law, who created so many cool concepts that we wanted to share them with our GameSpot family! While we'll be wearing these shirts at the show, these limited edition, E3 2018-exclusive designs will only be available for purchase to the general public at our online GameSpot storefront here.
These shirts will only be available for a limited time, so act now if you want to get a piece of E3 that will make all your friends say, "Cool shirt, where's it from?" Then you can lie and say, "I got it at E3 2018!" And use the promo code "GameSpotE3" for free shipping on any orders within the US.
E3 2018 is nearly upon us, meaning the world is getting ready to hear more about their most anticipated games for the rest of the year and beyond. Apart from further insights about the big games still to come this year--such as Battlefield V, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and Red Dead Redemption 2--E3 typically offers a chance for games publishers to announce new projects.
What does that mean? Rumors, of course--and often leaks, too. The internet never lets us down in this department, and with an event as big as E3 just around the corner, now is prime time for this stuff to get out (or be fabricated!). We already saw Walmart Canada leak a bunch of unannounced games--some real, some we're less sure about--but there may well be more leaks on the way before announcement season kicks off with EA Play.
Following that, many of the industry's major publishers will hold their own conferences and events, including Sony and its PlayStation media briefing. The PS4 press conference starts on June 11 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET (2 AM BST / 11 AM AET on June 12), and we already know we'll learn more about Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima, Spider-Man, and The Last of Us: Part II.
This year's E3 unofficially gets underway with EA's pre-E3 event, EA Play, on June 9. That will be followed by press conferences from numerous other companies, which is where the bulk of E3's news will be revealed. For now though, check out our roundup of all the rumors and leaks that pertain to the world of PlayStation.
E3 2018 Rumors For PS4
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
A new Assassin's Creed was among the games seemingly leaked by Walmart Canada. Although that retailer listing was very non-specific--it didn't include a subtitle or number--we've now heard what could be the title for such a game. According to JeuxVideo, which reportedly received a photo of a collectible keychain, the new game is called Assassin's Creed Odyssey. The keychain itself consists of a helmet resembling one from Ancient Greece, perhaps indicating that will be the setting for the new game.
New Assassin's Creed, Just Cause 4, And More
Many of the expectations for E3 2018 were set in one go. Retailers have been known to leak things from time to time, but Walmart's Canadian website seemed to potentially spoil quite a lot with a single leak. Listings for numerous unannounced games went online in May, including Rage 2, a new Assassin's Creed, Dragon Quest 2, and Just Cause 4.
The sheer number, combined with some typos--such as Forza "Horizons" 5, rather than what would be the series' next game, Forza Horizon 4--made it all seem unlikely. However, Bethesda had an unusual response to the whole situation, and soon after we learned that Rage 2 is real (and since then, Lego DC Super-Villains). Two games from this list turning out to be legitimate doesn't mean the others are anything but placeholders or errors, but it does lend some credence to the possibility of them being real.
Borderlands Getting PS4, Xbox One, PC Re-Release
We know a new Borderlands is eventually coming, whether it's called Borderlands 3 or something else. Gearbox denies it'll be at E3, and publisher 2K recently delayed an unannounced game, which could be that Borderlands title. But it looks as if E3 might not be completely devoid of Borderlands news, as the Korean ratings board has listed Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. While not official by any means, ratings board leaks are often a reliable source. Given the timing, we might just hear about this project at E3.
A New Splinter Cell Will Be Revealed
Another game mentioned in the Walmart Canada leak was something simply titled Splinter Cell. This might also turn out to be nothing but a placeholder, but Ubisoft itself has certainly set fans up to expect some kind of news related to the franchise before long. Following Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot's comments last year, the company released a Splinter Cell-themed update for Ghost Recon Wildlands earlier this year. That not only set up the potential plot for a new Splinter Cell, but it marked the return of beloved Sam Fisher voice Michael Ironside--and it doesn't seem like a stretch to think Ubisoft brought him in for more than just a small cameo.
Fallout 76 was revealed right before E3, and fans are understandably excited to dive back into the series' trademark post-apocalyptic wasteland. It might not be what you've come to expect from the open-world RPG franchise, however, as Kotaku's sources report it will be have online-based survival elements in a similar fashion to Rust or DayZ. Bethesda said we'll be hearing more at E3, so we'll surely find out more soon.
Cyberpunk 2077 (Or Another CD Projekt Red Game) Will Be There
We know CD Projekt Red, the developer of the Witcher series and the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, is attending E3. A listing on the official E3 website earlier this year suggested the studio would be there to show off an RPG, although that was later removed. The company has not yet announced its plans for the event--if it has anything to publicly show at all--but fans have their fingers crossed that Cyberpunk (or the studio's other triple-A RPG) will finally be revealed properly.
Predictions And Confirmed Games
For more on what might show up at E3, check out our predictions for each of the major platforms. You can also see all of the games that have been confirmed for the show through the links below.
The long-awaited reboot of the classic '90s movie The Crow has stalled once again. The film was only a few weeks away from the start of production in Budapest, with Aquaman actor Jason Momoa set to star as the iconic comic book character. However, it has now been reported that both Momoa and director Corin Hardy have left the project over creative and financial issues.
According to Deadline, Momoa and Hardy quit following disagreements between Davis Films, the company which owns the rights to the property, and Sony Pictures, which was set to distribute it. Sony came on board back in September, but Deadline states that the deal between the two companies was never finalized. With Davis Films boss Samuel Hadida reportedly unable to close the deal, Sony was preparing to leave the project, leading to the departure of Momoa and Hardy.
This is just the latest in a long line of delays and problems for the Crow reboot. The movie was first set to start shooting in 2015, but original rights holders Relativity Media went bankrupt before this could happen. Another attempt to make it followed, but that also stalled, and Davis Films acquired the rights in 2016.
Hardy and Momoa had been attached to the project for several years, and earlier this year a release date of March 2019 was officially announced, leading many to believe that the movie might finally happen. However, with the film now lacking a star, director, and distributor, it is unclear what the cinematic future of The Crow is.
The Crow first appeared on the screen in 1994, and was adapted from James O'Barr's comic book. The film was a critical and financial hit, but it was overshadowed by the accidental death of star Brandon Lee on set. Three critically panned sequels followed--The Crow: City of Angels, The Crow: Salvation, and The Crow: Wicked Prayer.
Starting a day early--May 31--Amazon and Twitch Prime members can now download their free games for June 2018. To collect your freebies, just click the crown-shaped Prime Loot icon next to the search bar on Twitch. That opens a drop-down menu containing your free games.
Kicking off the freebies is Strafe, a gory first-person shooter that wouldn't look out of place in 1996. It's a fast-paced roguelike-inspired game with procedurally generated levels and tons of blood-spilling weapons. Next up are The Banner Saga and The Banner Saga 2, tactical RPGs about a Viking caravan trekking through a world inspired by Norse mythology. The many decisions you'll have to make will determine your success or failure.
Also included is Tumblestone, a puzzle game you can play alone or with friends that involves clearing out columns of colorful blocks. Last up is Treadnauts, a side-scrolling arena battle game in which you and some buddies control nimble tanks trying to blow each other up.
Twitch Prime is a perk for members of Amazon Prime. All you have to do to sign up is link your Amazon Prime account to your Twitch account. Once you do, you can download all five games for no cost between May 31 - July 1. They're yours to keep forever, even if you cancel Amazon Prime down the line. The only catch is that you need the Twitch desktop app to install them.
Other Twitch Prime benefits include free monthly in-game loot for popular games like Fortnite and Heroes of the Storm, ad-free viewing on Twitch, and a channel subscription every 30 days.
While PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is off suing Fortnite for copyright infringement, a new patch has landed on PUBG's PC servers, introducing a host of changes, tweaks, and bug fixes. Some of these changes come in the form of the effectiveness of throwables (i.g. frag grenades, Molotovs, and stun grenades), a nerf of the M24 sniper, and a new anti-cheat mechanism.
With this new patch update, frag grenades see a damage and radius buff, Molotovs have an increased area of effect and will explode when shot mid-air, and stun grenades will impair players more effectively. The M24 was nerfed, removed from care package drops, and added to the world's loot spawn system, making it a viable alternative to the Kar98K bolt action rifle.
In addition to the anti-cheat tech--which is "currently only on the test servers [until] additional testing is complete," according to the patch notes--performance has been improved as well. The rendering of character models have been updated to prevent frame drops, character movement and animations while skydiving have been optimized to increase framerate, and abnormal vehicle physics should be resolved. Most notable, however, is the improvements made to the game's netcode, meaning you should see reduced network latency and improved server responsiveness. You can read the full patch notes here.
In our PUBG review, we awarded the game an 8/10, saying, "Even after hundreds of hours, PUBG continues to inspire rousing tales of victory and defeat."
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is available for Xbox One and PC.
E3 2018 is mere weeks away, which makes this prime time for rumors to take hold. Microsoft and the Xbox are especially rife with rumors, given that the company is keeping its plans so tightly under wraps. Unlike Sony which has already detailed its main focus and Nintendo which is sure to be featuring Smash Bros., we don't actually know much about what Microsoft has in store. This year, the Xbox is a black box.
That leaves plenty of room for rumor and speculation, so we've compiled some of the biggest rumors below. If you want to check out even more scuttlebutt leading up to E3, check out our full list of rumors. Or stay more grounded with our list of every confirmed Xbox game appearing at the show so far.
We'll know which of these rumors pan out once the press conferences debut. Microsoft's is scheduled for Sunday, June 10 at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET. Bookmark our full conference schedule to plan all your viewing parties.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
A new Assassin's Creed was among the games seemingly leaked by Walmart Canada. Although that retailer listing was very non-specific--it didn't include a subtitle or number--we've now heard what could be the title for such a game. According to JeuxVideo, which reportedly received a photo of a collectible keychain, the new game is called Assassin's Creed Odyssey. The keychain itself consists of a helmet resembling one from Ancient Greece, perhaps indicating that will be the setting for the new game.
Borderlands Getting PS4, Xbox One, PC Re-Release
We know a new Borderlands is eventually coming, whether it's called Borderlands 3 or something else. Gearbox denies it'll be at E3, and publisher 2K recently delayed an unannounced game, which could be that Borderlands title. But it looks as if E3 might not be completely devoid of Borderlands news, as the Korean ratings board has listed Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. While not official by any means, ratings board leaks are often a reliable source. Given the timing, we might just hear about this project at E3.
Gears Of War 5, New Assassin's Creed, Just Cause 4, And More
Many of the expectations for E3 2018 were set in one go. Retailers have been known to leak things from time to time, but Walmart's Canadian website seemed to potentially spoil quite a lot with a single leak. Listings for numerous unannounced games went online in May, including Rage 2, a new Assassin's Creed, Gears of War 5, Dragon Quest 2, and Just Cause 4.
The sheer number, combined with some typos--such as Forza "Horizons" 5, rather than what would be the series' next game, Forza Horizon 4--made it all seem unlikely. However, Bethesda had an unusual response to the whole situation, and soon after we learned that Rage 2 is real (and since then, Lego DC Super-Villains). Two games from this list turning out to be legitimate doesn't mean the others are anything but placeholders or errors, but it does lend some credence to the possibility of them being real.
A New Splinter Cell Will Be Revealed
Another game mentioned in the Walmart Canada leak was something simply titled Splinter Cell. This might also turn out to be nothing but a placeholder, but Ubisoft itself has certainly set fans up to expect some kind of news related to the franchise before long. Following Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot's comments last year, the company released a Splinter Cell-themed update for Ghost Recon Wildlands earlier this year. That not only set up the potential plot for a new Splinter Cell, but it marked the return of beloved Sam Fisher voice Michael Ironside--and it doesn't seem like a stretch to think Ubisoft brought him in for more than just a small cameo.
This is less a rumor and more speculation, as fans believe we're nearing an announcement involving the Fallout franchise. Bethesda offered days of teases for Rage 2 before it was revealed, and, as of this writing, it's seemingly begun to do the same for Fallout. The company first tweeted a "please stand by" image similar to a screen we've seen in the series previously. Subsequently, it kicked off a livestream with the same image playing on a screen in the background, but with a Fallout Vault Boy figure in the foreground.
That's sparked speculation that we could see a new Fallout game or--perhaps more likely, given its Skyrim re-releases--a remastered version of Fallout 3 or 4, perhaps for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch. Bethesda has said this year's press conference could be its biggest ever; clearly it's got more than just Rage 2 and updates to The Elder Scrolls Online to talk about.
Update: Indeed, Fallout news has arrived. Bethesda Softworks has officially unveiled Fallout 76, a new game developed by Skyrim and Fallout dev Bethesda Game Studios. We don't know a ton at this point about how it will play, but Kotaku reports it will be have online-based survival elements. Bethesda said we'll be hearing more at E3; if that is the form the game takes, Bethesda is sure to provide some indication at E3.
Cyberpunk 2077 (Or Another CD Projekt Red Game) Will Be There
We know CD Projekt Red, the developer of the Witcher series and the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, is attending E3. A listing on the official E3 website earlier this year suggested the studio would be there to show off an RPG, although that was later removed. The company has not yet announced its plans for the event--if it has anything to publicly show at all--but fans have their fingers crossed that Cyberpunk (or the studio's other triple-A RPG) will finally be revealed properly.
Take-Two, the parent company of GTA and Red Dead developer Rockstar Games, has responded yet again to the Fortnite phenomenon. During an event, Take-Two president Karl Slatoff started off by saying any game that is massively successful like Fortnite is good for gaming because it brings new players to the market.
But will Take-Two release its own battle royale game? While Slatoff said "fast followers" can have success by chasing a trend, games that are direct copies tend to struggle. "I think there is something to be said about being a fast follower in certain situations," he said. "But you can't be a copy cat. You have to innovate."
Slatoff pointed out that while Fortnite and PUBG exist in the same battle royale genre, they are "very different games." As anyone who's played them knows, Fortnite is a stylised, more casual battle royale experience, while PUBG has a more serious look and feel to it. The way Fortnite differentiated itself--and the fact that it is free--no doubt contributed to its success. Slatoff added that Fortnite's base-building element might have appealed to the millions of young people who play Minecraft and are already familiar with building in games.
"You can't just get out there and do the same thing and hope to be successful," Slatoff said.
The executive observed that after League of Legends burst onto the scene, many other copy-cat MOBAs popped up--and they struggled. "You've got to do something different," Slatoff explained.
"I think if one changed one's business to follow other people's big hits, you'd be constantly playing catch up," he said. "And to say you wouldn't be in second place is an understatement. You might remain in last place. So it's our job to innovate, and more often than not that has driven our success."
Take-Two's CEO talks about possible Red Dead Redemption 2 DLC on PS4 and Xbox One, while Rage 2 developer Avalanche Studios gets bought up.
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