Thanks to E3, we have lots of rumors confirmed true, a few confirmed false, and even some new ones to ponder.

Current score

Andrew Passafiume: +230

Graham Russell: +144

Eric Schabel: +70

Shawn Vermette: +205

Results

Microsoft to package Natal with Xbox 360

While no longer Natal, Microsoft has announced that they will be offering a Kinect bundle to purchasers of new Xbox 360s when it is released in November

Andrew 100% = +50

Graham 90% = +40

Shawn 100% = +50

Nintendo to announce U.S. release of The Last Story at E3

Despite mentioning The Last Story earlier in the year, it was absent from E3. Only time will tell if that was because Nintendo had so much more going on or if they decided not to release it here.

Andrew 80% = -30

Graham 75% = -25

Shawn 60% = -10

Nintendo to announce U.S. release of Xenoblade at E3

Despite mentioning Xenoblade earlier in the year, it was absent from E3. Only time will tell if that was because Nintendo had so much more going on or if they decided not to release it here.

Andrew 80% = -30

Graham 80% = -30

Shawn 65% = -15

Gran Turismo 5 delayed until fall

Gran Turismo 5 quietly missed its spring window for release and was finally given a solid release date of November 2, 2010 during Sony’s E3 press conference.

Andrew 95% = +45

Graham 64% = +14

Shawn 65% = +15

Halo: Reach to be released September 21, 2010

Fortunately for Halo fans, and unfortunately for two of our panelists, Halo: Reach will be coming out a week earlier than we predicted, September 14, 2010.

Andrew 90% = -40

Graham 1% = -+49

Shawn 100% = -50

New Legend of Zelda to come out in U.S. in 2010

No, Zelda fans, Skyward Sword will not be coming out in 2010. However, Nintendo luckily provided us with a glut of other first-party games that should fill in the void for you.

Andrew 90% = -40

Graham 80% = -30

Shawn 85% = -35

Project Natal to launch before PlayStation Move

Both Microsoft and Sony announced the release dates for Kinect(formerly Project Natal) and Move as November 4 and September 17th, respectively, during E3.

Andrew 50% = 0

Graham 75% = -25

Shawn 70% = -20

ESPN to start streaming sporting events over the 360

This rumor had almost disappeared off our radar when Microsoft announced it during E3. Presumably showing up during the fall update, ESPN will be free to Xbox Live Gold members and feature over 3500 live events.

Andrew 85% = +35

Graham 85% = +35

Shawn 80% = +30

‘DS2’ will have GameCube-level graphics; otherwise be similar to DS

The star of E3, the 3DS, will indeed have at least GameCube-level graphics and be similar to the DS. In addition to having a touchscreen and dual screen support, it will add 3D graphics, without the need for glasses, and a motion sensor.

Andrew 60% = +10

Graham 85% = +35

Shawn 75% = +25

Sony debuting a premium PSN membership at E3

Sony did in fact announce a premium PSN membership, PlayStation Plus, at E3. It will be $20 for 3 months or $50 for 12 months and give you exclusive access to early betas, DLC, and demos. Additionally, it will give you free PSN and PSP games each month. The catch? You lose all those free games if you ever discontinue your membership.

Andrew 80% = +30

Graham 55% = +5

Eric 65% = +15

Announced 3DS launch lineup at E3 to include a core Mario or Zelda game

There has already been a huge list of launch games revealed for the 3DS, despite the fact that we do not yet know when it will come out. Among those? A 3D remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Andrew 85% = +35

Graham 80% = +30

Eric 45% = -5

New hardware besides 3DS, Natal, Move, Vitality Sensor to debut at E3

Microsoft announced their new Xbox 360 Slim at their press conference. Just as the PSP Go was considered new hardware last year, the 360 Slim is considered this year’s surprise new hardware.

Andrew 5% = -45

Graham 30% = -20

Eric 20% = -30

Joy Ride to not be released in 2010

Joy Ride has been revamped to work with Kinect, and is expected to be part of the Kinect launch lineup in early November.

Andrew 5% = +45

Graham 10% = +40

Eric 5% = +45

Richard Branson to make an announcement at E3

As unlikely and out of left field as this rumor may have seemed, Richard Branson did indeed make an announcement at E3. He announced a new social gaming service that will be embedded into select games in the upcoming months.

Andrew 50% = 0

Graham 1% = -49

Eric 50% = 0

Shawn 35% = -15

Infamous 2 to be shown at E3

Infamous 2 almost seemed like a throw-in for Sony. It made one small appearance at the end of Sony’s press conference, with no mention other than to show a trailer. Despite this, it did indeed make an appearance, and that’s what this rumor was about.

Andrew 100% = +50

Graham 100% = +50

Eric 95% = +45

Shawn 95% = +45

Dead Space: Extraction to be ported to the Xbox 360

Oops. Dead Space: Extraction will not be ported to the Xbox 360, it will instead be ported to the PS3, made to work with the Move, and sold for free with the PS3 version of Dead Space 2. The good news is that is quite a deal for PS3 owners.

Andrew 80% = -30

Graham 70% = -20

Shawn 75% = -25

New James Bond game to be shown at E3

It may not be what people were expecting, but it was definitely something people have been wanting. Nintendo showed off a remake of Goldeneye at their press conference, finally giving people what they’ve been asking to see for years.

Andrew 70% = +20

Graham 75% = +25

Shawn 75% = +25

Portal 2 to open on PS3 after all

True to the rumors, Portal 2 was shown during Sony’s E3 press conference. It will be a full-length game, much to everyone’s delight, and it will indeed be showing up on both the 360 and the PS3.

Andrew 10% = -40

Graham 5% = -45

Shawn 75% = +25

Microsoft to announce Xbox 360 ‘Slim’ at E3

You heard it here first. Well, maybe you did. Microsoft announced their new 250GB Slimline 360 during their E3 press conference. Not only that, but it is already available in stores everywhere.

Andrew 70% = +20

Graham 70% = +20

Shawn 85% = +35

F.E.A.R. 3 to be released in 2010

At the Warner Brothers booth, F.E.A.R. 3 was put through its paces. It was also given a release date of October 1, 2010. Barring any delays, which we had plenty of last year, F.E.A.R. 3 should be scaring gamers everywhere come Halloween.

Andrew 40% = -10

Graham 50% = 0

Shawn 30% = -20

 

Queen to star in next band-specific Rock Band game

For the last couple years, MTV Games has gotten into the habit of releasing band specific games, starting with the Beatles: Rock Band and continuing with the just released Green Day: Rock Band. Though Green Day: Rock Band was just released, rumor has it that MTV Games is already hard at work wooing the next band they want to focus on- Queen.

Graham: Rock Band 3 is a masterpiece of a game, and this will be Harmonix’s focus for at least the rest of the year. It wouldn’t make much sense to have another band-specific announcement anytime soon, but then again, Green Day didn’t make much sense either. (The Beatles did, as they’re a juggernaut and the licensing worked out only as a standalone experience.) But didn’t Lego Rock Band already feature Queen? (The answer is yes. I wrote our review.) Add in SingStar: Queen, and I’m not sure there’s an untapped market here.   40%

Eric: Queen would be an excellent choice for a new Rock Band title, and with the huge number of hit songs the band produced it wouldn’t be hard to provide plenty of content (although quite a lot of Queen tracks have already been released for current Rock Band games). I’m not sure there are any sort of internal rumblings or anything of that nature to lend credence to this rumor, so I will have to throw it into the “good idea, but not sure” pile.  60%

Shawn: This is a rumor I really don’t care either way on, as I’ve never played any of the Rock Band games. [Editor’s note: Seriously? We must rectify this.] Queen does seem to fill the requisite requirements for their own Rock Band game though. Tons of great songs and a large following should ensure they get a game at some point. Whether it will be Rock Band or Guitar Hero though? I’ve no idea.65%

3DS to have a ‘simultaneous US-Japan launch’

With no release date given for the 3DS at E3, gamers were left wondering when exactly they would be able to get their hands on this exciting new handheld from Nintendo. Rumors have the 3DS launching anywhere from November 2010 to June 2011, but few have speculated on what we at Snackbar Games consider very important. Will we finally get a Nintendo handheld system at the same time as Japan? Well, we bring you this exclusive rumor that the US and Japan will have ‘simultaneous’ launches of the 3DS within 3 weeks of each other. Fact or fiction? Only Nintendo knows at this point.

Graham: It’s likely, but not guaranteed. Certainly we’ve gotten things pretty quickly lately, but I don’t think it would be a choice for Nintendo. More likely, it would be a matter of making sure one region has enough units at launch, and it could take a month or so before it hits other regions. If that happens, it’s going to be a tough month for me, as I’ll have to resist importing it. 70%

Eric: Nintendo has been doing a pretty good job of releasing most of their games simultaneously, or at least really close together, in Japan and North America. In addition, there was only a month or two delay between the releases of the both the Wii and the DS (in favor of North America). So if we are taking “simultaneous” to mean within three weeks, I think the chances are pretty good. I’m not quite sure why everyone expects the 3DS to launch in Japan first, anyway. 75%

Shawn: I would love for this rumor to be true. What’s more, I think it will be. Nintendo finally thinks enough of the US that they actually launched the Wii in the US before Japan. Because of this, I suspect we may actually see the 3DS a week or two before Japan. 85%

 

3DS to cost more than $200

The other important information Nintendo saw fit to keep quiet for now is how much the 3DS will actually set gamers back. To try to solve this riddle we look at Nintendo’s history of pricing their new hardware. The various incarnations of the DS have actually gotten more expensive as time has gone by. The DS launched at $150, the DSi launched at $170, and the DSi XL launched at $190. With that in mind, is it possible that the 3DS may actually break the $200 mark and launch at a higher price point than the Wii currently has?

Graham:  To me, there are two potential prices for the 3DS: $199 and $249. With the hints Reggie has been dropping about how the system costs more than the DSi XL and that they won’t sell at a loss, I’m leaning towards $249. That, and after the experience the company had with the Wii getting marked up so much on eBay last time, they’ll want a bigger slice from early adopters. And they’ll get it. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a price drop within the first year though, as demand normalizes. 70% 

Eric: We all know that Nintendo is very good at being fiscally conservative when they design their hardware, and Iwata has stated that they do not plan to sell the 3DS at a loss. I think that, given the technology and the increased development cost of the system, we are most likely going to see the 3DS launch at a pricepoint at or above $200. However, I do not think it will cost more than $250, so I expect the price to fall somewhere within that range. Either way the 3DS is definitely going to be Nintendo’s most expensive handheld ever. 90%

Shawn: I think it is very likely that the 3DS will break the $200 mark for a couple reasons. First, it is much more advanced than the DSi XL, which already goes for $190. Second, even if Nintendo prices it at $230 or $250, it will still be in the same price range as the PSP. Not that it really matters. The DS is still selling like hotcakes, and I expect the 3DS to do the same no matter what the price is. 90% 

For our last edition before E3, we’ve got new rumors, new results, and a new staffer atop the standings.

Current score

Andrew Passafiume: +155

Graham Russell: +45

Eric Schabel: 0

Shawn Vermette: +145

Results

Red Faction 4 to be a prequel

Earlier this week, a teaser trailer for Red Faction: Armageddon was released, showing a Mars 50 years after Red Faction: Guerrilla. So while it is possible they may make a prequel someday, Red Faction 4 is definitely not it.

Andrew 20% = +30

Graham 50% = +0

Eric 50% = +0

Shawn 40% = +10

 

Hulu to join Xbox 360’s multimedia offerings

Over the past year or so, Microsoft has made a concerted effort to bring in more multimedia offerings to the Xbox 360, hoping to make it more attractive to the non-gamer scene. Recently there’s been talk of Microsoft even starting its own TV Channel for the 360. This may not be the same thing, but it’s a step in that direction if true. Rumor has it that Hulu, one of the best places to stream old TV shows, may be showing up on the Xbox 360 soon, with more details to come out during E3.

Andrew: This seems practically confirmed at this point. Microsoft always has something to announce regarding the 360 and something that isn’t exactly game related. Last year we had last.fm, Facebook, and Twitter. The year before? Netflix. Hulu definitely seems like a worthy successor to those services, and one that would become very popular. 90%

Graham: I think it’s totally confirmed that Microsoft wants this. My hesitation comes from the history of roadblocks put up by content providers whenever Hulu tries to expand. With all the subscription rumors going around…you just can’t be sure what Hulu will do these days.   80%

Eric: This is one of the rumors that I want to be true, but I really can’t tell how it will turn out. It certainly makes sense that Microsoft would try to get Hulu on their Xbox Live service; it would fit right in with Netflix and Last.fm, but other than that I’ve got nothing.  50%

Shawn: I hope this rumor is true, as I would vastly prefer to watch Hulu on my TV rather than my computer monitor. Luckily, history is on my side, as Microsoft makes a habit of having at least one big non-gaming announcement for the 360 at every E3 90%

Next Assassin’s Creed game to take place in Egypt

Assassin’s Creed 2 blew the socks off of gamers with its many improvements to the gameplay. Now, gamers wanting more may have just been told the location for the next Assassin’s Creed game. Ubisoft released a picture on their website this week that appears to depict an assassin in Egyptian garb, standing in front of two pyramids. Ubisoft has yet to comment on anything about this rumor, preferring to let us go nuts over the possibility, apparently.

Andrew: People are always speculating what the next major location will be in the new Assassin’s Creed game, and based on what we’ve seen, Egypt seems pretty likely. Although sometimes it’s hard to tell with Ubisoft, so you can never be absolutely certain. But Egypt definitely seems more likely than any other predictions I’ve heard so far.  65%

Graham: This could be a red herring. It’s probably not, though, and the entire Mediterranean area is suitable for the gameplay. Moving the location is a nice way to keep things fresh, and the only other logical location, the Middle East, may be just a bit too dicey for Ubi to want to touch right now. (Note to readers: we’re not talking about Brotherhood, as it’s a spinoff and not a true sequel.)   90%

Eric: You know what they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Even though Ubisoft isn’t commenting on the rumor, I think the picture they posted says it all. Given how Assassin’s Creed II ended, I thought things might go in a different direction with the third game, but with a storyline has twisty as Assassin’s Creed’s, anything is possible. 80%

Shawn: I think many of us were hoping for an asian flavor to the next game(feudal Japan anyone?), but Egypt would fit right in, and the picture sure seems airtight, unless it is purposeful misinformation. I’m not sure Ubisoft would do that to us though. 85%

 

Richard Branson to make an announcement at E3

There’s really not much to say regarding this rumor. Richard Branson is the eccentric chairman of the Virgin Group. Virgin used to publish games in the 1980s and 90s, but sold off the entirety of their gaming presence in the late 1990s. Rumor has it though that he wants back into gaming and may use E3 to announce his intentions.

Andrew: I really have no idea what to make of this one. Sure, I could see it happening, but is there really room for another big game publisher? Probably, but will Virgin will be as big as it was back then? It seems a big doubtful. But if they do announce something, I expect they will have big titles to back it up.  50%

Graham: I could get burned by this, but I seriously doubt he’d take E3 as his opportunity, even if he did want back in. The Big Three dominate the show, and for Branson to stand out, he’d have to announce either (1) a console or (2) some major, major studio acquisitions. I don’t see either happening, and what’s more, he can get press together anytime if he ever wants to make the leap. He doesn’t need the platform of E3, and he won’t use it.  1% 

Eric: I really don’t have any insight into this rumor, and even if it is true I don’t think it is something I would be excited about just yet. It’s certainly been a long time since Virgin has had their hands in the gaming business, but a new publisher is nothing without some good developers to back it up. 50%

Shawn: Richard Branson has his hand in many pies already, so it wouldn’t really be a surprise if he wanted back into games. After all, the industry is about 5 or 6 times bigger than it was when he left it. At the same time, it’ll be hard for any new publisher to make their way in an already very crowded publishing environment. I think this is unlikely simply due to the toughness of his competition. The industry has changed a lot since Virgin left it. 35% 

Shawn Vermette is on vacation this week. In the meantime, we’re talking more about E3.

Current score

Andrew Passafiume: +125

Graham Russell: +45

Eric Schabel: 0

Shawn Vermette: +135

Sony debuting a premium PSN membership at E3

Game news site VG247 is reporting that Sony’s planning a paid premium membership that includes free PSN games and streaming music, among other services. The company has always used the free nature of PSN as a selling point in their battle against Microsoft. Would they give that up for an extra revenue stream?

Andrew:I can definitely see this happening, but I can only imagine it being a service that only gives you a ton of extra content for a cheaper price than XBL. They already offer online play for free, so taking that away from people and making them pay is a bit ridiculous and would most likely outrage many gamers. But I can definitely see a service that goes above and beyond what Microsoft does currently, or at least something Sony considers to go above and beyond XBL.80%

Graham: All the rumors seem to confirm that Sony gets it — they can’t mess with normal PSN membership. But a subscription that includes free games and streaming services? As long as it’s completely optional, it’s feasible. Of course, just because they could doesn’t mean they will, and it could get a delayed announcement too (since it isn’t exactly the kind of thing fanboys gush over).  55%

Eric:I could definitely see this story coming true. Sony can certainly charge for extra bells and whistles and still avoid criticism by offering most of the same services as Xbox Live for free, as it currently does. No matter how you look at it, the PSN network allows you to do the most important stuff, like play your games online for free, and that will always give it leg up over Microsoft. 65%

Announced 3DS launch lineup at E3 to include a core Mario or Zelda game

We know we’ll be seeing Nintendo’s new portable at the show, but we don’t know what games we’ll see. Nintendo typically launches a system with a flagship Mario title, but there have been exceptions (Virtual Boy got Wario, GameCube got Luigi, Wii got Zelda). Zelda is the other franchise that has the heft to carry a system launch for the core gamer. There’s a hesitation as of late, though, to release the important titles at a system’s launch, so the 3DS could start out megaton-free.

Andrew:I can’t see there being another Zelda game already, but I can definitely imagine a new Mario title. The DS launched with Mario 64 DS, which was also one of the first major games they showed off for the system back at E3 2004. A new Mario title that shows off the system’s capabilities, both in terms of 3D technology and graphical capabilities, would be a perfect move for Nintendo. 85%

Graham: They couldn’t possibly release two Mario games within a year, right? Oh, wait…NSMB Wii and Galaxy 2. Of course, they also couldn’t release two Zelda games in short succession either, yeah? Hold on a sec…Wind Waker and Four Swords. It’s completely possible, and Nintendo’s learned the pain of a lackluster launch a few times now. I won’t insist on it being a new title, since their modus operandi on handhelds is to release ports first (SMB Deluxe, SMB Advance, SM64DS), but there has to be something.  80%

Eric:I would love for there to be a new Mario or Zelda released at the launch of Nintendo’s next handheld, but I really don’t feel so confident about it. The development teams traditionally involved with those two landmark franchises have had their hands busy with console games as of late, and I am just not sure we can count on a brand new Mario or Zelda game right out of the gate. That said, history is on the side of this rumor, and there’s no better way for Nintendo to make an impact than to open with a heavy hitter. Either way, I certainly hope this one comes true. 45%

New hardware besides 3DS, Natal, Move, Vitality Sensor to debut at E3

This year’s really heavy on the hardware, with new peripherals from everyone and a new platform for Nintendo. There are still, however, rumors of other new iterations, from a new PSP to an HD Wii. Then there’s something that could come out of left field.

Andrew:With Nintendo already focused on unveiling the 3DS, I doubt there will be anything else from them aside from game announcements. Sony and Microsoft will be behind their own motion controllers/technology full force at their press conference, so I don’t believe they would show anything off either. Maybe we’ll get hints at something new coming from one of the big three, but nothing that will be officially unveiled.5%

Graham: Do I think the HD Wii’s coming this year? Probably not. I wouldn’t be surprised to see something in PSP land, though, since the Go was such a disaster and Sony wants to move on. I will say this, though: I expect a lot of accessories this year for the new peripherals. Like…way too many of them. And can anyone think of a use for the Vitality Sensor that isn’t just a Wii Fit followup? 30%

Eric:I really don’t see this happening. Microsoft and Sony are focusing on new “innovative” peripherals to keep their current consoles selling for another couple years; I don’t see them releasing any information about next generation hardware at E3. Nintendo seems pretty happy with the way things are going right now, and outside of the 3DS I don’t think we will see anything from them. In other words, the big three gaming giants all have their hands full this year already.20%

Joy Ride to not be released in 2010

Every year has its share of vaporware, crazy delays and sidetracked projects. BigPark’s free-to-play Xbox Live racer was featured at Microsoft’s booth at E3 2009 with a winter release, but we haven’t heard anything since. Microsoft has said that they’re planning to release it in 2010, but intentions aren’t everything.

Andrew:I forgot this game even existed. I really have no idea what to say to this, I doubt many people care about it. I can still see it coming out, considering Microsoft is doing fairly well at selling new Avatar clothing items and whatnot; they could use that to boost the sale of extras in Joy Ride. But it’s really hard to tell. 5%

Graham: This Avatar push was supposed to be a big part of gaming, and it isn’t there. I really don’t know how Natal games are going to incorporate them, so Microsoft needs to double down or get out. Personally, I’m surprised this didn’t release last holiday season, since the version I played last year was pretty much done. It would have been a great addition to Christmas family time. Do I think it’ll be delayed to 2011? No. But there’s a chance it’s gone completely.  10%

Eric:I’m going to give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt here and say we will be playing Joy Ride this year. It’s not a title that should require another year’s worth of development time, at least I hope not. Who knows, maybe we will see a surprise release during E3 itself…how’s that for a rumor? 5%

 

Starting this week, Eric Schabel is joining us as a recurring panelist, and we cover more E3 game rumors. But first, our most recent results.

Current score

Andrew Passafiume: +125

Graham Russell: +45

Eric Schabel: 0

Shawn Vermette: +135

Results

LittleBigPlanet 2 to be announced at E3

Well, we didn’t have to wait until E3 to get confirmation of this rumor. Friday, GameInformer teased a huge reveal they’ll have on LittleBigPlanet 2 in their June issue, and Media Molecule confirmed it on Twitter.

Andrew 90% = +40

Graham 90% = +40

Shawn 85% = +35

 

Bungie-Activision game to be an action RPG

Following in the wake of the huge Bungie-Activision deal announced the other day, very few details have been released regarding exactly what kind of game Bungie is planning to make. Bungie is, obviously, best known for its shooters- most notably the Halo series. However, recent job postings on the Bungie website seem to point toward an action RPG style of game rather than a shooter. Nothing is explicitly noted in the job descriptions, but they make one wonder if they are leaving behind the shooter genre they know so well.

Andrew: It’s clear that whatever Bungie has planned, it will be big. It’s clear that they never once referred to as a specific “game” they were working on during any interviews, rather they only discussed a “universe” or a game series that will last a good ten years. I can see them developing more shooters in this universe, but I can also see an action RPG in the works as well, since it’s clear they have a lot of big ideas. Whether their NEXT game will be an action RPG is something that is hard to determine. 60%

Graham: Bungie severed ties with Microsoft because they were tired of making Halo, so did anyone expect them to go make a game almost exactly like Halo? Of course they’re trying something different. I wouldn’t be surprised if they keep the FPS elements and go the route of Mass Effect, Fallout and Borderlands, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if they went in a different direction. That said, I bet it’ll fit the definition of “action RPG.”   85%

Eric: Considering how successful recent action RPG games have been, and how much effort has put into the Halo storyline, I could definitely see Bungie going in this direction. After all, games like Mass Effect 2, Fallout 3, and Bioshock have already showed us that shooters can have heavy RPG elements too. So this rumor makes sense theoretically, and the job listings on Bungie’s site definitely lead credence to it as well.  80%

Shawn: A shooter RPG a la Fallout 3 or Mass Effect wouldn’t be too much of a stretch, given Bungie’s experience and job listings. And considering my love of both genres, I would definitely be very interested in such a game. Add the fact that they want to distance themselves somewhat from being known as ‘the Halo studio’ and I would consider this rumor to be fairly likely. 80%

Infamous 2 to be shown at E3

Those who’ve beaten Infamous know that it needs a sequel. Those who’ve played Infamous know that they want a sequel. Well, rumor has it that Sony is going to give both groups what they want at E3 next month, when they show off Infamous 2 for the first time.

Andrew: This seems to be a no-brainer. Whether or not we’ll actually see gameplay or just a teaser trailer, it is clear that Infamous 2 is on its way.  100%

 

Graham: For the past few years, we’ve been talking about Nintendo needing to “throw hardcore gamers a bone” to keep them happy during the casual-fest that keeps the money flowing. With Natal and Move taking center stage this year, Microsoft and Sony will be in the same mindset. Well, this seems to be that bone. It’ll show up. (I won’t guarantee it’ll be playable.) 100%

Eric: All signs seem to point to this rumor being true, and I have little doubt it my mind that Infamous 2 will be making some sort of appearance at E3. From voice actor tweets to job listings and a domain name registration, it really feels like this one is almost a given. 95%

Shawn: At this point, I think I’d be surprised if Infamous 2 wasn’t shown at E3. Sony needs all the heavy hitting exclusives they have to be shown at E3, and Infamous certainly fits the bill. 95%

 

Red Faction 4 to be a prequel

We already know a new Red Faction game is in development, but we know nothing about it thus far. However, it is now being rumored that this new Red Faction game will actually be a prequel to the series. With the new Halo being a prequel, is THQ reaching into the same bag of tricks as Bungie? Or will this rumor prove to be false?

Andrew: I really have no idea about this one. Does anybody actually care about the story of Red Faction? From what I could tell, Guerrilla was a complete reboot for the series in terms of story and characters, so making a prequel that goes back to the first two games? It just seems a bit odd to me. I don’t really see this happening, unless it’s just a prequel to Guerrilla itself. 20%

Graham: First, I have to say that no one cares about the story of Red Faction. That out of the way, how are we defining “prequel?” If it happens earlier chronologically, is that a “prequel,” or does it have to be specifically about the story? As it is, I’m bunting, because I can’t say anything substantive about the situation. 50% 

Eric: I’m really not sure either way on this one; it’s certainly possible that the next Red Faction will be a prequel, but it could just as easily be a sequel. It’s true that THQ has been picking up some Red Faction related domain names, but I don’t think we can glean much about the next game’s story based on those alone. 50%

Shawn: While I loved Red Faction: Guerrilla, the story took a back seat to the mechanics. Having never played the previous Red Faction games, I have no idea if this was always the case. If so, then I doubt it would be a prequel. All I really know is I’m looking forward to it. 40%