E3 2014: What Can We Expect?

[Aulayna]

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The Electronic Entertainment Expo, more commonly referred to as E3, is just a few short days a way. Each year game publishers from around the world gather to show off their latest games and hardware to the press. Gamer hype level goes over 9,000 in response to all the news and stories that break during the expo. 2014 is a big year for Microsoft and Sony, so far next-gen offerings have been very disappointing so both companies will be looking to come out swinging with killer titles for the XBOX One and PlayStation 4. Could this finally be the year of the next-gen?

Like in 2013 (http://home.eyesonff.com/content.php/2619-E3-2013-Round-Up), Eyes on Final Fantasy will be bringing you live coverage of all the Press Conferences as they happen as well as coverage of all the major Square Enix related news. This time last year, Square Enix were on the financial rocks but wow'ed gamers the world over by rebranding FINAL FANTASY Versus XIII to FINAL FANTASY XIV (http://home.eyesonff.com/content/2591-final-fantasy-versus-xiii-becomes-final-fantasy-xv-e32013.html) and also announcing KINGDOM HEARTS III (http://home.eyesonff.com/content/2592-kingdom-hearts-iii-revealed-ps4-e32013.html). Although Square Enix have since returned to profit, their publishing department has suffered a recent run of negatively received titles like the much anticipated Thief, and the promising but ultimately disappointing, Murdered: Soul Suspect. The Twitch.tv schedule for E3 coverage features Square Enix twice, with two unannounced titles. So, what can we expect?


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What NOT to Expect!

Let's just get this right out of the way first, so your hopes and dreams can be crushed and we can rebuild them. There are two very big titles that Square Enix are working on, that everyone is super-stoked for. Sadly neither of these titles is likely to be at E3. Yes, I'm talking about:


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In a recent interview with Famitsu magazine, brand director Shinji Hashimoto revealed the disappointing news that no new FFXV information will be released at E3. "First, I just want to say that Final Fantasy XV's development is progressing favourably," Hashimoto said. "In the company, we're always trying to figure out the optimal timing to release new information to the fans. We decided that this year's E3 is not the most suitable time to release such information." Now, before you all rush to grab your pitchforks - Hashimoto went on to add, "Instead, we are preparing for an event after E3 to make new announcements." So, perhaps new details will surface at the Tokyo Game Show later this year.


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Kingdom Hearts III is also very likely to be a no show too. Although a new trailer for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX was recently revealed, that's about as much as we can expect from the Kingdom Hearts world. In the same interview, Hashimoto added "Right now, we are working hard on the game (KH3), and I think that we'd like some more time to make new announcements."


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So, now that our hopes and dreams have been crushed, what good news could we expect?


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A High Chance of Maybe...

Do you still dare to dream? If not, maybe you should! There's still 2 other, hotly anticipated RPGs, that Square Enix could attempt to court us with. One of them, many believe we never see the light of day on Western shores. The other, is almost guaranteed given it's "surprise" (to Square Enix at least) success in the west.


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Final Fantasy Agito, the Android/iOS title set in the same universe as Type-0, was recently released in Japan. During inititial announcements about this title, producer and director Hajime Tabata stated that he would like to bring Agito the west (http://home.eyesonff.com/content.php/2809-final-fantasy-agito-announced-ios-android?vbseourl=content/2809-final-fantasy-agito-announced-ios-android.html). Indeed a trademark for Agito was filed in Europe. What does this mean for Type-0 though? Well in other interviews around that time, Tabata said it would make little sense to release Agito, but not Type-0 (http://home.eyesonff.com/content.php/2820-FINAL-FANTASY-Type-0-may-be-released-outside-Japan-No-guarantees-though!), as they are both set in the same world and are connected to one another.

Square Enix France also recently let slip on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Obsqura/status/468228517453234177/photo/1) that we could expect to see some Type-0 details at E3 this year. My money is on Type-0 potentially being added as a downloadable title on the PlayStation Network.

Western Final Fantasy fans have been holding out hope for Type-0 since it's Japanese release back in 2011. So if the time isn't right for FFXV, perhaps the time is right for Type-0!


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Bravely Default surprised Square Enix. They thought that a market no longer existed in the west for more traditional Japanese RPGs. Thankfully, Nintendo fought the hard, long game on this one and Bravely Default has gone on to become on the 3DS's top titles. We already know that the sequel, Bravely Second, is in the works. Details are likely to surface during the Nintendo @ E3 broadcasts.


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100% Happening

There's three titles we'll see for sure:

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No surprises on this one. Square Enix have already released an E3 trailer for KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.5 ReMIX (http://home.eyesonff.com/content.php/3125-E3-2014-Kingdom-Hearts-2-5-Release-date-and-Kingdom-Hearts-3-tease!), so we'll probably see a few more screenshots and other details, perhaps involving the Mirage Arena multiplayer functionality of Birth By Sleep.


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A release date was recently announced for Theatrhythm: Curtain Call, (http://home.eyesonff.com/content.php/3124-North-American-and-European-release-datse-announced-for-Theatrhythm-Curtain-Call!) so some trailers and screenshots are almost guaranteed to surface.


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Big things are expected of FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn at E3 this year. We've been teased with details of new jobs, and potential the first expansion pack, for quite some time now. A Letter from the Producer LIVE, will be head from the show floor in English which will provide further details on Patch 2.3: Defenders of Eorzea (http://home.eyesonff.com/content.php/3102-FINAL-FANTASY-XIV-Patch-2-28-and-Patch-2-3-Detailed), and hopefully - finally - some concrete details about the next jobs and the expansion. Also expect to see details about the Ramuh and Shiva Primal Encounters, as well as coverage from the Leviathan Battle Challenge, where attendees can win some sweet swag (http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/1fe77f84410f540f26103a973da70260c16b3f31) by besting the Lord of the Whorl.


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Other Square Enix Titles

Square Enix aren't just all Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts and Bravely. The company also publishes for a large number of it's owned studios, from which there's a high chance we may see some new titles. Titles such as:

DEUS EX - POSSIBLY
It's been a while since Human Revolution was released. Although we've had the offering of Deus Ex: The Fall on both iOS/Android and later PC, fans are clamouring for a new title. Furthermore Eidos, the developers of Human Revolution, wrapped up development of, and subsequently released, the latest instalment in the Thief franchise earlier this year. There's a possibility then, that the next instalment in the Deus Ex franchise will be announced.

UPDATED June 6th, 6pm GMT HITMAN: SNIPER - CONFIRMED!
This may make the chances of a new Deus Ex unlikely. But the next instalment in the Hitman franchise has just been confirmed by Square Enix Montreal.

TOMB RAIDER - LIKELY
Developer Crystal Dynamics, is slated to appear on Spike TV's coverage of E3 this year, to announce a new title. We already know that a sequel to Tomb Raider is in the works, due to some accidental leaks late last year. However, Crystal Dynamics may also be working on a brand new IP. There were job listings for a next-generation game back in 2012, before Tomb Raider was even released.

SLEEPING DOGS: TRIAD WARS - EXTREMELY LIKELY
Back in October 2013, developer United Front Games confirmed that they are working on a new instalment set in the Sleeping Dogs universe. Confirmed to be titled 'Sleeping Dogs: Triad Wars' very little is known about the game at present, so there's a good chance a big reveal will take place at E3 this year.



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Conference Coverage

Eyes on Final Fantasy will be covering all of the major press conferences, live, as they happen. Head on over to our General Gaming Discussion (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/156301-E3-2014) forum, to join in with the pre-Expo hype! The current conference schedule is as follows:

Monday, June 9th


MICROSOFT - 9:30am PT (5:30pm GMT/12:30pm EST)
EA - 12pm PT (8pm GMT/3pm EST)
UBISOFT - 3pm PT (11pm GMT/6pm EST)
SONY - 6pm PT (2am GMT/9pm EST)


Tuesday, June 10th


NINTENDO - 9am PT (5pm GMT/12pm EST)
SQUARE ENIX (Final Fantasy XIV) - A Letter from the Producer LIVE @ E3(English) - 1pm PT (9pm GMT/4pm EST)


Wednesday, June 11th (Both on Twitch.tv)


SQUARE ENIX (unannounced title) - 12pm PT (10pm GMT/5pm EST)
SQUARE ENIX (unannounced title) - 12:20pm PT (10:20pm GMT/5:20pm EST)


Thursday, June 12th


SQUARE ENIX (Final Fantasy XIV) - A Letter from the Producer LIVE Part XV (Japanese) - 10am PT (6pm GMT/1pm EST)
SQUARE ENIX (unannounced title - Twitch.tv) - 12:20pm PT (10:20pm GMT/5:20pm EST)




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Where to Watch?

Pretty much all of the major gaming news sites will have streams running for the vast majority of the Expo. Popular places include:

SPIKE TV (http://www.spike.com/e3) - Spike's All Access Live coverage generally has the most widespread coverage of the event, but also tends to suffer form a lot of advertisement breaks

IGN (http://ie.ign.com/events/e3) & GameSpot (http://www.gamespot.com/e3/) - Both feature coverage throughout, along with interviews, thoughts and impressions.

TWITCH (http://www.twitch.tv/team/e3) - Twitch.tv recently signed a three year contract with the ESA to stream E3. It'll be interested to see what they bring to the table.

Nintendo (http://e3.nintendo.com/) - Nintendo have a dedicated channel which will show not only their press conferences, but also steams live from their Product Treehouse development teams on the show floor.



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[Ayen]

Not the least bit surprised neither XV nor KHIII will be making an appearance. The only titles I'm interested in seeing news on are Type 0, Bravely Second, and a sequel to Tomb Raider.

[Depression Moon]

Well thanks for letting me know not to bother with them this year. It's really ridiculous how long XV has been in development. If there's no news of it this year then I expect a 2016 release date at the earliest. No KHIII either, I'm not really caring anymore now.

[Formalhaut]

Excited for Type-0 information, but highly disappointed about XV and KHIII being a no-show. Maybe it was too much to ask, but I think at least 'something' should be given, besides a statement saying "oh yes, development is progressing favourably".

[Bolivar]

I'm expecting an endless barrage of jaw-dropping megaton bombshells!

Not surprised about XV - I've resigned myself to what seems the last decade of my life expecting it at TGS every year. But they said news will come shortly after E3 so I believe they're going to focus on the Japanese launch first, like always.

Type-0 and Valkyria Chronicles 3 will be at Sony's conference. #JRPGVita BELIEVE!

[Scotty_ffgamer]

I think they've said XV and KHIII weren't going to be at this E3 for quite a while now. Maybe Square will prove to be liars and they show up anyways, but probably not.

Type-0 is what I'm interested in hearing about. I want to play it so bad.

[Aulayna]

I forgot to add, Hitman Sniper will also be making it's debut at E3.

[Wolf Kanno]

Not surprised, I wasn't expecting news of XV until TGS anyway and the KHIII teaser from last year was mainly meant as "hey we're actually working on it" not a sign it's nearly finished. The few videos we've seen of that game are all really rough so I doubt the game is as far along as fans have been hoping.

I am mostly hoping to hear something about Type-0 even if it means I may have to break down and get a Vita to finally play it.

[Freya]

Hey they said they wouldn't show things last year and they did so... sooo maybe they are lying to try to surprise people?


Please :(

[Aulayna]

I doubt they will be saving a surprise. Last year NeoGAF was ablaze with insider rumours, and NeoGAF is pretty reliable for these kinds of things. This year, things have been relatively mute all round. I guess we might get a surprise new trailer, but that's all I'd be optimistic for.

[Dat Matt]

I am interested in seeing more info on Bravely Second and Curtain Call personally. Both swell games and it's good they are getting sequels, means they sold well.

I could throw together something similar for Nintendo if folks are interested. I know some things that we'll at least be seeing trailers for.

[Bolivar]

Well, there's this (Mario Maker for 3DS):

http://joystiq.com/2014/06/06/rumor-meet-your-mario-maker-at-e3/?post=1&icid=joystiq_home_latest_art

[Dat Matt]

That seems like a pretty bizarre thing to pitch. It's one of the reasons I believe it's true. A full game of Mario Rom hacks. Should be amazing if you're into that.

[Madame Adequate]

I'm eager to see what's on the way for the consoles, because it's really time for the fight to get into gear and there are times, rare though they are, when we actually get some good games out of the console wars.

I also hope we'll get a passel of info on Civ: Beyond Earth. And unlikely though it is, revelation of something related to State of Decay would be the icing on the cake.

[Slothy]

Could have sworn i hit post on this the other day but i guess not.

I'm looking for another E3 filled with lofty promises for titles that will largely miss the mark.

That and the new Civ game that is.

[Freya]

I want to see a Wii u Zelda that isn't hyrule warriors (although that's awesome too)

[fat_moogle]

If Final Fantasy Type-0 is announced for the West at E3 then I think I'd forgive Square Enix over the no showing of FFXV. I have no PSP or Vita now though so I'd love it if it were a HD remaster on PS3 or something! I'd buy a Vita for it though (PS4 + Vita bundle will prob get priced at E3) as ever since I played the Japanese demo I've wanted it! Buuttttt I'm sure we'll just get Agito with no mention of Type-0 so whatev.

I'm kinda hoping for Tekken 7.

[Formalhaut]

I'd prefer Type-0 on a console personally but I've resigned myself to the fact that it may be a handheld exclusive (grr).

[Miss Mae]

This summary is super helpful in ensuring I have my plans sorted for watching the E3 coverage. Thank you for putting in the effort!

[Del Murder]

If they make up for no FFXV with a Type-0 announcement then I guess I'll be satisfied.

[Wolf Kanno]

I'm also hoping to finally get more info about Fire Emblem X Shin Megami Tensei. Though I am not holding my breath.

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[Bolivar]

I want to see a Wii u Zelda that isn't hyrule warriors (although that's awesome too)

They say this is the year!

[Skyblade]

I'm also hoping to finally get more info about Fire Emblem X Shin Megami Tensei. Though I am not holding my breath.

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It's not as though this one is a Smash Bros or heck, even a Persona 4 Arena. It's a full RPG written by ATLUS. I'm pretty sure there will be more depth to it than that.

Also, the people who work at my local Gamestop say that the company was given some official notification of the title by Nintendo near the start of the year, so it is at least still going on, and I've heard that there was going to be an E3 presentation of it, though the veracity of that is unknown.

[Dat Matt]

I want to see a Wii u Zelda that isn't hyrule warriors (although that's awesome too)

I wouldn't worry about that, it's going to happen. The leaked name is "Shards of Nightmares" but I don't think that's true. It will probably be the last thing they show on their Nintendo Direct or whatever they are doing this time round.

I want a release date for X and Bayonetta 2 more than anything else on this upcoming Titles.

[Wolf Kanno]

It is still an odd ball crossover and I am personally a bit horrified that the Demi-Fiend is a confirmed character, though if it's like any of his post-Nocturne appearances, he will most likely be an optional super boss since he's kind of an overpowered BS character within the MegaTen universe itself.

I'm sure the game will be interesting, I'm just kind of thrown off by how it is going to work out cause the two franchises are pretty different from a thematic scale. Fire Emblem tends to be a bit more idealistic (could be wrong about that) whereas MegaTen is decidedly cynical. It will be interesting to see where they go with this especially since I've read somewhere that whole reason the Fire Emblem director/creator wanted to do this crossover was so he could have a FE game set in a modern setting (http://www.siliconera.com/2013/07/09/shin-megami-tensei-x-fire-emblem-is-at-least-partly-set-in-modern-times/).

[Pete for President]

I think they've said XV and KHIII weren't going to be at this E3 for quite a while now. Maybe Square will prove to be liars and they show up anyways, but probably not.

That's exactly what they should do to blow everyone's minds but they won't.


I forgot to add, Hitman Sniper will also be making it's debut at E3.

Curious about this. Wasn't the original Hitman studio working on a Hitman title as well? Not too sure what to think about the title. Sounds to me like they just looked at how successful the pre-Absolution-release Hitman Sniper Challenge minigame was and voila, "new" game concept. But I hope to be proven wrong.

[Skyblade]

I want to see a Wii u Zelda that isn't hyrule warriors (although that's awesome too)

Congratulations. Link's Crossbow Training II!

No?

[Mirage]

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Not sure if I can agree with that with none of the cool new things making it.

[NeoCracker]

Listening to the Thumb Wars guys, I kind of side with their overall Ideas.

Microsoft easily hast he most to prove this time around. After running around with their foot up their ass since last E3 between so few exclusives, the weakest first party studios, and consistent backpedaling (In all the worst ways) they need to come with a damn good showing to win anyone.

Sony needs to have a strong game showcase, especially after so many push backs, including The Order and that one racing game I don't care about.

All Nintendo needs to do is games. So long as they have a strong line up this E3 with some dates (And if the leaked lists are at all true, they will have that), they'll be just fine. Hell, Mario Kart 8's release saw a 666% increase in WiiU sales when it launched. Not in total sales, just weekly, but it's clear that Nintendo's first parties make a difference. When we have dates on the new main Zelda, the Hyrule Warriors game, Mario party 10, and then some of the more core games like Bayonetta 2, Xeno, and Shin Megami X Fire Emblem?

Nintendo probably has the most potential right now for having an awesome E3.

[AssassinDX]

I agree completely with your post Neo, I don't agree with the whole "winning E3" argument gamers have every year but in terms of fans Nintendo have the most to lose this year. Mario Kart has got people talking about the Wii U again and it's up to Nintendo to keep the momentum going, so a firm release date for Smash Bros is essential and also more information on the other games you talked about, Zelda in particular.

As for Microsoft chances are they'll be relying on last years' strategy:

KbWgUO-Rqcw

And yeah, Sony need to sort out their release schedule, my guess is that as of now they'll play it safe and probably not give many (if any) release dates for the games they showcase this year.

[Mirage]

No, chances are not.

[Pete for President]

As for Microsoft chances are they'll be relying on last years' strategy:

KbWgUO-Rqcw


I was looking for this vid not too long ago! It's even better than I remembered it to be :p

[Dat Matt]

http://i.imgur.com/33OrzPZ.jpg

Matt Intensifies

[Ayen]

I'm guessing reboot/remake because there isn't a 2 in there?

[Depression Moon]

I forgot all about Mirror's Edge being revealed last year. That's the only thing I'm eager about currently, that and Beyond Good and Evil 2.

[Endless]

I got something to help you with the upcoming press conferences

http://www.airelle.info/a/e3_2014_bingo.jpg

[Noctis Caelum]

http://i.imgur.com/x0PRqOj.jpg

Don't know how many people are following E3 today, but I will be following every event. I will post my opinions, thoughts, and perhaps videos as they become available. Anybody else is welcome to join me in the excitement.

[Ayen]

That's today?

Meh. I have work still to do and a Game of Thrones episode to watch, so I'll just follow your E3 commentary.

[escobert]

I used to be really into these events and stuffs but, I just don't care about consoles or the majority of games coming out anymore :(

Hope everyone has fun and some cool stuffs are shown.

[Noctis Caelum]

That's today?

Meh. I have work still to do and a Game of Thrones episode to watch, so I'll just follow your E3 commentary.
Aye, it is.
Honestly I don't expect much from Microsoft's conference. Used to be an Xbox gamer but I've abandoned them. But I'll keep an open mind for their conference. If it sucks though... well, I won't be surprised.

Sony's is the one to REALLY be prepared for. I think they have some big things in store. They have theaters all over North America that are going to be showing their conference for free. Which is just unheard of. I have to assume that some big reveals will be shown. Perhaps The Last Guardian will rear it's head. That's my ultimate hope.

[escobert]

Wow, yeah I'd have to think they've got something big if they have theaters streaming it. Otherwise that would be a huge wtf sony.

[Noctis Caelum]

Wow, yeah I'd have to think they've got something big if they have theaters streaming it. Otherwise that would be a huge wtf sony.
That was my first impression too. But they probably have the hookups with the theaters to get it done. It's a cool concept. Give thousands of people a really cool way to see the future of gaming. And I do believe this E3 will show a lot of exciting things for the future. Last years was all about hardware so it was a bore, but this one is about the games. So hopefully it will impress.

[Bolivar]

I'm actually going to the theater showing in South Philly.

Honestly, I'm expecting Microsoft to have more announcements and surprises. I'm anticipating Sony will showcase project morpheus and retro titles via PlayStation Now, along with games we already know about and a surprise or two here and there.

I'm just excited for my free swag!

[Noctis Caelum]

Really cool. Hope you have a good time, and show us the swag you get!

Microsoft conference is about to kick off!

[Ayen]

Sony's is the one to REALLY be prepared for. I think they have some big things in store. They have theaters all over North America that are going to be showing their conference for free. Which is just unheard of. I have to assume that some big reveals will be shown. Perhaps The Last Guardian will rear it's head. That's my ultimate hope.

Seriously? Damn, Sony has been killing it lately. Microsoft better have a hell of an ace up their sleeve.

[Noctis Caelum]

Microsoft Conference


Conference hasn't started just yet, but they just revealed an achievement app that will ship later this year. It will update achievement progress seemlessly and you can follow your progress like never before.
Killer Instinct Season 2 was the first trailer to be revealed.

[Psychotic]

EoFF has a live blog here: http://home.eyesonff.com/content.php/3129-Microsoft-E3-2014 :)

[Aulayna]

Hey Noctis, I'll be making seperate threads for each conference, much like last year. Can I be a massive pain and request that you comment in those, so everything is fairly centralised and less of a pain to hunt down on Friday when I'll be making a review. :) Thanks!

Once all the conferences are over, feel free to post your impressions and favourite trailers and all that good stuff in this thread. :jess:

[Psychotic]

I merged Noctis's thread into the main E3 thread and then discussion can occur in Aulayna's individual threads for each conference. I think that'll work best! Saves conversation being scattered :)

[Pumpkin]

I never really watch these things, but I enjoy the news that comes out of them, so thank you guys for covering this

[escobert]

I guess if Fallout 4 were announced I'd be pretty stoaked.

[Depression Moon]

Ubisoft was disappointing to me; a bunch of shooters with some casual games which I can argue shooters now are and no Beyond Good and Evil 2 again!