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From ‘Anthem’ to ‘Smash Bros. on Switch,’ here are the games coming to E3 2018

It’s nearly that time of year again — E3 is almost here, and the entire gaming industry is already gearing up for its biggest event of the year. Microsoft, Sony, Ubisoft, and Bethesda will all take the stage. Nintendo will likely host another live-stream event. EA is planning its third adjacent EA Play show. Perhaps most importantly, this will be the second year where E3 is open to the public, with even more fans likely to be there. It’s a brave new world.

For most of us, though, E3 is all about the games, right? We’re keeping a running list of games that might make an appearance, from those that publishers have confirmed will be there, to the games making the rounds in the rumor mill. We’ll keep updating this list regularly as more news and rumors come our way, so keep checking back regularly to stay up to date!

The games we know will be there

‘Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’

Assassin's Creed Odyssey - E3 2018 Reveal Teaser [4K 2160P]

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey was likely meant to be a surprise announcement for E3, but after French site Jeuxvideo posted an image of a promotional keychain for the game on May 31, Ubisoft made it official. The game appears to take players to Greece this time around, as both the keychain and a soldier in the game’s five-second teaser trailer show off a Spartan helmet.

‘Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!’ and ‘Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!’

Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! Trailer

The next core role-playing Pokémon game won’t arrive to the Switch until the latter half of 2019, but two other games are in the works that look just as exciting. Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! are fully 3D adventure games for the Switch, and they allow you to catch Kanto-region creatures and battle other trainers. The game features connectivity with Pokémon Go on mobile devices, and a special Pokéball Plus accessory can be used in place of a traditional Joy-Con controller. If you have a friend, you can both explore the world together and team up to catch more powerful monsters.  Both titles are out November 16.

‘Fallout 76’

Fallout 76 – Official Teaser Trailer

Bethesda delivered a surprise game announcement shortly before E3 when it revealed Fallout 76. Details on the game are scarce — we don’t know the genre or release window — but according to Kotaku, the game will feature online connectivity and is being developed by Bethesda Game Studios in both Maryland and Austin. If the official teaser trailer is anything to go by, the game could take place in 2076, before nuclear bombs destroyed much of Earth.

‘Mega Man 11’

Mega Man 11 - Pre-order Trailer

Mega Man 11 is shaping up to be the classic Mega Man experience that lifelong fans have been waiting for, but with a new, modern visual style that is everything Might No. 9 wasn’t. Making use of a new “Double Gear” system, Mega Man can slow down time or power up his own Buster shots to get the drop on enemies and do some serious damage, and new bosses like Fuse Man pose an enormous challenge. The game arrives this October, so expect to see a good look at gameplay footage during E3.

‘Rage 2’

RAGE 2 – Official Gameplay Trailer

Bethesda officially announced Rage 2 with a short, live action teaser, followed by a gameplay trailer on May 15. The game builds on the mixture of first-person shooting and driving we saw in the 2011 original, but with a more irreverent and colorful style that fits its over-the-top action. It’s being developed by Avalanche Studios — the team behind the Mad Max game and the Just Cause series — along with original Rage studio Id Software. Rage 2 is planned for a spring 2019 release and Bethesda promises more gameplay will be shown at E3 during its press conference.

‘Ghost of Tsushima’

Ghost of Tsushima - PGW 2017 Announce Trailer | PS4

Revealed at Paris Games Week 2017, Ghost of Tsushima is quite the change of pace for Sony’s Sucker Punch Productions, which spent the better part of the past decade developing its superhero Infamous series. Set in 13th century Japan, you play as a samurai on the island of Tsushima. The game will see you learn the samurai ways and ward off the invading Mongol Empire. Sony recently announced that Ghost of Tsushima would be one of four games featured in its press conference.

Here’s everything we know about Ghost of Tsushima.

‘Death Stranding’

Death Stranding TGA 2017 Cinematic Trailer | PS4 | The Game Awards 2017

Metal Gear auteur Hideo Kojima’s first independent project has had us scratching our head for several years’ worth of Sony E3 presentations now. Other than its stellar cast that includes Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelsen — and a lot of very strange imagery — we know very little about the game itself. Sony recently promised an “extended look” at the game during its E3 presentation, though it’s not clear whether that will include actual gameplay or just more enigmatic cut scenes, as we’ve seen over the past few years.

Here’s everything we know about Death Stranding.

‘Spider-Man’

Marvel’s Spider-Man - PGW 2017 Teaser Trailer | PS4

Insomniac debuted its PS4-exclusive Spider-Man at E3 2016 during Sony’s presentation. This is the first licensed game from the studio, which is well-known for its original platformers like Ratchet & Clank and Spyro the DragonSony confirmed that the game will heavily feature in its E3 press conference, and given that the game will hit stores September 7, 2018, we fully expect it to be playable at the show this year.

Here’s everything we know about Spider-Man.

‘The Last of Us: Part II’

THE LAST OF US 2 Official Trailer (2018) PS4

The Last of Us: Part II, a sequel to one of the PlayStation 3’s very best games, will flip the script of the original to an extent. This time you play mainly as Ellie, rather than Joel, and instead of themes centered around love, it will largely focus on hate. The Last of Us 2 skipped E3 2017, but Sony treated us to a brutal cinematic trailer at Paris Games Week 2017. Director Neil Druckmann confirmed at the 2017 PlayStation Experience in December 2017 that TLOU 2 would be at E3 2018, and we hope to finally see some gameplay from this long-anticipated sequel. Here’s everything we know about TLOU 2.

‘The Division 2’

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment have announced The Division 2, a sequel to their 2016 open-world online shooter that’s set in a near-future pandemic-ravaged New York City. The publisher has provided no details so far about the setting or gameplay, but promised it would have more to share at E3 2018. The Division 2 is on track to launch before the end of Ubisoft’s current fiscal year on March 31, 2019.

‘Starlink: Battle for Atlas’

Starlink: Battle for Atlas

Ubisoft’s attempt to evolve the toys-to-life genre, Starlink: Battle for Atlas lets players attach toy spaceships to their PS4, Xbox One, and Switch controllers. We haven’t heard much about the Ubisoft Toronto-developed space adventure since it was revealed at E3 last year, but it will be on hand at E3. It’s expected to launch later this year on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Check out everything we know about Starlink: Battle for Atlas here.

‘Transference’

Transference

Video games meet film in Transference, Ubisoft Montreal’s psychological thriller made in collaboration with production company Spectrevision. The game takes players through re-created memories of a man’s descent into madness, and features branching narrative rife with puzzles and secrets. Announced at E3 last year, Transference was originally slated for a spring launch. It obviously will miss that window, but Ubisoft will show off Transference at E3 again this year. Although the game seems to be designed with VR in mind (PSVR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive), it’s also in development for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

‘Beyond Good and Evil 2’

Beyond Good and Evil 2

Although Beyond Good and Evil 2 made an appearance at E3 2017 with a cinematic trailer, the prequel to the cult classic adventure game Beyond Good and Evil could very well still be years away. The original launched in 2003 and due to underwhelming sales, the planned trilogy was put on hold. The follow-up has resurfaced sporadically over the last decade only to go dark for extended periods. So far, we know the game will feature character customization, online co-op, and a much meatier experience than its predecessor. Considering the game is confirmed for E3, perhaps it’s further along in development than previously expected.

Here’s everything we know about Beyond Good and Evil 2.

‘Skull and Bones’

Skull and Bones: E3 2017 Cinematic Announcement Trailer | Ubisoft [NA]

Unveiled at E3 last year, Skull and Bones is the result of turning the ship combat from Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag into a full-fledged naval warfare piracy sim. Developed by Ubisoft Singapore, the studio responsible for the Assassin’s Creed’s ship combat, Skull and Bones has a campaign for solo players but the main focus seems to be the shared world multiplayer setting. Crews of up to six players can commandeer ships and set sail on the Indian Ocean to engage in combat, acquire loot, and customize your ship along the way. Ubisoft recently announced it would hold Skull and Bones until its 2019 fiscal year, but confirmed the game will be on display this year.

We played Skull and Bones for the first time last year at E3 2017. Read our hands-on preview.

‘Anthem’

Anthem Official Gameplay Reveal

BioWare revealed Anthem, its next big franchise, at Electronic Arts’ 2017 EA Play press conference. Departing from the studio’s history of single-player RPGs like Dragon Age and Mass Effect, Anthem is a Destiny-style open-world, cooperative shooter set in a futuristic realm where “Freelancers” wearing powered armor suits called “Javelins” help protect a walled city against the horrible monsters encroaching from outside. EA has promised “an inside look” at Anthem at EA Play 2018, though with an “early 2019” launch window, it may not be playable at this phase.

Check out everything we know about Anthem here.

‘Super Smash Bros. for Switch’

Super Smash Bros. is coming to Nintendo Switch!

With Zelda, Mario, and his Karts all squared away on the Switch, Nintendo fans have been eagerly awaiting news about the inevitable next chapter of its franchise-spanning Super Smash Bros. fighting game series. Nintendo confirmed the Switch iteration during its March, 2018 “Nintendo Direct” broadcast, with a teaser trailer suggesting that Splatoon‘s inklings will join the fray. The last game came out in 2014, so we are eager to see how the franchise will have evolved and what new characters will be in the mix. Nintendo’s E3 presence will be centered around Smash, with a Super Smash Bros. Invitational taking place on June 12.

‘Shadow of the Tomb Raider’

Shadow of the Tomb Raider Teaser Trailer [US] - ESRB

The next entry in Square Enix’s hugely popular reboot of the Tomb Raider action-adventure franchise skipped E3 last year, but Shadow of the Tomb Raider will be on display this year. Lara’s third adventure looks to wrap up her origin story and from our hands-on time, it’s clear that this will be Lara’s darkest adventure yet. The game is scheduled to launch on September 14 on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

Read our hands-on preview.

‘Battlefield V’

Battlefield 5 Official Reveal Trailer

Developer DICE went back to basics in 2016 with Battlefield 1, which took the long-running shooter series to the trenches of World War I. EA has confirmed that the next entry in the series, Battlefield V, in addition to throwing sensible numbering conventions out the window, will be playable at EA Play. During a May 23 reveal event, EA confirmed rumors that the series would return to World War II in Battlefield V.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Activision is ready to crank out another Call of Duty game from its well-oiled machine of three studios working in rotation. Treyarch is back in the saddle for 2018, now that Activision has confirmed that Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is coming to PC, PS4, and Xbox One on October 12. The game will be officially unveiled at a community event on May 17 , and we wholly expect it to have a large presence on the floor the following month at E3.

‘FIFA 19’

EA Sports’ annual FIFA football/soccer series doesn’t always get a lot of mainstream coverage, but it’s quietly one of the most popular video game franchises on the planet. For the past two years, the publisher has debuted its annual entry at its EA Play event just before E3, so we look forward to seeing the latest iteration in June.

‘Madden NFL 19’

Madden ’18 Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Madden football franchise is the backbone of EA Sports and one of the longest continuously running video game franchises of all time. Madden NFL 19 launches August 19 on PS4 and Xbox One. So far, we know former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens will be on the cover of the special edition, and updates have been made to the franchise and Ultimate Team modes. Madden NFL 19 will be on hand at EA Play, where we expect to learn more about this year’s iteration.

‘Just Cause 4’

Just Cause 3 Live Action Trailer

Avalanche Studios hasn’t announced or even hinted at a fourth game in the Just Cause series, but the game popped up on the same Walmart Canada listing that included the new Splinter Cell game and Rage 2. A few weeks later, the game briefly popped up on as a Steam advertisement, so we fully expect to see it during the Square Enix conference on June 11.

Just Cause 3 was released in 2015 to mixed reviews, many of which mentioned technical issues, but the extra time with current-generation systems could lead to a more stable sequel.

‘Crackdown 3’

Crackdown 3 – E3 2017 – Official 4K Trailer

Long featured on vaporware lists, Crackdown 3 was MIA for a while after Phil Spencer revealed the sequel, which was already anticipated at that point, at E3 2014. You play as super-powered, elite cops in a dystopian city in the future, taking down vicious crime syndicates and wrecking the game’s thoroughly destructible environments along the way. We tried it out at E3 2017.

Crackdown 3 was scheduled for a “Spring 2018” release after several delays, but Microsoft has since pushed it to February 2019. The publisher confirmed the game will appear at its E3 press conference on June 10.

Here’s everything we know about Crackdown 3.

The games we expect to be there

‘Hitman 2’

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Hitman series developer IO Interactive (and new publisher Warner Bros. Games) recently teased a reveal with new info about the future of the studio’s sandbox murder sim, which led industry trends by dropping numbers for a soft reboot with an episodic “live” structure that rolled out the game’s content over several months. Astute fans caught a logo on WB’s website ahead of the promised June 7 reveal, however, revealing Agent 47 will not just get a new season of content, but a sequel . We have no sense of a release window yet, but we expect to see a trailer ahead of E3 and get some more details at the show.

‘Mortal Kombat 11’

Mortal Kombat XL: Announcement Trailer

Developer NetherRealm has been cranking out fighting games at a steady pace for nearly a decade now, and the smart money says it’s time for another entry in the Mortal Kombat series of notoriously gory 2D fighters. The last game, Mortal Kombat X, finished its full DLC life cycle with a complete XL version, and it’s been a whole year since the studio’s last big title, Injustice 2. Mortal Kombat series creator threw fuel onto the fire with a recent tweet, saying “You know what ELSE would be kool…” in response to someone asking for more Injustice 2 DLC. Based on NetherRealm’s publishing history, We expect the game, which we’ll assume is called MK11, to make its debut at the show, likely in advance of a Spring, 2019, launch.

‘Mario Tennis Aces’

Mario Tennis Aces - Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Direct 3.8.2018

Although the Wii U had Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash, it was devoid of substantial content and largely forgettable. Nintendo aims to rectify that with Mario Tennis Aces, coming to Switch on June 22. It will be the first in the series to include a single player campaign since Mario Tennis: Power Tour for the Game Boy Advance. Since it’s coming out immediately after E3, we would be shocked if the game weren’t playable at Nintendo’s booth.

‘Octopath Traveler’

Octopath Traveler - Release Date Trailer (Nintendo Direct)

The grassroots comeback of 90’s-style JRPGs–fueled by ROMS and RPG Maker-crafted fan homages–has gone all the way back to the source, with Square Enix producing new games in the style of the classics. The latest is Octopath Traveller, a classic-style JRPG with eight different protagonists being developed by the studio behind Bravely Default. It’s slated for a July 13 release, making its presence at Nintendo’s E3 booth almost a sure thing.

‘The Crew 2’

The Crew 2: Available June 29, 2018 | Gameplay Trailer | Ubisoft [US]

Ubisoft’s 2014 open-world racing game The Crew was notable for ambitiously allowing players to drive across the entire (somewhat compressed) United States continuously, though its story was more of a mixed bag. The upcoming sequel will focus on the open-world part that people loved, adding more types of vehicles for land, air, and sea, as well as a looser plot structure that will simply provide a framework to get you out and racing. The game launches on June 29, just a few weeks after E3, so we expect to see a good chunk of gameplay.

Here’s everything we know about The Crew 2.

‘Cyberpunk 2077’

Cyberpunk 2077 Teaser Trailer

CD Projekt Red has been pretty quiet about their sci-fi follow-up to The Witcher 3, which still holds up as one of the finest RPGs to date. Based on Mike Pondsmith’s seminal tabletop RPG Cyberpunk 20202077 promises a dynamic world of a scope and richness surpassing even The Witcher 3. A recent “Beep” on the game’s Twitter feed was its first activity in more than four years, and Polish site GRYOnline claims that the game will be shown at E3 this year.

Here’s everything we know about Cyberpunk 2077.

‘Days Gone’

Days Gone | E3 2017 Trailer | PS4

This PlayStation 4-exclusive survival horror game debuted at Sony’s 2016 E3 press conference, and we saw a hands-off demonstration last year. This third-person action game is set in the Pacific Northwest, where you play a biker trying to get by in the wilderness, several years after a zombie virus has turned much of the world population into “freakers.” Sony recently delayed the game from 2018 into 2019, but we still expect it to be playable at the show, given its appearances the last few years. Here’s everything we know about Days Gone.

‘Dreams’

Image used with permission by copyright holder

LittleBigPlanet creator Media Molecule raised a lot of eyebrows with its E3 2015 reveal of Dreams, a surreal and open-ended game/creation tool that allows players to create and share elaborate, interactive, fully 3D creations. In the wake of impossibly ambitious games like Spore and No Man’s Sky, the promise of infinitely new gameplay and content should rightly trigger skepticism among gaming fans, but if anyone is qualified to make a good faith effort at this sort of creation platform game, it’s Media Molecule. The studio broke a long period of silence by showing the game at Paris Games Week and the PlayStation Experience in 2017, and said the game is on track for a 2018 release. As such, we anticipate finally getting our hands on it at the show this year to see whether it can live up to its hype.

Here’s everything we know about about Dreams.

‘Kingdom Hearts 3’

A Final Fantasy/Disney crossover RPG, the Kingdom Hearts series certainly made a big impression when it debuted on PlayStation 2. The third mainline entry in the series (as opposed to various spinoffs) has been in development since E3 2013, and is finally slated to come out sometime in 2018.

Here’s everything we know about Kingdom Hearts III.

‘Shenmue 3’

PS4 - SHENMUE 3 Trailer [E3 2015]

Shenmue 3, the crowdfunded third entry in the cult classic action-adventure series was announced at E3 2015, and is slated to arrive in 2019, so we imagine it will be shown off. There’s also the matter of the possible remastered editions of the first two games that Sega itself has talked about. We wouldn’t be surprised for those to get some coverage as well.

Yoshi on Switch

Nintendo revealed a new Yoshi-centric Switch game at E3 2017. Its aesthetic follows from Yoshi’s Woolly World, expanding on that game’s handmade art style into worlds made out of cardboard, paper, and various craft materials. Nintendo has not released a firm title or release date, but it’s slated for 2018 and we’ve seen some gameplay, so we’d be shocked if it weren’t at the show.

Here’s everything we know about Yoshi for Switch.

‘Metro: Exodus’

Metro: Exodus - Game Awards 2017 Trailer

Developer 4A Games has been quiet in recent months about the third entry in the post-apocalyptic first-person shooter franchise Metro. Metro: Exodus will be released in early 2019 on PS4, Xbox One — a shift from its original fall 2018 date — so it would be somewhat surprising if it isn’t shown. We sure hope so given that Exodus shined at E3 2017, giving us a glimpse of Metro’s world outside of the underground tunnels of Moscow. Exodus once again stars Artyom, but this time it’s a story of escape rather than preservation. The biggest entry in the franchise to date, Exodus features four self-contained sandbox areas comprising a mix of linear and non-linear objectives.

Here’s everything we know about Metro: Exodus.

‘Team Sonic Racing’

Team Sonic Racing - Reveal Trailer

Sega and Sumo Digital are back with an all-new kart racer, Team Sonic Racing. The successor to Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed includes 15 characters from the Sonic universe with customization options to change how your vehicle handles, and it offers both online and offline multiplayer. A “team racing” mode lets you form alliances and share power-ups with your fellow drivers, and the “Adventure” option will give you a story while teaching you the basics of racing. The game is coming to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC this winter.

The games we hope will be there

‘Halo 6’

Halo 5 Guardians: Hammer Storm Launch Trailer

Microsoft hasn’t explicitly announced Halo 6, though the next game in the franchise is inevitable. With Halo 5: Guardians quickly approaching its three-year anniversary, it’s about time for 343 Industries to show fans what it has been working on. We do know that the next Halo game will focus primarily on Master Chief, which franchise director Frank O’Connor said was in response to fan backlash over Halo 5 largely starring Jameson Locke. We also know that all future Halo shooters will include a split-screen multiplayer option, which was omitted from Halo 5 in order to achieve 60 frames per second.

‘Metroid Prime 4’

At E3 2017, Nintendo briefly teased another entry in its beloved GameCube Metroid Prime trilogy, which took the side-scrolling franchise into the first-person perspective. Nintendo has given no details about the upcoming game other than to say that original creator Retro Studios would not be returning for Metroid Prime 4. Instead, recent rumors have suggested that Bandai Namco has stepped up to take on the project. With no details or gameplay available yet, a 2018 release seems optimistic, but we expect to learn something more tangible about the game at E3 at the very least.

‘Below’

Below - Death's Door Trailer

Announced way back at E3 2013, Capybara Games’ top-down, rogue-like Below has suffered numerous delays, the most recent of which pushed it out of 2016. We loved our brief time with the game at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) several years ago, but haven’t heard anything about it since. Nothing in particular suggests that the game will be present this year, but we certainly hope it’s not MIA for too much longer.

‘Bloodborne 2’/New From Software game

Shadows Die Twice World Premiere

While From Software hasn’t come out and said which games it is currently developing (the studio reportedly has three it’s working on), one of them, according to an interview with Japanese publication 4Gamer, is an action RPG with a similar aesthetic of the Dark Souls franchise. Since the Dark Souls series is supposedly over now, the next logical conclusion would be a sequel to Bloodborne, the Souls-like PS4 exclusive that launched to rave reviews in 2015. Bloodborne producer Masaaki Yamagiwa has reportedly been working on a new project since Bloodborne launched. From Software threw new fuel onto the rumors at The Game Awards 2017 with a brief teaser trailer that showed some bloody rope coiled around bone and the enigmatic phrase “Shadows die twice.” The trailer is vague and dark enough that it at least feels as though it could apply to Bloodborne. In any case, whether it’s Bloodborne 2 or something else entirely, we hope to get some taste of what From Software is up to next, since it’s been entirely too long since Dark Souls 3 came out.

‘Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 3’

Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 Launch Gameplay Trailer

In contrast to its gritty, realistic Battlefield series, EA’s Garden Warfare spinoff of PopCap’s popular Plants vs. Zombies tower-defense games have offered extremely lighthearted shooter experiences. Garden Warfare 2 came out in 2016, and an Amazon listing for a comic that bridges the gap between that and an apparent next game. Although no one has officially confirmed the game yet, we suspect it will make an appearance at E3 if its ancillary media is already in production.

Red Dead Redemption 2

The sequel to Rockstar’s 2010 open-world cowboy opus has been at the top of many gamers’ anticipated lists for years now. The game will be a prequel to the first entry, following a new outlaw protagonist in a frontier that hasn’t been quite as tamed. Developer Rockstar Games finally revealed that the game was coming in late 2016: After a couple of delays, the game is currently on track to launch October 26, 2018.

While Red Dead 2 and E3 2018 seem like a perfect match, there’s only an outside chance that the game makes an appearance at E3. Aside from a few notable appearances, Rockstar generally avoids making its presence known at E3. It’s possible Red Dead Redemption 2 makes an appearance in either Microsoft or Sony’s press conference, but even that is far from a guarantee.

‘Final Fantasy VII remake’

PlayStation Experience 2015: Final Fantasy VII Remake - PSX 2015 Trailer | PS4

We aren’t holding our breath waiting to see the Final Fantasy VII remake at E3 this year, as Square Enix scrapped plans to work with a third-party studio in favor of developing the project in-house just one year ago. However, the game was announced a few years ago and fans holding out hope of the game releasing in their lifetime need something to tide them over, even if it’s just another teaser trailer. As the game will be releasing episodically, it’s possible the first part could be ready long before the others, as well. A recent listing on Walmart Canada could point to the game releasing sooner than expected, as well, assuming it is accurate.

Here’s everything we know about the Final Fantasy VII remake.

‘Bayonetta 3’

Bayonetta 3 Official Teaser Trailer - The Game Awards 2017

Bayonetta and its sequel are already available on the Switch, and Nintendo revealed in late 2017 that a third game would be coming to the platform as an exclusive, as well. Given the number of projects on developer PlatinumGames’ plate, we doubt that anything will actually be ready for Nintendo’s press event in June, but there is little doubt that it will be one of the best games on the Switch when it eventually comes out.

Here’s everything we know about Bayonetta 3.

‘Devil May Cry 5’

Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition - Gameplay Trailer

Capcom hasn’t even announced Devil May Cry 5, but the publisher has done just about everything in its power to let fans know the game is on the way. An HD collection of the first three games was just released for current-gen consoles and PC, and Devil May Cry 4 got a similar treatment in 2015. Longtime director Hideaki Itsuno revealed his current project was nearing completion a few months ago, and a leak rumored to detail the next Devil May Cry game claimed it would release between April 2018 and March 2019, making it a prime candidate for an E3 reveal.

In May, 2018, GMO Internet Group registered the web domain devilmaycry5.com. GMO has registered names for Capcom in the past, including Monster Hunter World and Resident Evil 7. Very curious…

‘Gears of War 5’

Gears of War 4 Official Trailer - Rise of the Horde

Though unlikely to release soon given that Gears of War 4 came out less than two years ago, a Walmart Canada listing on May 9 included Gears of War 5 among its alleged upcoming games. With developer The Coalition dedicated to the series and the excellent multiplayer in the most recent game, we’d love to see a follow-up on Xbox One. Still, we’re willing to bet that Halo 6 will be announced before the Fenix family’s next adventure.

“Gears of War: Battle Royale”

Gears of War 4 Versus Multiplayer Gameplay Trailer

In addition to the full-fledged Gears of War 5, there are also rumors that a battle royale game set in the universe will be announced during the Microsoft E3 press conference. Given the somewhat methodical pace of the previous games’ multiplayer mode, it seems like the perfect match, and it could potentially tide fans over until the Fenix family’s next adventure is ready to hit the Xbox One.

The next Splinter Cell

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands: The Call - Special Operation Teaser | Ubisoft [NA]

In addition to showing up on the Walmart Canada listing, an untitled Splinter Cell game also briefly popped up on Amazon Canada back in March. Among the potential surprise announcements, this one seems a little more likely, as protagonist Sam Fisher made a recent guest appearance in Ghost Recon Wildlands with original voice actor Michael Ironside, and Ubisoft has said it is “not forgetting” the stealth franchise. Ubisoft has said that it will reveal a title in an ongoing series to be released in its current fiscal year at E3. That could very well be the next Splinter Cell.

“Destiny 2: Comet”

Destiny 2 - Expansion II: Warmind - Prologue Reveal Trailer | PS4

We’ve heard rumors that a new piece of Destiny content is code named “Comet,” and — surprise, surprise — the game also popped up on Walmart Canada’s massive listing. We know from a recent earnings call that Activision is planning to release an expansion for Destiny 2 this fall, and that it will include a “new mode” with a “new style of play.” It’s likely that “Comet” and the expansion are one and the same, should the listing be accurate.

Games we know won’t be there

‘Darksiders 3’

Darksiders III - Announcement Trailer | PS4

Darksiders 3, the first new entry in the Zelda-esque series to be developed by Gunfire Games, is slated to arrive in 2018 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, but it won’t be on display at E3 2018. Publisher THQ Nordic will skip the show this year in favor to “watch the World Cup” (yes, really). THQ Nordice said we’ll have to wait until August to learn more about Fury’s quest to thwart the Seven Deadly Sins at Gamescom. As of now, we know the game stars Fury, the whip-wielding sister of series’ protagonists War and Death, and the third of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse.

‘Biomutant’

Biomutant - Gameplay Teaser

Another E3 2018 casualty caused by the FIFA World Cup, Experiment 101’s Biomutant is also expected to launch in 2018 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Set in a gorgeous open world filled with anthropomorphic rodents, Biomutant infuses kung fu melee combat with long range attacks. We had a chance to play Biomutant at Gamescom last year, and came away feeling cautiously optimistic. Although the story seems to be standard save-the-world fare, the world is a sight to behold and the combat is solid.

Read our hands-on preview.

‘Borderlands 3’

Borderlands 3 Unreal Engine 4 Tech Demo - GDC 2017

Borderlands 2 first came out in 2012, giving fans of Gearbox’s wry, colorful shooter a long time to build up anticipation. Apart from a GDC tech demo showing off how cool and stylized the game will be able to look in Unreal Engine 4, there have been no details released about it. A recent press release listed “a highly anticipated new title from one of 2K’s biggest franchises,” alongside Red Dead Redemption 2, as leading 2019 for the publisher. Civilization is midcycle with expansions of Civilization VI and BioShock has been on the back burner since Ken Levine’s departure, leaving the smart money on Borderlands 3. The game popped up in a recent listing on Walmart Canada, suggesting it’s in the works, but Gearbox said it won’t be shown at E3 2018.

Here’s everything we know about Borderlands 3.

The next Deus Ex

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - 101 Trailer

The last entry in the Deus Ex series, Mankind Divided, released back in 2016 to a somewhat lukewarm reception, and future games were put on hold as Square Enix and its development teams moved onto other projects. Speaking to PCGamesN, Eidos Montreal chief David Anfossi revealed that a future entry in the series is not currently in development, with his studio in charge of Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Crystal Dynamics developing a game based on the Avengers.

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Will Fulton
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Will Fulton is a New York-based writer and theater-maker. In 2011 he co-founded mythic theater company AntiMatter Collective…
E3 returns to LA in 2023 thanks to the company behind PAX
Crowd of E3 attendees in front of the E3 logo and various game posters.

After being canceled both physically and digitally in 2022, E3 seemed all but finished. Several months after this year's cancellation was announced, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) stated that the event is far from dead, with plans to return with a physical show in the works for 2023. Now, we have confirmation on just how it plans to get back on its feet after the ESA announced a partnership with ReedPop, the company behind the PAX conventions.

E3 will return in 2023, according to its parent company | Interview

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After years of wishing, Persona games are coming to Nintendo Switch
Joker from Persona 5 Royal.

In today's June Nintendo Direct Mini, Atlus revealed that Persona 5 Royal, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 3 Portable are coming to Nintendo Switch.

Persona 5 Royal will be the first one to be released on October 21. Persona 4 Golden and Persona 3 Portable will arrive later. Earlier this month during the Xbox & Bethesda showcase, Atlus previously revealed that the three games would be released on Xbox and appear on Xbox Game Pass as well.

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Here’s the full schedule of summer video game livestreams
Promotional art for Starfield.

E3 is not taking place this year, but a plethora of independently created video game announcement livestreams are popping up. From Sony to Geoff Keighley to THQ Nordic, a lot of people and companies are airing video game livestreams that gaming fans will want to tune into over the course of this summer.
These are the most important video game reveal-focused livestreams that you should keep an eye on between June and August 2022 via Digital Trends' Summer Gaming Marathon coverage.
June 2: State of Play
State of Play | June 2, 2022 [ENGLISH]
Sony is holding another State of Play at 3 p.m. PT on June 2. Similar to March's showcase, this one will feature multiple games, rather than being dedicated to one game like Sony's Gran Turismo 7 and Hogwarts Legacy State of Play streams. Specifically, Sony says in a PlayStation Blog post that its fans should expect "exciting reveals from our third-party partners, plus a sneak peek at several games in development for PlayStation VR2." It doesn't look like God of War: Ragnarok will show up here, but it will certainly be a welcome surprise if it does.
June 6: LRG3 Showcase
Physical game distributor Limited Run Games and Mega64 announced that they would hold the third annual LRG Showcase at 1 p.m. PT on June 6, 2022 on Twitch. The LRG3 Showcase will feature 30 games overall, mainly highlighting titles that Limited Run Games plans to give a physical release to over the next year. 
June 7: Sonic Central
June is a big month for Sonic as Sega continues to share new info on Sonic Frontiers and prepares to release Sonic Origins on June 23. As part of its June festivities for the blue blur, Sega is holding yet another Sonic Central livestream to reveal "project, partnerships, and events happening in 2022." It begins at 9 a.m. PT on June 7.
June 9: Upload VR Showcase
Fans of VR games will want to tune into the Upload VR Showcase at 8 a.m. on June 9. This presentation is solely focused on highlighting upcoming VR games from developers big and small. While Upload VR isn't teasing any specific games for the show, the article confirming the event claims that it will have "the most new game reveals we’ve ever featured at a showcase, including some from companies yet to release VR games."
June 9: Summer Game Fest
https://twitter.com/geoffkeighley/status/1531666856989237253
At 11 a.m. PT on June 9, Geoff Keighley will host his second annual Summer Game Fest livestream dedicated to showing exciting games from publishers big and small. The re-reveal of Elden Ring happened during last year's stream, so this is definitely a stream that you'll want to keep an eye on. The tweet above confirms that major publishers like 2K, Activision, Capcom, EA, PlayStation, Sega, WB Games, and Xbox are participating. The showcase will last two hours. 
June 9: Day of the Devs: SGF Edition 
Summer Game Fest's showcase will be immediately followed by Day of the Devs: SGF Edition at 1 p.m. PT. This showcase will highlight a variety of upcoming video games. A press release for the event confirms that it will feature a new trailer for Bear and Breakfast and a new game from Monument Valley developer Ustwo Games, in addition to plenty of other independent developers. 
June 9: Devolver Marketing Countdown to Marketing
Devolver Direct 2022 Teaser | Watch June 9 @ 3PM Pacific
Devolver Digital will hold another satirical showcase at 3 p.m. PT on June 9. Titled the "Devolver Marketing Countdown to Marketing," expect this showcase to poke fun at how companies countdown to their main showcases with pre-shows and highlight some new games from Devolver. Cult of the Lamb is confirmed to be there, and Devolver is also promising to reveal some new games during the show. 
June 10: Epic Games Summer Showcase 
https://twitter.com/EpicGames/status/1534969752862478354
At 11 a.m. PT on June 10, Epic Games is holding its own video game showcase. It says the event will primarily be focused on "diving into new announcements and updates for PC titles on the Epic Games Store" that are launching both in 2022 and next year. 
June 10: The Outriders: Wordslayer Endgame Broadcast
At 11:45 a.m. PT on June 10, Square Enix and People Can Fly will hold yet another Outriders Broadcast. This livestream will be specifically focused on endgame content for Outriders: Worldslayer, a massive expansion for the sci-fi shooter that is launching on June 30. 
June 10: Tribeca Games Spotlight
As part of Summer Game Fest, Tribeca will highlight its 2022 game selections during a livestream at 12 p.m. PT on June 10. We know that Tribeca's game selections this year are A Plague Tale: Requiem, American Arcadia, As Dusk Falls, Cuphead - The Delicious Last Course, Immortality, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, The Cub, Thirsty Suitors, and Venba, so this livestream won't have much in the way of surprises. Still, it will provide updates on some of the industry's best-looking indie games.
June 11: Future of Play Direct
Future of Play Direct Livestream I Summer of Gaming 2022
IGN is getting in on the video game showcase fun with the Future of Play Direct at 10:30 a.m. PT on June 11. IGN promises that the event will have "new game announcements, trailers, musical performances, special guests, and more." While the event will likely be focused on indie titles, some cool new game may emerge during this showcase. 
June 11: Wholesome Direct 2022 
Wholesome Direct 2022 Teaser Trailer
Wholesome Direct is a yearly livestream that highlights cute indie games that are much more wholesome than violent. The event's organizers tease that this year's event will have "new game reveals, exclusive footage, and even games that will launch during the show," so it's worth tuning into if you want to see what cute indie games should be on your radar. 
June 11: Future Games Show
Future Games Show 2022
GamesRadar is holding yet another gaming showcase at 12 p.m. PT on June 11. Future Games Show livestreams often focus on highlighting cool indie and AA games, so don't expect the next major AAA bombshell to be here. But we can expect reveals from companies like Amanita Design, Team17, and Thunderful. Overall, GamesRadar claims that 40 games will be shown during June's Future Games Show. 
June 11 and 13: Guerrilla Collective 3
The Guerilla Collective is an indie showcase that takes place over the course of two separate days. The first presentation takes place at 8 a.m. PT on June 11 while the second one follows it up at 1 p.m. PT on June 13. You can see lists of many of the indie games participating in both the June 11 and June 13 events on the Guerrilla Collective's website. 
June 12: Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase

The Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase (no Activision just yet) returns at 10 a.m. PT on June 12. Even though Redfall and Starfield were both recently delayed to 2023, this is still probably going to contain our best looks at these games yet! On top of that, there are plenty of other upcoming Xbox exclusives that Microsoft could show like Avowed, Fable, the new Forza Motorsport, Contraband, and Perfect Dark. Ultimately, Microsoft has a lot to prove with this year's showcase as it needs to demonstrate why 2022 will still be a compelling year for Xbox consoles and Game Pass without Redfall and Starfield. Check out everything that was announced.
June 12: PC Gaming Show
Just a couple of hours after Xbox and Bethesda's showcase, you can expect PC Gamer to hold an announcement-filled livestream of its own. The PC Gaming Show starts at 12:30 p.m. on June 12 and will contain over 45 upcoming PC games. Titles teased by PC Gamer so far include Arma 4, a Half-Life: Alyx mod called Levitation, Immortality, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, Victoria 3, and unannounced games from Klei Entertainment and 11 Bit Studios. If you're a fan of PC Gaming, this is definitely a show you'll want to tune into. 
June 13: Capcom Showcase

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