E3 surprised everyone with memorable moments and unexpected reveals, including the return of characters some believed had been forgotten and the introduction of new series intended to capture the hearts and attention of many players. See the best moments from the Bethesda, Ubisoft, Square Enix, Epic, and EA presentations.
Bethesda: New Games and Updates to Earlier Titles
Bethesda's presence was certainly one of those that most stirred attendees' curiosity, since the company's image was not in the best condition after the failure of Fallout 76. For E3, however, the developer made improving the image of the latest title in the Fallout series one of its objectives.
One of the greatest criticisms of Fallout 76 was the complete absence of NPCs, an enormous contrast with earlier games that were full of them.
Fallout 76: Wastelanders is an update for the latest title in the series set in a post-apocalyptic world. This expansion will bring NPCs back to the game's map and include a new campaign with a story told through quests. The update will arrive in the spring of this year and will be free for all players. It was also announced that Fallout 76 would be free from June 10 to 17.
Attention on Fallout 76 did not end there, as Nuclear Winter was announced next. The event's proposal is to offer a Battle Royale mode for Fallout 76. Owners of the game can access the event for free from June 10 to 17. The mode places 52 players on a map with the objective of surviving until the end of the match.
The Elder Scrolls: Blades will receive a Nintendo Switch version. Bethesda released the game for mobile devices, where it had remained in a preregistration phase until then, and announced that the game would be free on Nintendo's console until the spring of this year. The greatest difference in the Switch version is the presence of a save file that can be shared with the mobile version.
The Elder Scrolls franchise continued to be the center of attention during the conference. The Season of the Dragon continues with The Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr and beyond. Dragons emerged from Colossus, and now they threaten to burn all of Tamriel. With new weapons and abilities, unlikely allies will have to unite to defeat these legendary monsters. Further details will be revealed during QuakeCon 2019, which will take place from July 25 to 28.
An expansion for The Elder Scrolls: Legends, named Moons of Elsweyr, was also confirmed. This update will become available to players on June 27.
Shinji Mikami, creator of acclaimed horror game franchises such as The Evil Within and Resident Evil, presented Ghostwire Tokyo to the event's attendees. The game centers on a mystery in which the citizens of Tokyo suddenly disappear. The player will need to reach the root of the mystery and stop the monsters threatening humanity's existence on Earth.
Expanding the Wolfenstein universe further, Bethesda will introduce two new additions to the franchise in July. Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot is a virtual-reality game that puts players in the role of a hacker with the French Resistance. Wolfenstein: Youngblood is a cooperative shooter starring B.J. Blazkowicz's twin daughters.
RAGE 2 was also present with its expansion titled Rise of the Ghosts. A new trailer reveals that the DLC will have countless new features, ranging from pilotable mechs, vehicles, cheats, and game modes to a new faction.
Deathloop was another game that captured the attention of those in the audience. The creators of Dishonored devised a new story with several twists that depicts the eternal struggle between two assassins on the lawless island named Blackreef. Enhanced by richly detailed settings and immersive gameplay, the game will feature a unique cyclical-death concept central to the story.
Commander Keen returns reimagined for mobile phones. Inspired by the id Software classic, the new game will bring a fresh interpretation of the iconic platformer. With the return of Billy and Billie, the game will feature puzzle gameplay blended with 2D platforming. A soft launch for Android and iOS is expected during the American summer, or winter in Brazil.
Bethesda also revealed its plans to enter the game-streaming scene. Inspired by reveals such as Google Stadia, Orion will be Bethesda's "Netflix" for players to run games without requiring them to occupy storage space. The software is being developed by id Software, and one of this streaming service's priorities is achieving the shortest possible delay with the technology. A major distinction of Orion is its ability to stream games at the highest settings over less-than-ideal connections. Users can test the service when they join Doom's Slayers Club.
And of course, the panel's most anticipated game was Doom Eternal. The new addition to the Doom series will be released on November 22. The game will focus on Heaven and Hell. A distinctive multiplayer experience will also form part of the game. Battlemode will place two player-controlled demons against a Doomguy controlled by a single player.
Ubisoft at E3: Watch Dogs and Updates for Released Games
Ubisoft's conference featured three major new games as its principal attractions, but also included updates for released titles such as The Division 2 and For Honor. The developer also took the opportunity to announce new information about previously confirmed games, including Ghost Recon Breakpoint.
After considerable speculation, the new title in the Watch Dogs series was revealed. Watch Dogs Legion will follow a group of revolutionary hackers infiltrating a London dominated by a surveillance system that controls its citizens.
One of this new franchise entry's greatest distinctions is the ability to recruit and control the city's inhabitants, each with distinctive abilities and traits. The game will be released on March 6, 2020, for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Nothing was said at the time about a next-generation release.
Another title revealed during the conference was
Gods & Monsters. Created by the developers of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, the game will be set in Greek mythology and include deities and creatures associated with that kind of setting. Few details are known at present, but more information is on the way. The game will be released on February 25, 2020, for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Switch, PC, and Google Stadia.
is a new three-player strategic first-person shooter. Little is known about the game beyond what the trailer offers. It will be available in 2020 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
Ghost Recon Breakpoint is the sequel to 2016's Wildlands. The game received a new trailer showing more details of the new title. A hint was also given about an appearance by the Terminator from the Terminator films.
Ghost Recon Breakpoint will be released on October 4 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. A beta testing period will take place from September 4 to 8.
Other announcements made during the conference were:
- For Honor received an intense trailer for its limited-time Shadows of the Hitokiri event, available now through June 27. If players want to fight Sakura, a deadly "spirit of death" with a giant axe, now is the time.
- Rainbow Six Siege received a new update, Operation Phantom Sight, which players can go play now.
- Just Dance 2020 will be released this November for every system, including a few that caught many people off guard. Nintendo Wii and Google Stadia will receive the game as well.
- Brawlhalla added Adventure Time heroes Finn, Jake, and Princess Bubblegum to its roster of 2D fighters. They are available now, along with a new game mode and the Tree Fort stage.
Square Enix at E3: Final Fantasy and the Avengers
After a weak presence last year, Square Enix spared no effort in showing what the future held for the company at this year's E3. The games that stirred the most fan curiosity were the remake of Final Fantasy VII and The Avengers. We now have release dates for both titles, as well as a sense of what the games will actually be like.
A new extended trailer for Final Fantasy VII Remake was shown during the conference. It includes details about how the more action-oriented combat will work, but more importantly, it introduces fan-favorite characters Tifa and Sephiroth. The game will be released on March 3, 2020.
Outriders is a cooperative shooter for one to three players set in a dark and desperate science-fiction universe. This new game is developed by People Can Fly, creators of Gears of War: Judgment and Bulletstorm, and published by Square Enix External Studios. It will be released during the American summer of 2020, or the Brazilian winter, for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
Still arriving in 2019, Final Fantasy VIII Remastered marks the 20th anniversary of its original release with new visual polish and brings the game's beloved story to modern platforms: Steam, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. With improved visuals, see your favorite characters come to life in a way never seen before.
Marvel and Square Enix unite to bring Marvel's Avengers, an epic action-adventure game that combines a story with cinematic elements, single-player play, and cooperative gameplay. Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and Thor are unveiling their new headquarters in San Francisco—including the reveal of their own ship, whose battery is an experimental energy source. The celebration turns deadly when a catastrophic accident causes massive destruction. Blamed for the tragedy, the Avengers disband. Five years later, with every superhero outlawed and the world in danger, the only hope is to reunite Earth's mightiest heroes. Marvel's Avengers will launch simultaneously for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, and PC on May 15, 2020.
Epic Games: Shenmue 3 Is Now an Epic Exclusive for One Year
The Epic Games Store was also present at E3, announcing games that will become available on the platform. It was also confirmed that one game per week would be free throughout the rest of 2019. Once downloaded, the game would remain with the player permanently.
See all the games Epic Games announced at E3 that will soon become available in its store:
Grow crops and explore the abandoned worlds of the post-apocalypse in Atomicrops, recruit a horde of helpful farm animals, and perhaps even find love while battling crowds of mutated beings to defend your farm, the last farm on Earth.
Auto Chess was another game revealed. Fight your way to the top in this eight-player strategy game developed by Dragonquest that combines deck-building, squad management, and battle royale elements.
Chivalry 2 is a first-person multiplayer slasher inspired by epic medieval battles. Players experience several iconic moments from the Middle Ages, from cavalry charges and storms of flaming arrows to daring castle invasions and more.
Griftlands is a deck-building game in which players negotiate, fight, steal, or persuade others to follow their will. Every decision influences the game's direction, from the jobs undertaken to the friendships made and the cards collected. Death comes quickly, but every game offers new situations and strategies to explore.
From the creators of ABZÛ, The Pathless is a mystical adventure game about an archer and her pet eagle in a vast forest, facing every challenge that appears.
Phantom Brigade.
Phantom Brigade was also announced for the Epic Games Store. It is a hybrid tactical RPG that unfolds in real time and through turn-based play. It focuses on fully personalized, player-driven stories.
Rune II
Set in a world inspired by Norse mythology during the end times, RUNE II is an action RPG in which gods, beasts, and humanity fight for survival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=IOChRUc7vW4
The Sojourn follows a character who finds themselves in a mysterious land, with lights serving as their only guide through the world. Filled with challenges, the player must overcome obstacles of progressive difficulty to uncover the mystery surrounding the land.
One of the panel's greatest surprises was the presence of Shenmue III and confirmation that it would be an Epic Games Store exclusive for one year. You can learn all the details by reading here. The other confirmed games were Solar Ash Kingdom, Untitled Goose Game, WHAT THE GOLF?, andZombie Army 4: Dead War.
EA at E3: Star Wars Was the Center of Attention
One of EA's most anticipated titles is the new Star Wars game, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. The game takes place after the events of Episode III and focuses on a Padawan trying to escape the Empire's tyranny after the execution of Order 66, which wiped out most of the galaxy's Jedi.
The game will focus on its single-player campaign and narrative, avoiding the microtransactions that gave EA's previous Star Wars game, Battlefront II, a bad reputation. The game will be released on November 15, 2019.
Another focus of the E3 presentation was Apex Legends' Legendary Hunt Event. Players will have the ideal opportunity to earn new skins, especially the Gold-rank outfit. Another upcoming addition is the character Wattson. An engineer with electrical powers, she can build fences to electrocute enemies.
Another new Season 2 feature will be the L-Star rifle, which is so powerful that it is found only in Care Packages. Two attachments that make the Mozambique weapon stronger are also on the way. More updates should arrive in the coming weeks.
Surprising no one, FIFA 2020 was also confirmed. Create your own player, gather your tools, and express your style on football pitches around the world.
The Sims 4 is receiving a new Island Living expansion. Players can escape the ordinary and enjoy a relaxed life surrounded by beaches in The Sims 4 Island Living. They can experience a tropical world filled with sun, sand, and endless fun while their Sims make the island their paradise.
For Battlefield V, the new Marita map was introduced and will arrive as a free update in July 2019. The Battle of Greece will continue with Marita. Here, players will fight on the outskirts of a rural town where Allied forces are making a final effort to stop the Axis army.
