SlashGear's E3 2017 Wishlist
E3 2017 is right around the corner, and so far there hasn't been very much indication of what we'll see there. Obviously, we know what companies like Microsoft and Nintendo will talking about in a general sense, but we'll have to wait for specifics until the show is finally here. With that in mind, I've put together a wishlist of some things I'd like to see at the show. Keep in mind that this isn't necessarily a list of what's likely, just stuff that I'd like see announced. Therefore, don't take this as something of an E3 checklist; I'm just letting my dreams run wild here.
Nintendo Switch Virtual Console
Nintendo has already indicated that it's going to host an E3 presentation centered around the Switch and Super Mario Odyssey, but it would be really nice to see any sort of movement on the Switch's online systems. I feel like a broken record bringing it up yet again, but Nintendo has said in the past that it will begin charging a fee for online multiplayer beginning in autumn 2017. If it doesn't want to face backlash and risk curbing Switch sales over the implementation of that fee, it's quickly running out of time to wow us.
One way to do that is to show us a Virtual Console for the Switch. Unofficially, we've heard that the Switch will support a Virtual Console that hosts GameCube games, and if Nintendo made that announcement, it's something that would get Switch owners very excited.
True, finally announcing the Virtual Console doesn't solve the problem of whether or not it's worth it to pay a monthly fee for the Switch's online multiplayer. It does, however, give us a much needed morsel of information about an online system that has thus far been discussed in a disjointed and rather vague manner. More information on the online architecture itself would be grand, but the Virtual Console is really all I want to see.
Elder Scrolls VI
So here's something interesting: Bethesda is hosting an E3 press conference this year even though it doesn't seem to have a lot to talk about. Even though Fallout 4 VR will almost certainly feature, it doesn't feel like the star of the show. By the time E3 2017 rolls around, Elder Scrolls Online's Morrowind expansion will have just dropped, making it a poor candidate for new reveals. Elder Scrolls Legends is still chugging along nicely, it's probably too early for a new Doom, Quake Champions was one of last year's big reveals, and a though a new Wolfenstein is likely, it can't exactly hold down a press conference as the sole announcement.
Where does that leave us? It sure seems like we're heading toward the announcement of Elder Scrolls VI. It's been a long six years since the launch of Skyrim, and when we look at the time between Elder Scrolls games, it definitely seems like Elder Scrolls VI would fit in at E3 2017. For example, it was five years in between Oblivion and Skyrim, while it was a mere four between Morrowind and Oblivion. Granted, Bethesda has a lot more on its plate these days with id Software and the Fallout series, but I'd say we're due for a new Elder Scrolls game.
Of course, what could end up happening is that Bethesda just decides to make Quake Champions the star of the show, with some looks at Fallout 4 VR and whatever it has planned for Wolfenstein. Bethesda could hold off on an Elder Scroll VI announcement until the Game Awards later this year, or even until next year's E3 show.
If Elder Scrolls VI is, in fact, announced this year, it will also likely release this year. Bethesda launched Fallout 4 just five months after revealing it to the world, and Bethesda big man Todd Howard has said in the past that he's become a fan of announcing games shortly before releasing them. By the end of this year, we might just be playing Elder Scrolls VI.
Project Scorpio pricing (with no delays)
E3 2017 is unquestionably Microsoft's show to run away with. It's true that a lot of focus will be on the Switch since it's only a few months old, but neither Sony nor Nintendo will have new hardware to talk about. Microsoft, on the other hand, will devote much of its E3 showcase to Project Scorpio, its new 4K machine that's due out by the end of the year.
The hope is that Microsoft really digs in and gives us all sorts of details on Project Scorpio. Look for information on things like Scorpio's release date, features, and a lot about the platform's launch titles. We've already heard plenty about Scorpio's internal hardware, and that was enough to get any console gamer (and even some PC gamers) excited.
Of course, none of that matters if Scorpio ends up being too expensive. Pricing could very well make or break this new platform, so we'll be waiting with bated breath to see where it lands on the pricing spectrum. Sony's own 4K console, the PlayStation 4 Pro, runs $400, and Project Scorpio will almost certainly be more expensive than that given its more powerful hardware. Conversely, $600 seems like it would be prohibitive for most consumers, so Microsoft may not have a lot of wiggle room. With all of that in mind, $500 seems like a pretty good price point for the Scorpio.
With new hardware, there's always the potential for delays, so hopefully Scorpio is able to avoid such a fate. Microsoft is aiming for the end of 2017, so it clearly has the holiday shopping season in sight. That means it'll hurt if Scorpio is hit with a delay and Microsoft is forced to announce a 2018 release. Then again, the Nintendo Switch doesn't seem any worse off for its March release, so maybe it's not the end of the world if Scorpio gets delayed.
Pokemon Stars – or something like it
While there's a fair-to-decent chance of the first three items on this list actually happening during the show, this one is a little more out there. When it comes to my own list of things I'd like to see on the Switch, Pokemon is at the very top. I wholeheartedly believe that putting Pokemon on the Switch would not only help it keep up its current momentum, but it would turn it into a must-have console for a lot of people.
Nintendo has made no indication that it will bring true-to-form Pokemon games to the Switch, but rumors ahead of its launch suggested that an enhanced edition of Pokemon Sun and Moon was on the way. This game, codenamed Pokemon Stars, we be the first mainline Pokemon game on a home console from Nintendo, which is what fans of the series have been wanting for 20 years.
Let's be clear here: there's absolutely no reason to expect Nintendo to announce a Pokemon game for the Switch at E3, especially when it wants to focus on building hype for Super Mario Odyssey. With that said, it would be cool to get a little teaser at the end of Nintendo's E3 presentation, wouldn't it? Realistically, I'm not expecting anything on this front, but a man can dream.
Anything on PS4's Final Fantasy VII remake
Without any new hardware to talk about, Sony's E3 will be nothing but games, games, and games. We expect to hear about a lot of upcoming PlayStation 4 games, but one I want to see more than anything else is Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII remake.
By the time E3 2017 rolls around, it'll have been two years since this remake was first announced. In the time since then, we haven't seen much of anything. There have been a few screenshots here and there, along with some glimpses at cutscenes and gameplay, but there certainly hasn't been enough for those looking forward to this remake to whet their appetite.
Hopefully that changes at E3 2017. I'm not expecting anything along the lines of a release date (though that would be great too), but it would be nice to see anything that shows us how the game is coming along. After two years, worry that this game might be stuck in development hell is starting to set in, and after so many rumors and false starts with previous attempts to remake Final Fantasy VII, that isn't a good thing.
Wrap-Up
Regardless of which company you pledge your allegiance to, E3 2017 is going to be a big show. We should see Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony all come out swinging, and if even one or two of the items on this wishlist come true, I'll walk away happy. Though E3 2017 officially begins on Tuesday, June 13, game companies will begin holding their press conferences on Saturday, June 10. We'll have everything you need to know right here at SlashGear, so stay tuned for more.