The main announcements from E3 2019

That’s it E3, the worlds biggest gaming show, is over for another year. The 3-day expo came to a close with some of the world’s biggest publishers and console manufacturers showing the titles that will be coming out later in 2019 and beyond. Some games are announced for the very first time during the show, and many are available to go hands-on with. There has been a lot of focus on the next gen of gaming after the announcement of the Google Stadia. So what did we get at this year’s event?

Xbox Project Scarlet

As we expected, Microsoft announced their latest console at E3 2019. Dubbed the Xbox Project Scarlett, the next-gen console news was announced with all the pomp and ceremony we have come to expect from the US giants. After Keanu Reeves made an appearance, we finally got a look at the hardware and the preview for Halo Infinite.

Microsoft unsurprisingly has dubbed this the future of gaming, a title Google is also hoping to claim with their Stadia “console”.

Anyway Project Scarlett is built around some solid hardware, including a new Navi graphics architecture and a Zen 2 CPU. The console aims to eliminate or at least minimize loading times to get you into the game as soon as possible. Just to put this into context, Microsoft has been claiming Project Scarlett is four times more powerful than the current most powerful console on the planet, the Xbox One X, four times better performance than the current generation in terms of load times, and the most significant generational leap in Microsoft’s console history. Big claims, indeed.

At the moment we haven’t any base pricing to work off but here’s hoping Microsoft learn from the past and lead with a price comparable to their main competition, Sony’s PS5. We expect to see this hit the shelves in time for Christmas 2020, the same time we hope to see Sony’s latest console.

Sony the no show

Speaking of Sony, this is the big one. Sony confirmed in late 2018 that it would not attend E3 2019 because it was looking for other “inventive opportunities” to connect with its community.

“PlayStation fans mean the world to us and we always want to innovate, think differently and experiment with new ways to delight gamers. As a result, we have decided not to participate in E3 in 2019,”

Since this announcement, they have released a series of State of Play videos with trailers, release dates, and the like. To be honest with the news coming leaking out that a PS5 is on the way it’s no surprise they decided to give it a miss this year. The main downside with their lack of attendance meant smaller games weren’t given a chance to flourish at the Sony booth. A partnership with Sony means smaller indie titles were likely unable to afford a space on the floor. Games like these were sorely missed, and we eagerly await the next State of Play for more news. With its focus also now turned to its next-generation console, a lack of new games is one of the main reasons why Sony decided to skip E3. Here’s a rumoured image that we found on the internet, which means it’s probably miles away, but it’s a beautiful looking joypad all the same.

Nintendo

Sadly we didn’t get a new cheaper or upgraded Switch 2 at E3 2019 and to be fair they did say they wouldn’t be releasing any hardware this year. Still, we hoped they might have cheekily given us a little teaser to excite us. It wasn’t to be, but we did get a major surprise or two.

Most interestingly for Nintendo fans was the teaser trailer for the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Right now we don’t know a whole lot about it, but it’s going to be good. Other games to get a lot of airtime in Nintendo Direct broadcast included the likes of Luigi’s Mansion 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening remaster.

There was also the showcasing of Pokemon Sword and Shield, the two upcoming Switch titles. It looks to be a serious upgrade to previous title’s,  the open world plain and roaming Pokemon visible more openly (unlike in our day where you spent hours wandering through random patches of grass) coupled with a brand new environment is contributing to the excitement around Game Freak’s Switch title. Also, the starter Pokemon are super cute; one’s an electric corgi….just saying.

Complete E3 2019 games list

Nintendo

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 (new game and trailer)
• Luigi’s Mansion 3 (new trailer and release window)
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons (new trailer, but delayed)
• Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield (new release date)
• The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (new release date)
• Super Mario Maker 2 (new trailer)
• Astral Chain (new trailer)
• Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order (new trailer)
• Cadence of Hyrule ~ Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda
• Fire Emblem: Three Houses
• Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition
• Dragon Quest Builders 2 (coming to North America via Nintendo)
• No More Heroes 3 (announced for a 2020 release date window)
• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
• Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6

Microsoft

• Halo Infinite (release window, coming to Xbox Project Scarlett)
• Gears 5
• Blair Witch
• Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (Xbox One and PC)
• Bleeding Edge
• Battletoads
• Age of Empire II: Definitive Edition (PC)
• Wasteland 3
• Microsoft Flight Simulator (PC first, Xbox One later)
• Minecraft Dungeons
• Spiritfarer (coming to Xbox Game Pass)
• 12 Minutes (Xbox One and PC)
• Forza Horizon 4: Lego Speed Champions Expansion
• Crossfire X
• Gears Pop!

Take-Two Interactive/2K Games

• Borderlands 3
• The Outer Worlds

Electronic Arts and EA Sports

• Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (PC, Xbox One, PS4)
• Apex Legends Season 2 (PC)
• Battlefield 5: Chapter 4 (PC, Xbox One, PS4)
• The Sims 4 Island Living (PC)
• FIFA 20 (PS4, Xbox One, and PC)
• FIFA 20 Legacy Edition (Nintendo Switch)
• Madden 20 (PS4, Xbox One, and PC)

CD Projekt Red

• Cyberpunk 2077
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition

Konami

• Contra Rogue Corps (Xbox One PS4, PC and Switch)
• Contra Anniversary Collection

Bethesda

• Deathloop (Platforms unknown) (Trailer)
• Doom Eternal (Xbox One PlayStation 4, PC and Nintendo Switch)
• The Elder Scrolls: Blades (debuting on Nintendo Switch; iOS, Android updates)
• Fallout 76: Nuclear Winter (Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC sneak peek)
• Ghostwire: Tokyo (Platforms unknown)
• Wolfenstein: Youngblood (PS4, Xbox One and PC)
• Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot (VR)
• Commander Keen (iOS and Android)

Square Enix

• Final Fantasy 7 Remake (PS4)
• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (PS4, Nintendo Switch and mobile)
• Final Fantasy 8 Remastered
• Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers (PC)
• Circuit Superstars (Square Enix Collective, developer Original Fire)
• War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius
• Romancing Saga 3
• Scarlett Grace
• Dragon Quest Builders 2
• The Last Remnant Remastered (coming to Nintendo Switch)
• Trials of Mana: Collection of Mana (coming to Switch)

Ubisoft

• Ghost Recon Breakpoint (Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC)
• The Division 2 (Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC)
• For Honor (Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC)
• Watch Dogs Legion (Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Stadia) (game play available)
• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (game update)
• Roller Champions (PC download available now, other platforms unknown)
• Gods & Monsters (Xbox One,PlayStation 4, PC, Stadia and Switch)

Sega

• Panzer Dragoon: Remake (Nintendo Switch)
• Phantasy Star Online 2 (Xbox One)
• SEGA Genesis mini console coming September 2019 with mini games like Mega Man:The Wily Wars, Earthworm Jim, Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2, Ecco the Dolphin and 35 more classic games.

Namco Bandai

• Tales of Arise
• Dragonball Z: Kakarot
• Code Vein
• The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan
• RAD

Various

• Elden Ring (via FromSoftware)
• Dying Light 2 (from Techland)
• Way to the Woods (Team 17)
• Dauntless (coming to Nintendo Switch via Phoenix Labs)
• The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics (En Masse Entertainment)
• Dead by Daylight (coming to Nintendo Switch via Koch Media)
• New Super Lucky’s Tale (coming to Nintendo Switch via Playful Corp.)
• Empire of Sin (John Romero multi-console game)
• Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (Playtonic)
• Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin (via Edelweiss and XSEED Games)