GiaG’s E3 2017 hopes and predictions: David Hunter

With the Switch having launched only a few months ago, a lot of my hopes for E3 this year revolve around Nintendo as I’m desperate to see what they have in store for the new hardware. Several also depend on some long dormant franchises miraculously coming back to life so I’m not holding my breath. Read on to see what I’m fantasising about, I even threw some mentions of Sony and Xbox in too.

Switch Services

There’s still a veil of mystery around Nintendo’s paid online service but I expect news on that will be held back for a Nintendo Direct. What I am hoping for at e3 though is news about the Switch’s Virtual Console. We know it’s coming, but when? Will we get discounts on games we’ve bought a hundred times before? What platforms will appear on it? If there’s no GameCube I know a lot of people, me included, won’t be happy. Odyssey looks great but I want to play Sunshine on Switch, goddammit.

Animal Crossing

Probably my biggest hope for this year’s E3 is for an Animal Crossing to be announced on Switch and I’m genuinely shocked it hasn’t happened already. The system seems like such a perfect fit for the series that it would have been an awesome launch title. Play at home with the Switch docked to make your bells, collect your furniture and design your house/town then take it out to your friend’s house or a mutual meeting place and play together via Wireless, no brainer. I’m dying for a really chilled Switch game to play in bed too, and this would be ideal.

Sucker Punch

Someone pointed out to me recently that the infamous and Sly Cooper dev, Sucker Punch, has been quiet since 2014 when First light and Second Son both released. There’s also been talk of a new IP from the studio and, with such a proven track record, I can’t wait to see what it is. Hopefully there’s at least a teaser in Sony’s conference this year.

Star Fox

Star Fox has long been one of my favourite Nintendo franchises, but last year’s Star Fox Zero just didn’t hit the mark. While it suffered from several issues, my biggest personal gripe with it was the lack of a competitive multiplayer mode. With Ninty now pushing for quality online play, to support their paid subscription, I’d like to see what they come up with for a Switch entry plus the traditional short, score-attack levels of the series would work well for handheld play on the move. Why not throw in some local, one Joy-Con each co-op too? Would work pretty well I reckon.

Insomniac x 2

Insomniac’s Spiderman is absolutely one of my most anticipated games this year, so I can’t wait to find out more about it from Sony, which I’m sure will happen at E3 given the game’s 2017 release date, but I’d like to see another Insomniac title appear in Microsoft’s conference. The original Sunset Overdrive was a unique, hectic and incredibly fun game and I think it’s criminal that it hasn’t yet been given a sequel. I’d basically want more of the same, but with a whole new map, new weapons and more of a competitive slant to the online play this time; I want to shoot fireworks and records at other actual people, not just CPU mutants.  
 
Halo 6

I know they’ve said it won’t make an appearance, but I’m not buying that and despite the lacklustre reception to Halo 5, I’m glad. You might have realised already that I’m all about online multiplayer and Halo is one of the best, even five’s was excellent; perfectly capturing the feeling of big beefy spartans dashing around, knocking shades of shit out of each other. Even if the campaign isn’t great, as long as 343 can match that while bringing back split screen for Halo 6, as they’ve already said they will, I’ll be excited for it and I’m looking forward to seeing it in action.

Jak and Daxter

Ratchet and Clank just got a remake, Crash Bandicoot is getting a remake, Jak and Daxter get a remake next? Hopefully. I realise this one’s a bit of a long shot given the series has been dead since 2005, but Sony announced earlier this year that all 4 Jak games are coming to PS4 so I’m, once again, getting my hopes up for a new entry to the series. A remake of the first game would actually be ideal for me as it’s the only one in the series I never played originally so fingers crossed.