Highlights from the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2017

Photo+courtesy%3A+E3EXPO.COM

Photo courtesy: E3EXPO.COM

The annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) was held this week. All the big names in gaming showed up to show off their latest projects. From Microsoft’s new console, to the return of a classic Nintendo franchise favorite, here are some highlights from E3:

Microsoft:

  • The big announcement from Microsoft was their new console. The Xbox One X is the newest addition to the Xbox family. Formerly called Project Scorpio, the One X boasts 4K visuals, 326 GB/sec memory bandwidth, 12 GB GDDR5 graphic memory and much more to help gamers have one of the most powerful console experiences, according to Microsoft. The Xbox One X is set to release on Nov. 7.
  • The newest installment in the “Forza” racing series, “Forza Motorsport 7” was announced as a staple game for the new One X. “Forza Motorsport 7” is set to release Oct. 3, but the game will run in 4K and at 60 FPS on the One X. It will have dynamic weather and over 700 cars on release. Porsche also unveiled the new 911 GT2 RS during the “Forza” announcement. The GT2 RS will be the cover car for the game.
  • During the Microsoft conference, Ubisoft showed off their newest “Assassin’s Creed” game. “Assassin’s Creed: Origins” takes players back to the roots of the Assassin Order in ancient Egypt. The game will launch Oct. 27.
  • “Minecraft” will now get a 4K upgrade for the Xbox as well as a cross-play feature with the Nintendo Switch.
  • The popular zombie survival game “State of Decay” gets a sequel which will be released early next year. “State of Decay 2” will be a Xbox and Windows 10 exclusive and offer cooperative gameplay.

Sony:

  • Since becoming a first release partner with Playstation, “Call of Duty” has given PS4 players a first look at the popular first-person shooter. This didn’t change when the first multiplayer trailer for “Call of Duty: WWII” was shown during Sony’s press conference. The game is set to release Nov. 3. 
  • There were multiple exclusives shown for the Playstation 4. “Uncharted: The Lost Legacy,” a spin-off of the popular “Uncharted” series that starred Nathan Drake, gets a new trailer starring series favorite Chloe Frazier as she works with mercenary Nadine Ross according to the game’s official website. The game will release Aug. 22.
  • “Monster Hunter: World” changes the formula of past games. The world is broken into regions, but there are no more load times according to the game’s developers. The game releases early 2018.
  • One of the most anticipated exclusives, the new Spiderman game, was showcased by a new gameplay trailer.

Nintendo:

  • The big Nintendo announcement, and according to IGN the best in show at E3, was “Super MarioOdyssey.” “Odyssey” is a 3D Mario game releasing Oct. 27. The game features new gameplay thanks toMario’s sidekick Cappy. It will be available for the Nintendo Switch.
  • “Rocket League,” the popular car-soccer game is coming to the Nintendo Switch. It  ill have cross-play capabilities with Xbox One and Windows 10. It releases later this year.
  • The” Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” will have its first downloadable content available later this summer according to Nintendo’s website. The DLC will have multiple new armor sets and a new Hard Mode.
  • “Metroid Prime 4” was also announced. The game is too early in development for many details.

 

Developers from EA Games, Bethesda Studios and Ubisoft also had individual presentations.

EA showcased a new IP from Bioware called “Anthem.” “Anthem” puts players in an exo suit to fight creatures outside a walled city. It will have online squad play for up to four people. “Star Wars Battlefront 2” will have free DLC after release. A Way Out is a new co-op only game featuring a “Prison Break” style story.

Bethesda brought back the popular “Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” for a release to VR as well as VR releases for “Fallout 4” and “Doom.” They also announced a new “Creation Club” which brings back paid mods. These mods will be jointly developed by both Bethesda and top content creators. The next installment in the “Wolfenstein” series, “The New Colossus,” was announced with an Oct. 27 release date.

Ubisoft showed off gameplay trailer for “Far Cry 5.” The game is releasing early next year. The racing game, “The Crew,” gets a sequel with new ways to race including planes, boats and dirt bikes. The cult favorite “Beyond Good and Evil” gets a sequel that’s actually a prequel. No further details are known.