We’ve officially entered my favorite time of the year. All over the internet, obviously fake “leaks” and fairly thoughtful predictions of just what we’ll see at this year’s E3 have started popping up. So, of course, that means it’s time for me to post mine as well. 

If you’re new to this blog, or if you just don’t remember because it’s been a year, the rules for my predictions are pretty simple. For each press conference, I will post three predictions. The first will be something that I’m certain will happen, known as the Sure Thing. The second is one that I’m not so certain about, but I think is fairly likely. This one is called Pretty Sure. Finally, the third prediction is a best case scenario, almost impossible to actually happen guess. These are just so that in the unlikely scenario that they do come true, I can say that I called it. These are called Shot in the Dark, and in all the years that I’ve done this, many of which were before I started the blog and existed only on Facebook, I’ve only gotten one right. But I can forever say that I called Shenmue III getting announced, so there’s that.

I’m going to list the press conferences in the order that they are scheduled to happen. At the time of this writing, Sony has yet to confirm their time, but the last few years they’ve gone Monday night, so we’ll just assume that that’ll stay the same. So, let’s get started.

Electronic Arts

Sure Thing: Battlefield 5 is officially announced, is set during World War II, and will be out this holiday.

I mean, c’mon, the game got leaked a while back, and it all looked legit. Not to mention, World War II makes a lot of sense as the setting for the follow-up to Battlefield 1, which took place in World War I. EA also seems to be bouncing back and forth between years with a Star Wars Battlefront release and a new Battlefield, and this is a Battlefield year.

Pretty Sure: Skate 4 is finally announced.

EA’s in desperate need of some good will these days. There’s not much that they could announce that wouldn’t get a totally positive reaction besides Skate 4. Unless they ruin it with loot boxes or something. But they wouldn’t do that, right?

Shot in the Dark: Dead Space 4 is announced.

This was actually my Shot in the Dark last year too, and with the closure of Visceral Games, it seems even more unlikely this year. But, unlikely is what I’m going for with this tier of prediction, so why not?

Microsoft

Sure Thing: Halo 6 is revealed and will be out this holiday.

Can you believe it’s been three years since Halo 5 released and we’ve heard literally nothing about Halo 6? But, it’s not like 343 has been just sitting around all this time. They absolutely are making Halo 6, and with such a long time between releases, I fully believe that the game is almost complete already. Plus, announcing games when they’re close to release is a growing trend in the industry, and it just makes sense for Microsoft to jump on that.

Pretty Sure: Crackdown 3 will also be out this holiday.

It’s easy to forget about Crackdown 3. It was announced years ago, occasionally pokes it’s head out, and then vanishes again. But, I think Microsoft knows that the Xbox One needs more exclusives, so I think this is finally the year that it actually makes it out. Will it be good? I don’t know, but it’ll be out.

Shot in the Dark: Banjo-Threeie.

This was my Shot in the Dark last year and it will continue to be until they actually make the damn thing. C’mon Microsoft, make it happen.

Bethesda

Sure Thing: Doom 2 announced, releases this year

This might be wishful thinking on my part, Doom was my favorite game of 2015 after all. But, I don’t see why it couldn’t happen either. You’ve already got the engine and the basic framework done, just continue the story where it left off last time and make anther insane shooter. Also, call it Doom 2, because that’d be really funny.

Pretty Sure: Elder Scrolls 6 is announced.

Surely, they’re working on this, right?  Bethesda can’t possibly be content just re-releasing Skyrim on every single platform. It’s kind of crazy to think that the current generation of consoles hadn’t even started when Skyrim originally came out. The only reason this isn’t the sure thing is that it really should have happened by now.

Shot in the Dark: I don’t know, Commander Keen?

Bethesda’s kind of a weird company, in that they don’t really have a ton of dormant franchises. But, they do own id Software, which granted them the rights to Doom and Wolfenstein. So, what about another id property? What about Commander Keen? Man, I don’t know.

Square-Enix

Sure Thing: That Avengers game that Crystal Dynamics is making is shown off with gameplay

Man, remember when that announcement happened and everyone was like, “I can’t wait for Square’s Avengers JRPG!” without noticing that Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics was making it? It’s been a while, and we know that the next Tomb Raider game is being handled by a different team entirely. Also, The Avengers are kind of a big deal right now. It makes total sense to show what that game is, and it’s been long enough to show us the actual game.

Pretty Sure: We’ll see new Final Fantasy VII Remake footage, but still no release date

Seriously, Final Fantasy VII Remake is still a long way off, at least that’s what I think. But it’s also been so long since it was first revealed that they really need to show something. I’m not expecting much, just a quick look at a fight or some interactions with NPCs. I’d like to be wrong about this one, but I think that’s what’s going to happen.

Shot in the Dark: A new Mana game

Earlier this year, Square put out a remake of Secret of Mana, and it was… fine? It also seemed kind of random, but what if it was to see if there was any interest in the franchise? Maybe they’re prepping a proper sequel now? That’d be neat.

Ubisoft

Sure Thing: A new Splinter Cell is announced

This was my Pretty Sure last year, but of course it didn’t come true. What bumps it up to Sure Thing this year is the Splinter Cell themed mission that was added to Ghost Recon: Wildlands earlier this year. The mission even included Sam Fisher played by his original voice actor, Michael Ironside. You don’t get that guy in the studio to do some throwaway bonus mission. They’re making a new Splinter Cell, guaranteed.

Pretty Sure: Watch Dogs 3 announced

Watch Dogs fills a similar space as Assassin’s Creed, and with that series finally getting off the yearly installment train, it seems like it would make sense to put out a Watch Dogs sequel. This was very nearly my Sure Thing, but I guess I don’t know how well Watch Dogs 2 did and if Ubisoft feels like they really need to do a third one. But, my gut says they will, so Pretty Sure it is.

Shot in the Dark: A new 3D Rayman is announced

It’s been a long time since Rayman 3 came out, but people still look back very fondly on the two 3D Rayman games. At the same time, people seem to really like the newer 2D ones, so I don’t know that Ubisoft would really feel the need to make a 3D one. But, that’s why it’s a Shot in the Dark.

Sony

Sure Thing: We’re finally seeing gameplay of Death Stranding

I know, I know, this is a ridiculous Sure Thing. But it’s been so long, and after multiple nonsensical trailers, it’s time to show the game. Look, I’m a huge Hideo Kojima fan, but even I have my limits. It’s time, and I think he knows it’s time. We’re seeing Death Stranding in about a month.

Pretty Sure: Horizon 2 is announced with a CG trailer

Horizon: Zero Dawn was a really big deal last year, and I think Sony wants to keep that hype train going. That being said, it’s way too early in development to actually see any of it. But, I think we’re going to see a CG trailer with a little bit of story set-up to get everyone excited, and then make them wait for a year or two.

Shot in the Dark: PaRappa the Rapper 3 is announced

A third PaRappa would be really cool, right?

Nintendo

Sure Thing: We’re finally going to see that new Fire Emblem and it’s out no later than September

There was a Fire Emblem themed Nintendo Direct over a year ago that announced the existence of a Switch Fire Emblem game, but we still haven’t seen it. Nintendo still has it listed for a 2018 release, so it seems pretty clear that we should be seeing it soon. It just kinda makes sense it would be seen at E3, right? And with all that time to make it, I think it’ll be out sooner rather than later.

Pretty Sure: A Switch Animal Crossing game is announced, out this hoiday

Nintendo’s quickly running out of big franchises that haven’t seen representation on the Switch. Animal Crossing is one of the few notable exceptions, and with the recent release of Animal Crossing Pocket Camp for smart phones, it just makes sense to have a new, real Animal Crossing too. That being said, an Animal Crossing that I can play on the TV and on the go is sure to ruin my life.

Shot in the Dark: Tokyo Mirage Sessions 2 is announced.

If you’ve been following my blog for any amount of time, it should be pretty clear that I love Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE. To be honest, I’d be happy with a Switch port of the original game, and that seems more likely than a sequel. But we don’t do “more likely” in Shot in the Dark predictions, so I only win if it’s an actual sequel. Make it happen, Nintendo.

And those are this year’s predictions. Just like last year, I’ll have write-ups of each of the press conferences with my thoughts as well as a running tally of of how many I get right. I hope you’ll stick around and see how I do. And in the meantime, what do you think we’re going to see? And what completely ridiculous announcements would you like to see that you probably won’t?