E3 is next week. (Yikes!) Here’s a rundown of what we’re most anticipating from this year’s show.
Wii U: I loved the Wii, I love Nintendo, and I am very intrigued by this new system. Last year, we saw the controller, we saw the tech, but we didn’t get a good sense of anything beyond that. It was impressive technology to be sure, but what everyone really wants to see are the games. I want to know what the launch lineup might be like, both first and third party, and any news regarding the online plans. READ MORE
Ready for this year’s E3? We’re here to help, with a look at the Big Three.
What we know:Halo 4, out November 6, is clearly the company’s fall anchor, and will likely get a lot of promotional time. There’s no bigger franchise in the company’s portfolio. Also, Microsoft has said this year’s presentation will largely focus on multimedia capabilities, meaning more announcements of streaming services and dashboard tweaks and fewer ones of new games. READ MORE
This week, Double Fine goes spelunking and we watch the coming and going of games and a studio.
TOP STORY: Double Fine creating The Cave
Double Fine is partnering with Sega to release a new side-scrolling downloadable title on XBLA, PSN and PC next year. The Cave will place players in the role of three adventurers, each with different skills and personalities. We don’t know much about the gameplay at this point, but we do know that where will a medieval castle, an underground amusement park and a nuclear ICBM.
This week, Sly Cooper expanded his thieving ways and we had some rather unusual news items.
TOP STORY: Sly Cooper headed to Vita
At E3 last year, Sony revealed that the beloved raccoon Sly Cooper would be making a return on the PS3 this year. Since then, we’ve seen bits and pieces of information and gameplay that has only served to whet our interest. This week, a new trailer was released that showed that Sly Cooper would also be making his Vita debut at the same time. Like a few other games have done, the Vita version will feature cross-platform saves, letting you play on the big screen or take your adventures on the road. Of course, it will also have touch screen and motion controls.
This week, BioShock Infinite moved to 2013, creating a hole in the fall schedule that other publishers are trying to fill. Above: Max Payne 3‘s releasing this week! Have a launch trailer.
TOP STORY: BioShock Infinite delayed
BioShock Infinite was expected to arrive in October this year, but this week, Take Two announced a delay until February 26, 2013. Specifics for the delay were not given, but Ken Levine, head of Irrational Games, said that it plans to use the time to make Infinite “even more extraordinary” than it would have been. It will also be absent from upcoming game conventions, so that time can be spent on development rather than preparing for public displays.
