PlayStation E3 2017 Preview: Bloodborne 2 May Appear, But This E3 Will be More About the Present Than the Future
A stacked fall lineup figures to earn most of the hype at Sony's E3 showing.
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Sony has a knack for dominating the headlines during E3. Remember the three-headed reveal of the Final Fantasy VII Remake, The Last Guardian, and Shenmue 3? Or their smackdown of the Xbox One's limitations back in 2013? Sony loves putting on a show during E3.
Last year's show was very much about the future, with the PlayStation VR taking center stage alongside teasers for Kojima projects like Death Stranding. Now that PSVR and PS4 Pro are both out in the wild, Sony's attention should be on the games. And from the looks of it, that's exactly where it is.
So while there will undoubtedly be a few surprises—it wouldn't be a Sony E3 presser without a few splashy announcements—this year's show figures to be more about the present than the future. Here's what we're expecting to see.
What a Successful E3 for Sony Would Look Like
Sony has their E3 press conferences down to a science: roll out the big crowd pleasers that will get everyone talking without worrying too much about details. Last year it was Death Stranding. This year it might be something else from a famous designer. Or it might be a whole new IP à la Horizon Zero Dawn in 2015.
Whatever they put out, Sony will once again be looking to have the most talked about announcements from the press conferences. They're very good at putting out the right teasers to stoke excitement without getting too esoteric, which was a problem they had during the PS3 era. Given their track record this generation, anything less than a home run will feel like a letdown.
Their biggest question mark is PSVR. Outside of one event earlier this year, Sony has mostly been quiet about where the PSVR is going, which makes one wonder how big of a push they will be giving it this fall. Will we get an actual flagship title for the thing? If we do, then that will be a huge win for Sony.
The One Thing We're Hoping to See
Bloodborne 2. Everyone was kind of expecting to see it at last year's PlayStation Experience, but it never really materialized. With Bloodborne being a major PlayStation exclusive, it makes sense for it to be unveiled on the biggest stage. If it does get formally announced, it's apt to be via a teaser, with a bigger reveal taking placing during PSX. Moon Studios CEO Thomas Mahler is apparently "99 percent certain we'll see it," so here's hoping.
Otherwise, it sure would be nice to get some kind of update on the progress of the Final Fantasy VII Remake and Kingdom Hearts 3. Both have been M.I.A. of late, and there seems to be a lot of uncertainty about when the Final Fantasy VII Remake will actually come out. An update and a new trailer would be reassuring, though I'm not really holding my breath. Kingdom Hearts 3 has a better chance of making an appearance than Final Fantasy VII.
What We're Expecting
Sony has a pretty packed schedule this fall, so look forward to a heavy dose of God of War, Spider-Man, Uncharted, GT Sport, Knack 2, and Days Gone. On the third-party side, Destiny 2 and Call of Duty WWII figure to make an appearance. This E3 will be very much about the present for Sony.
The PlayStation VR will likely be getting a push, but not as much of one as people might expect. There will be a sizzle reel, an executive will come out to tout the fact that PSVR has cracked a million units and is totally making a profit, and we'll move on. Sony has bigger fish to fry now that the PSVR is out in the wild.
As always, Sony will have something up their sleeves. The only question will be what it ends up being. A Shenmue 3 sighting? Something new from Team ICO? A new IP entirely? They will dangle at least a few tantalizing tidbits to whet our appetites and get us talking. My money is on Bloodborne 2.
Whatever happens, it should be another successful E3 for Sony. Like I said, they've got this down to a science.