With this year’s E3 fast approaching, a number of game developing companies are getting ready to showcase their latest offerings. Big names in the industry will be using this opportunity to get gamers excited for a number of upcoming titles that will arrive sometime this fall, or early next year.
Fans will be looking forward to a number of big titles that have been dealing with a lot of speculation and rumors currently, while others on the list, although not as big as some of the other titles or companies, are looking promising.
There are a number of titles that will be on display (if not hands-on) at the event. However, this list deals with the ones that are likely to see the biggest crowds generate the most enthusiasm.
Here’s a list of the five most anticipated titles that will be up at E3.
Watch Dogs: Watch Dogs from Ubisoft was first announced at Ubisoft's E3 2012 Press Conference, and since then the title, via a number of game trailers and gameplay demos, is shaping up to be one of the hottest games of the year.
The game will see players take on the role of Aiden Pearce, a modern vigilante who makes use of available technology. With the help of his smartphone he can hack into Chicago’s central operating system (CtOS) and control almost everything in the city that’s tech-based.
As gameplay trailers have shown, Aiden is able to hack into the city’s pervasive security cameras and download personal data from anywhere he wants. He then uses that information to locate a designated target.
And while Aiden's abilities will be limited at the start of the game his abilities will increase as the game progresses.
"Watch Dogs goes beyond the limits of today's open-world games by giving players the ability to control an entire city. In Watch Dogs, anything connected to the city's Central Operating System becomes a weapon,” Creative Director at Ubisoft Jonathan Morin said in a release. “By pushing the boundaries, we can provide players with action and access to information on a scale that's never been seen in a video game before."
Basically, Aiden will be using the entire city of Chicago as one big weapon. Watch Dogs is currently set for Nov. 19 release in North America and Nov. 13 release in Europe for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Wii U and PC.
Call of Duty: Ghosts: Although little is known about the next iteration in the Call of Duty franchise, Ghosts has seen a lot of speculations well before it's official reveal a few weeks ago.
It has been reported that Infinity Ward team has been working on an entirely new storyline and engine for Ghosts. Ghosts will also be the first Call of Duty title on next generation consoles.
Ghosts will not see the return of Lieutenant Simon "Ghost" Riley. All the in-game characters are new and Ghosts just indicates the masks that soldiers wear.
Call of Duty: Ghosts is set for a Nov. 5 release on PS3, PC, Xbox 360, Wii U, PS4, and next generation Xbox. More details about the game will be released on May 21 at the Next Xbox unveiling event.
Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag: Black Flag is the highly anticipated successor to Assassin’s Creed 3. The next title in the franchise takes place in 1715 in the Caribbean and features new locations. Assassin's Creed 4 also stars a new protagonist – pirate and Assassin Edward Kenway, the grandfather of Connor of Assassin's Creed 3.
Several historical figures such as Anne Bonny, famous female pirate and historical figure, Benjamin Hornigold, pirate and historical figure, and Blackbeard, one of the most feared pirates in the history and the narrator of the first Black Flag trailer, are also set to make an appearance.
The game will see complex naval combat, alongside new weapons, enemies, challenges, and a new progression system. Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is scheduled for an Oct. 29 release in North America and Nov. 1 release in Europe for PC, Wii U, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Mac.
Wolfenstein: The New Order: The new Wolfenstein game is still awaiting any kind of confirmation from publisher Bethesda. The only few bits and details about it state that Wolfenstein: The New Order is being published by MachineGames and that the game will not feature a multiplayer mode.
The game is said to be set in the 60’s in an alternate timeline in which the Nazis have emerged victorious at the end of WWII, and players will be taking up the role of longtime Wolfenstein protagonist B.J. Blackowicz and stop the Nazis from taking over the world.
However, not everybody is excited by the new game. Recently, Deus Ex and Epic Mickey designer Warren Spector, writing on Facebook, had a few harsh words for the game. He wrote:
"Did the world really need another Wolfenstein game? Did we need a generically dark, monochromatic, FPS, kill-the-Nazi-giant-robot game? Uh. No. The world did not. I am so tired of stuff like this," he said.
"Oh, and could we all just agree we'll never use the generic gravelly-whisper trailer voice guy ever again? And one more thing: Please stop using Jimi Hendrix to promote your adolescent male power fantasies."
Spector later apologized for his comments.
Wolfenstein: The New Order is expected to have a Q4 release for PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.
Battlefield 4: This is one game that has to be a part of any list that is being made for the E3. Battlefield 4 will be powered by DICE's proprietary Frostbite 3 gaming engine. The game also had a beta trial available for those who pre-ordered Medal of Honor: Warfighter via EA's Origin digital distribution service before Oct. 22, 2012, or to anyone who bought a physical copy with the beta promo on the box.
Battlefield 4 is scheduled for a fall 2013 release for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.
Here’s the list of other big games that are also expected to make an appearance at E3 2013:
Beyond Two Souls (Quantic Dream)
Deep Down (Capcom)
FIFA 14 (EA)
Killzone: Shadow Fall (Guerrilla Games)
Dragon Age 3: Inquisition (BioWare)
Elder Scrolls Online (ZeniMax)
Destiny (Bungie)
Rayman Legends (Ubisoft)
NBA Live 14 (EA)
Diablo 3 for PS4 (Blizzard Entertainment)
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt RED)
The Evil Within (Tango Gameworks)
Splinter Cell: Blacklist (Ubisoft Montreal)
