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E3's video game art picks include 'No Man's Sky' and 'Witcher 3'
The Into the Pixel jury has chosen the 2016 winners for its E3 art collection, and it's clearer than ever that video games can inspire artwork you'd be proud to hang on your wall. The 14 selections are mostly from titles where visuals not only play an important role, but set the tone for the entire game -- the sci-fi novel look of No Man's Sky gets its due, as does The Witcher 3's brooding fantasy atmosphere and Unravel's miniature world. There's even art from a virtual reality game (Insomniac's Edge of Nowhere) breaking some ground. Most of these pieces are concept art or models rather than what you'd see while playing, but they're worth a look if you've ever felt that game art is just as creative and thought-provoking as what you'd find in a gallery.
'XCOM 2' arrives on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One September 6th
XCOM 2 hit PCs earlier this year, and in September you'll be able to play it on those current-gen consoles. After some indications that the game wouldn't make the leap to PS4 and Xbox One, 2K is set to release the title in North America on September 6th with a global launch to follow on September 9th. Two DLCs have already been released for the PC version, including a truckload of new gear for the soldiers and the addition of three new Ruler alien enemies. If the PC-only comments had you down, don't fret: you'll be able to take command at the end of the summer on the console of your choice.
Volition's newest project is 'Agents of Mayhem'
The Saints Row series has always been appropriately wacky and out there thanks to developer Volition, but shortly after Saints Row IV released, the company went a bit quiet. It's back now with a brand new game with a whole new attitude. It's called Agents of Mayhem, and it's an open-world adventure set within the Saints Row universe.
EA's 'FIFA 17' lands on September 27th
Game studios are getting a jump on the E3 news cycle and Electronic Arts is no different. Today, the company announced that FIFA 17, the next installment in its popular soccer franchise will arrive in September. What's more, the game will be powered by Frostbite, a move that VP and executive producer Dave Rutter says "unlocks a whole new world of possibilities." The studio used Frostbite on a sports title in last year's PGA Tour release after employing it on Battlefield and other games.
Whimsical 'Yooka-Laylee' debuting at E3 2016
We've known about Playtonic Games' upcoming 3D platformer Yooka-Laylee for some time now, but it's finally getting some time in the spotlight during E3 2016 from June 14th through the 16th in Los Angeles.
'Skylanders Imaginators' lets you create your own heroes
Just because Disney is calling it quits on Infinity doesn't mean that the era of collectible-driven video games is over. Activision has unveiled Skylanders Imaginators, and its centerpiece is the ability to create your own hero using a wide array of body parts and gear. At last, you're no longer limited to whatever the developers can dream up. You won't get a real-world figurine that matches your exact character, unfortunately, but there will be "Creation Crystals" you can buy to bring your champion to other consoles.
Xbox One price drops to $299 ahead of E3
If Microsoft is hoping to quell rumors of new Xbox hardware at E3, it isn't doing the greatest job. The company has permanently cut the prices of Xbox One consoles by $50 across the board, lowering the base price to $299 -- even some of the nicer multi-game 1TB bundles now sell for $319. These are tremendousprices, of course, but they're coming just a couple of weeks before E3. While this could just be an attempt to goose sales during the historically quiet summer, it's only going to fuel talk of a possible smaller 2TB system that would become the new flagship. The price drop is great if you're looking for the most affordable Xbox One possible, but it's otherwise worth holding off a little while... especially if you want to see what Sony brings to the table.
Watch PlayStation's E3 2016 event in a movie theater
It's almost E3 time, and that means something big for theater-going PlayStation fans: Sony's PlayStation E3 Experience is back. This year, you can watch the company's gaming presentation on June 13th at over 85 theaters in not only North America, but Latin America as well. Everyone who gets in will walk out with some obligatory swag, including a currently-mysterious digital "gift basket." Tickets will be free when they're up for grabs on May 31st at 1PM Eastern, so you'll want to move quickly -- there will be plenty of gamers curious to see Sony's future products on the biggest screen possible.
Report: A major developer is working on a VR game for Xbox One
Ars Technica reports that a "well-known European studio" is currently working on a VR game for "set in the universe of an established, long-running franchise" the Xbox One console. The unnamed game is slated for a 2017 release. Ars received the news as part of its E3 pre-briefings and was able to confirm it with the developer's PR rep. A PC and PS4 version are both also supposedly in the works. This news lends significant credence to rumors that the upgraded Xbox One models that are expected to debut at the expo will be VR capable and compatible with the Oculus Rift headset.
'Dragon Quest Builders' comes to the West this October
It's hard to talk about Dragon Quest Builders without mentioning Minecraft. Clearly, Square Enix has taken inspiration from the block-building phenomenon developed by Mojang. But the two play quite differently -- Builders is a more structured adventure with clear objectives and villagers to help. The game launched on PS4, PS3 and PS Vita back in January, but that was only for Japan. Today, Square Enix has confirmed it'll be coming to the West too, arriving on PS4 and PS Vita (digital-only) this October.
Rumors are flying about new Xbox consoles and streaming devices
E3 kicks off on June 12th and Microsoft will be there in full-force, showing off the latest and greatest Xbox games and hardware. The company hasn't yet revealed what it'll announce at the big show, but The Verge and Kotaku claim Xbox is working on two new devices -- however, that's where the reports' similarities stop.
You can play the new 'Legend of Zelda' early in New York City
You won't be left out of the E3 festivities just because you can't make it to Los Angeles for E3 Live. Nintendo is giving gamers in New York City an opportunity to play The Legend of Zelda for the Wii U between June 14th and June 19th if they're willing to jump through a few hoops. To start, you'll have to show up for a "Super-Fan Signup Day" at Nintendo's New York store on the morning of June 11th to have a chance of playing. If you're one of the 500 people to make the cut, you'll have to line up at the store on June 14th to get a wristband and make an appointment for some hands-on time.
YouTube Gaming launches event hubs with E3 live streams
YouTube Gaming is making live coverage of eSports competitions and other big events much easier to find. The channel is launching event hubs, starting with E3 in June. Each hub will house all the official YouTube shows and streams covering that particular tournament or expo, so you can browse them all in one page. YouTube's E3 coverage will begin with EA's and Bethesda's keynotes on June 12th, followed by a 12-hour stream on June 13th. It'll cover press conferences, live "Let's Play" playthroughs and maybe even the free public event the expo's holding this year. Twitch is still E3's official streaming partner this year -- and we're covering the event, as well! -- but YouTube's hub sounds like a good place to check if you're looking for even more videos.
E3 will hold a public gaming event this year
For years, E3 has largely been limited to game industry tradespeople and the press. That's somewhat necessary (it's difficult to wade through the show as it is), but it also locks out thousands of players dying to get a peek at the future of their favorite hobby. Thankfully, that's about to change: the Entertainment Software Association has announced E3 Live, a free public event that gives you a taste of what you're missing. The ticketed gathering, which runs alongside E3 itself (June 14th through 16th), promises the opportunity to "test-drive" new games, meet developers in person and try new experiences before anyone else.
BioWare confirms 'Mass Effect: Andromeda' delayed to 2017
BioWare has confirmed what we already knew: the next instalment in the Mass Effect franchise has been pushed back to next year. Publisher EA teased the bad news during an investor's call in March, when CFO Blake Jorgensen said it was scheduled for a fiscal "fourth quarter" release. Still, today's announcement is a useful confirmation -- there's no way to misinterpret BioWare's new blog post, which states the game will "ship in early 2017." The studio says the delay is due to the scale of Andromeda, which will provide players with "an unprecedented level of freedom."
'Dishonored 2' leaves the shadows on November 11th
Dishonored 2 will launch on PS4, Xbox One and PC on November 11th, giving fans another taste of supernatural assassination. The sequel was first unveiled at Bethesda's E3 press conference last year, along with a tentative "Spring 2016" release window. Clearly, that date hasn't panned out. Little is known about the game, other than it's set in the city of Karnaca and features two playable characters -- Dishonored hero Corvo Attano and Empress Emily Kaldwin. As before, you'll be able to choose how you tackle each foe, focusing on stealth or a more 'guns blazing' approach.
