My E3 2021 Predictions

It's definitely been a long time since I wrote anything. Six years has gone by pretty fast, hasn't it? My perspective on a lot of things has changed. My views have mostly stayed the same, but it's how I saw other people, including myself, that changed. I'm still me, though. It's the only person I know how to be. I can't live a double life. The ones that do are the ones you need to not get near. Anyway, I thought I'd go back to a topic that I'm still ingrained in, which is video games. I guess a lot more people have turned to them, recently; given how the world basically ended and everyone curled into a ball in their attic for a year by decree and tyrannical force. The video game mecca, formerly known as E3, is almost upon us again. I thought it'd be a good time to share some predictions and thoughts about what might be showing up there.

1 - I believe Microsoft's Halo Infinite re-unveiling will be met with mostly positive, but slightly concerned reactions. This really comes down to 343i's writing of campaigns for 4 and 5, and their focus on what Halo is. The love story between the Chief and Cortana hasn't been met kindly, to say the least. While a soft reboot may be occuring, it's possible this plot thread comes back and it won't turn heads in a good way if it does.

2 - Starfield, the next big game from Bethesda, will get a spring 2022 release date. To me, Bethesda is Microsoft's crown jewel right now. While the Chief might be their Mario, like Zelda, Bethesda is their most important tool. They're not an IP, mind you, but Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Starfield; all from Todd Howard and crew? They're the ones that will make Game Pass, Microsoft's key equalizer against Sony, shine.

3 - I don't believe the new Fable will show up. Fable is probably Microsoft's most important IP in terms of telling how the Xbox division is being managed. After years of being run on the bone, they're finally adding meat to it. I do believe it will show up in 2022, however; if not sooner.

4 - Microsoft's second tier IP's, namely Forza, Psychoanuts 2 (which is multiplatform), etc. will be surprising highlights of the show, creating more goodwill for the brand, providing a healthy bump in mindshare going into the fall.

5 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 will get a proper name, which I think will be called "Reach of the Wild." In the original, you breathed in the world, but now you will reach out and touch it. Yeah, that's pretty corny, but at least I'm telling why I think it'll be called that. There's also the part about that glowing arm having a key role to that makes me think it'll involve wordplay as well. So when will it release? September 17th, 2021. This might seem soon, but the marketing cycle has been in full on boil mode for a bit too long; it's time to turn up the heat.

6- A new 2D Donkey Kong game will be announced from the EPD Tokyo team, who previously made all 2D and 3D Mario games, as well as Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. If I had to think of a name, it'd be "Donkey Kong Jungle Smash" but I don't think that's really important here. I think it will come out in March 2022 as well, since the Gen 4 Pokemon remakes and Legends Arceus are already taking up November and January slots.

7 - I believe Nintendo will announce a dual-pack remake for Fire Emblem Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn called "Radiant Saga," at least in the west. This will likely be a vague 2022 release. I know people think Fire Emblem 4, which was only released in Japan is due for a remake here, but that recently got put on the Japanese SNES online app, which makes me think the next Fire Emblem won't be that.

8 - Nintendo will unveil post-launch plans for Mario Golf Super Rush, including new characters and courses, starting with Donkey Kong and a jungle-themed course as well as a new major update for Animal Crossing New Horizons, which will be The Roost, marking Brewster's return.

9 - I think the next Challenger Pack for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be Lloyd Irving from Tales of Symphonia.  Lloyd is the last remaining Mii costume that hasn't been put into the game, and given the release of a new Tales game this fall, despite it not coming to Nintendo Switch, makes me believe that Lloyd is going to be Bandai Namco's second character.

10 - Other No-Shows: Metroid, 2D or 3D or Trilogy.  I don't believe the rumors.  In fact, I believe the series is highly mis-managed, and hasn't been corrected.  I don't think a new Mario game will show up, whether it be Platformer or Spin-Off.  Mario needs the break after last year.  Sports Story will be absent, as will the rumored Switch revision.

Thank you for reading, and I hope to make more posts in the future.