E3 2012 Preview & Predictions

OK, so maybe I didn't get around to those Fable reviews. Well, actually, that's not completely true. The Fable 1 review is in process and underway, but it's not fully complete. I just decided that my spiritual reflections on the Bible were important and more eternally valuable (and my brothers and sisters in Christ would agree), so I spent most of my focus there. But now it's time for the all-important video game event of the year, E3, so I wouldn't be doing this blog any favor or any justice by completely skipping over the event. I must do another preview of the event. Let's make this introduction short and sweet. I will not be taking the time preview each and every software development team and each and every game they will be displaying at E3. It would take too long and be too extensive. Instead, this preview will only look at the three major systems and their 1st party games being developed. If time and space allows, I will cover other games in the 3rd party developers realm. Let's go in order of age, which is also coincidentally alphabetical order, too.

Nintendo

Hardware: Well, this is going to be no surprise after last year. Nintendo's E3 conference will mostly be talking about the Wii U. Now Nintendo has a lot to own up to. Last year, Nintendo promised a system that will give deep gameplay for a hardcore gamer, such as good graphics, good online access, and good games from third party developers. Back then, in 2011, that might all seem like wishful dreams and wishful thinking, but is it? That's what Nintendo has to show us at E3 2012, that it's all real. And so far, it's not looking so good for Nintendo Wii U. A few weeks earlier, the Wii U patent was leaked onto the internet, and it did show some cool, new things, like the ability to use the Wiimote to drag things from the TV to the Wii U controller and vice versa. But there were some minor changes to the controller. The biggest one would be it seems like that the Wii U controller went from the circle pad, like on the 3DS, to the joystick as found on the Wiimote Nunchuck. On the a different note on that note to changes is not a note that can be made by Nintendo, but by the reaction of 3rd party developers. A lot of 3rd party developers refuse to work with Nintendo's Wii because of poor graphics and poor online connectivity. When 3rd party developers initially saw Wii U concepts in 2011, a lot of them jumped on board for the Wii U, saying they would make games for it. But in 2012, things changed. A lot of 3rd party developers have been withdrawing, even recanting, their opinions about the Wii U. It is unclear why, but it probably has to do with the original reason they are not on board with Wii: either bad graphics or lack of availabilty online. So Nintendo's E3 presentation on the Wii U will be a make or break. It needs to officially answer a lot of questions. Will it have the most modern, up-to-date 1080p graphics, or will settle in the graphics department again with 480p? Will the Wii U offer many online specs, or will it come up short on that? Will the Wii U's tablet-like controller become a good controller for both casual gamers and hardcore gamers alike? Nintendo will need to answer all these questions and more if they want a successful E3. This is truly a make or break. It will either bring about satisfaction or dissatification. If the it is unsuccessful and a disappointment, all the hardcore gamers do have the right to point and laugh. But if it is successful and brings satisifaction, then the hardcore gamers will have to admit that this is a good system, or else they merely become PS/XBox fanboys.

What do I think the Wii U is going to need to satisfy everyone at E3 and make this a success? First, the Wii U must have 1080p graphics, and nothing short of it. Second, the Wii U's internal memory must be AT LEAST a minimum of 4 GB. It should have more, but it definitely can have no less. Third, it must have backward compatibility. Ok, I get that it can't and it won't have backward compatability with the Game Cube games. But it at least has to have a backward compatibility with the Wii... fully. On the same note, the Wii U needs to be able to fully transfer all data from the Wii to the Wii U, from the saved game data to the channels and dowloaded games. The Wii U also needs to be a console that can easily connect with other consoles, for both games and social networking. The Wii U needs to capture its target audience of hardcore gamers by getting the third party developers to officially sign on to providing the Wii U with 3rd party games. Nintendo cannot just keep reviving old franchises for games. Finally, the Wii U needs to come in at a decent price. $500 might be too much. If the Wii U does offer everything it claims to offer and everything I mentioned, the $300s might be reasonable.

Software: I'm not going to go into this much because I pretty much mentioned it before. If Nintendo wants to show themselves as a serious gaming system for serious gamers, they need to be showing just as many 3rd party games at their presentations as 1st party games, if not more. For the 1st party games they will be showing, they need to show the games that will really show off this new console. The forerunner will have to be the new Super Smash Bros. game they are making for the Wii U and 3DS. All gamers love this Nintendo game. The mention of a new Super Smash Bros. caused up a stir at the last E3. Seeing, hearing and feeling the game will get people back in. While I'm usually not a fan of simply reviving old franchises and making a sequel, I believe Nintendo should do exactly that this year. Why? They highly-anticipated sequels are sequels that are not too old. Yes, I am thinking about Luigi's Mansion 2 and Pikmin 3. These franchises date back to the sixth generation of the Game Cube, so they are not that old and do not feel run down into the ground. Finally, even though the Mario platforming games are old and starting to get run down, I do think Nintendo does need to focus on New Super Mario Mii. Why? This game will fully demonstrate the awesome specs of the Wii U console, and that's what Nintendo needs to get across.

PlayStation

Hardware: At the begging of the year, itstarted as a rumor: Sony would  introduce the PlayStation 4 some time this year. But these rumors were to be treated as rumors because they all started on gaming websites, most likely by PlayStation fanboys. After all, it seems like PlayStation fanboys have been talking about the PlayStation 4 ever since the PlayStation 3 came out! But then, all of a sudden, more gaming sources talked about a PlayStation 4, especially the more serious and unbiased ones. The icing on the cake was when buisness sources started talking about Sony's new console. So I'm pretty sure that this E3 will all be surprised with a new PlayStation, possibly and most likely the PlayStation 4. I know this might just seem like a rumor still, but this buzz going around is the same buzz that went around for Wii U before E3, so it might be legit. Also, the timing is the perfect clue and the perfect proof. The PlayStation 3 came out in November 2006. It's been 5 years as of June, 6 years as of November, so the PS3 has had a nice long cycle. Also, in an interview with a business, non-gaming website (I believe that it's more credible coming from a non-gaming source) and Sony in 2010, Sony said it wasn't planning on coming out with a new console until 2013-2014. Well, the timetable couldn't be more better. If Sony introduces PlayStation 4 at E3 2012, it probably won't come out until 2013. So I believe PlayStation 4 will take up most of Sony's E3 presentation.

So what's the PlayStation 4 going to need to take lead in the 8th generation console race? Well, for starters, the PlayStation has always been the leader of graphics for gaming consoles. So the PS4 is going to need AT LEAST 1080p graphics, if not better. To do so, the PS4 will continue to use Blu-Ray discs for the best graphical data, as well as the best storage of data. Speaking of which, the PS4 will also retain the ability to "upload" the game disc data onto the hard drive  So the PS4 is going to need a lot of hard drive space. PS4 consoles will come AT LEAST 250 GB hard drives, but they also might come in 325 GB or even 500 GB! Speaking of "uploading" there is also "downloading" too. While Sony has denied that they are going to a streaming game system exclusively, I believe they will leave that door open for an option. On the PS4, you'll be able to stream games as much get them on Blu-Ray disc. Just like the PlayStation knocked off the Wii Motion Controllers with their Move (and Navigator), so the PS4 will knock off the new Wii U controller by adding a touch screen to their sixaxis controller. It might be above where the keyboard pad extension is placed or it could be between  analog buttons and left joy stick and the right joy stick and right buttons, where the start, selection and PlayStation button usually are. I know some gamers believe the touch screen is a gimmick, but that touch screen gimmick started on the DS, has lasted many years, and even made it to the PS Vita! Speaking of PS Vita, while Sony won't talk as much about the PS Vita this year, I predict they will say that the PS Vita can be used as a PS4 controller. After all, it's pretty much a PS3 controller with a touch screen in the middle. Oh, and since I mentioned Move, I might as well also predict that they will keep Move on the Play Station 4...unless the PS fanboys have rejected it so much that it would be a financial waste to move it over. But I think it would be more of a waste to abandon it after 3 years. PlayStation has never been consistant with backwards compatibility, so I wouldn't guarentee that the PS4 will play PS3 games. But with the Transfarring they were talking about last year, all your saved data from the PS3 will transfer to PS4. If the PS4 does have all this, the PS4 might be rivaling the Wii U, even beating it before either one comes out!

Software: Last year PlayStation just appealed to their fanboys with sequels of old franchises, and I'm thinking they'll do the same, so I'm not going to go deep into that. Just keep an eye out for Planetside 2, God of War: Ascension, Little Big Planet Karting, Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assualt, and Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time. But the biggest game to watch out for, the biggest game of all of PlayStation's presentation, will be PlayStation All-Star Battle Royale. This game will rival the Super Smash Bros. But will it be as good? We'll need to see some good gameplay demos at E3 to find out!

XBox

Hardware: No, I'm not going to shock and surprise you with the announcement of the XBox 540 or XBox 720 or whatever the next XBox console is. In an interview similar to the one PlayStation had in 2010, XBox has also stated it will not  be making a new console until 2015-2016. So you're probably thinking, "Well then, there's nothing to talk about when it comes to hardware." I wouldn't jump to that conclusion so fast. Remember that XBox is made by Microsoft, and they've been making strides in their company. Their most recent stride was their release of the Windows 8 beta. Soon, Windows 8 will be the new Windows processor for PC desktops and laptops alike. Now if you take a close look at the new interface for Windows 8, you'll notice the desktop is covered with tiles with apps. Well, that looks awful familiar. It does kind of look like the Windows phone, but that's not what you're thinking. Oh wait! It looks like the new XBox Home! Well, there's a reason for that. Microsoft plans to incorpate Windows computers, windows phones, and XBox consoles all into one network that can feed off of each other. Hence, the similar look. But wait! There's going to be a 4th gadget in this network of technology. Windows soon is coming out with the Windows Tablet, which will have the same tile app setup. So here's my big prediction for the XBox's new hardware. In E3 2012, during the XBox presentation, Microsoft will announce that a Windows tablet (and maybe even a Windows phone!) can be used as a touch screen controller for the XBox. The technology is out there. Don't believe me? The Windows 8 Beta has an app that can control the XBox Home from your computer. This probably will end up on the Windows tablet as well. Besides, you can already play XBox Live games on your Windows Phone. The Windows 8 Beta has an app for XBox Live games too. The tablet will most likely have that as well. Who knows, maybe even XBox's presentation might be the first introduction of the Windows 8 Tablet? My point is that I don't think the Wii U's tablet-like controller is a fad or a gimmick. You'll see soon its competitiors trying to compete with it, just like they competed with the Wii's motion controls.

Software: 2 years ago, at E3 2010, Nintendo appealed to the Nintendo fanboys by simply making sequels to old franchises. Last year, at E3 2011, Sony appealed to the PlayStation fanboys by simply making sequels to old franchises. Now it's XBox's turn. Not that these companies seriously rotate taking turns, but this is what it looks like. Expect XBox's Top 3 games at E3 to be Halo 4, Gears of War 4, and Fable 4 AKA Fable The Journey. These are the games that are exclusive to XBox, and a must play by anyone who wants to call himself a fanboy. Fable The Journey will be the game XBox will be pushing for Kinect this year. And speaking of fanboys, once again, XBox will be trying to bridge the gap between casual gamers and hardcore games, Kinect gamers and controller gamers. It will be up to them how they do it.

So that's it for the console wars we'll see at E3. I could on and on about other 3rd party game developers, but it will be the same old song and dance as last year. EA will push EA Sports games and 2K will push 2K Sports games. Activision will continue to run Call of Duty into the ground with Call of Duty Black Ops 2. The annual war between EA and Activision will apear in in Call of Duty Black Ops 2 vs. Medal of Honor: Warfight. Bioshock Infinite has to put on an impressive show to convice everyone it was worth the extra wait and extra delay for the game. Bethesda will give us another Elder Scrolls. Capcom will give us another Resident Evil, another Devil May Cry and another Lost Planet. Konami will give us another Metal Gear and another Castlevania. Square Enix will give us another Kingdom Hearts and another Tomb Raider. And TT Games will give us more Lego games. In all seriousness, I hope some 3rd part developer can really develop a new idea into a new game.