The biggest week in gaming has come and gone. Last year at E3 2013 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) the focus was primarily on the impending launches of the Xbox One and PS4. E3 2014 has proved to be more about games than hardware. Let’s take a look at what some of the biggest competitors brought to the table at this year’s E3 Conference.
Microsoft:
Microsoft seemed to have their sights set on things besides gaming when they showed off their new console (the ‘Xbox One’) last year, touting that the new console was going to change how you watched TV. Fast forward a year, after some not so positive critiques, Microsoft seems to have put their energy back into gaming. Microsoft’s first big title announcement comes in the form of Halo. We haven’t seen a new Halo release since 2012 with Halo 4. While Halo 5: Guardians isn’t being released until 2015, Microsoft and 343 Industries have been busy putting together Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The Master Chief Collection brings together all four Halo games into a single disc for the Xbox One. Each game has been remastered and will run in full 1080p with dedicated servers and the ability to earn up to 4,000 Xbox Gamerscore. For a fan of Halo, not only will you get to live out the nostalgia of playing games from your favorite series, but you’ll also get an early look at Halo 5: Guardians, which will be available through the collection this December. Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3 and Halo 4 will all be part of The Master Chief Collection and will be available on November 11th. You can check out the trailer for The Master Chief Collection below.
Other games coming to the Xbox One:
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Click Here To View Trailer
Rise of The Tomb Raider – Click Here To View Trailer
Forza Horizon 2 – Click Here To View Trailer
Crackdown – Click Here To View Trailer
Sunset Overdrive – Click Here To View Trailer
Fable Legends – Click Here To View Trailer
Sony:
In my opinion Sony won big at E3 this year. Like Microsoft, they didn’t show off much on the hardware side, but what they did show was A LOT of games. Batman Arkham Night (including the new Batmobile which is awesome), new series releases like Uncharted 4 and beautiful new games like No Man’s Land, just to name a few.However, the highly anticipated game Destiny stole the show. While Destiny is going to show up on other platforms, Sony isn’t wasting any time getting it out to anxiously awaiting fans. A Beta of the new game is set to hit the PS4 on July 17th and the official release will be coming on Sept 9th, the same day Sony will be making the PlayStation Destiny Bundle available. The package will include a white PS4 with; matching controller, a copy of the game, and a 30-day trial membership to the PlayStation Plus Service. Destiny players will also receive quite a few exclusives if they purchase it on the PS4 platform, including exclusive weapons, vehicles, solo maps, and multiplayer maps. Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Andrew House told the E3 audience, “Destiny isn’t just first on PlayStation, it’s better”. You can check out the trailer for Destiny below.
Other games coming to the PlayStation 4:
Batman Arkham Night – Click Here To View Trailer
No Man’s Sky – Click Here To View Trailer
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain – Click Here To View Trailer
Dead Island 2 – Click Here To View Trailer
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – Click Here To View Trailer
The Order: 1886 – Click Here To View Trailer
Nintendo:
Is Nintendo back in the game? (pun intended) After this year’s E3, I’d say yes! The Wii U has struggled with consistently disappointing sales, but Nintendo has tried to better itself by releasing some of its most exciting games ever. At E3 2014, the company has taken things to the next level announcing a huge range of titles for the Wii U and 3DS that are meant to spark your creativity. Soon you’ll be able to use your Wii U to build your own custom levels in Mario Maker and explore an open world in the first ever HD version of Legend of Zelda. At E3, Nintendo is usually accused of not having enough games, but that is definitely not the case this year. The list of announcements for Wii U and 3DS include Zelda,Mario Maker, the first new Star Fox in years, Smash Bros, a new Yoshi game, the next Mario Party and Kirby. After this E3 it’s safe to say that Nintendo’s best games are getting better. Here’s a look at Mario Maker for Wii U.
Editor’s Pick:
My pick for the best game shown at E3 comes directly from the Ubisoft press conference. My pick goes to Tom Clancy’s The Division. Enjoy the trailer and be sure to let us know what your favorite game from E3 is.