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The Morning After: Keanu Reeves surprised us at E3 2019
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. The E3 2019 show floor doesn't open until Tuesday, but things are already in full swing with presentations from Microsoft, EA and Bethesda. We've seen everything in gaming that was announced so far, from high-profile (Project Scarlett, Star Wars, George R.R. Martin) to offbeat (Battletoads) to truly unexpected (Keanu Reeves!). Stay tuned for more news today from the likes of Ubisoft and Square-Enix.
‘Final Fantasy VII Remake’ will be released on March 3rd, 2020
It's been four years since Sony teased that it had commissioned a ground-up remake of the seminal Final Fantasy VII. At this year's E3, the company has let it be known that the game will land on PS4s around the world on March 3rd, 2020.
'Journey' creator's mobile game 'Sky' officially launches July 11th (updated)
Thatgamecompany's Sky: Children of the Light has technically been available in beta for a long time, but now it's really, truly ready for launch... well, almost. The Journey creator's social exploration game is now slated to reach iOS and Apple TV users on July 11th, with the App Store offering pre-orders (it's listed as free) as we write this. If you'll recall, this was advertised as an Apple device exclusive -- don't expect an Android counterpart to arrive any time soon.
Id Software built a framework to make streaming video games better
Bethesda is jumping on the cloud-gaming train with Orion, a software collection that optimizes game engines for streaming. Essentially, Orion is designed to make games run better on platforms like Google's Stadia or Microsoft's xCloud. It works with any game and any platform, lowering latency by up to 20 percent per frame and reducing bandwidth demands by as much as 40 percent.
'DOOM Eternal' lands November 22nd with a new take on multiplayer
DOOM Eternal, the latest installment in gory, frantic, demon slaying will land on November 22nd this year. Bethesda's E3 keynote showed snippets of the Doom Slayer's latest jaunt, which the publisher says will go "across dimensions" to heaven, hell and Mars. In a new multiplayer mode, DOOM Eternal will have two player-controlled demons face off against one slayer.
'Deathloop' is a first-person action game from the creators of 'Dishonored'
Aside from showing off the next major update to Fallout 76, dubbed Wastelanders, Bethesda has revealed a new first-person action game called Deathloop. This new title comes from studio Arcane Lyon, the creators of the Dishonored franchise. As you'll see in the trailer below, Deathloop looks intense and action-packed. Bethesda says that the world of Deathloop is designed to transport players to a lawless island called Blackreef, where you can experience the struggle of two "extraordinary assassins."
The new 'Wolfenstein: Youngblood' trailer is a killer good time
WIth the July 26th release date of Wolfenstein: Youngblood nearly upon us, Bethesda took the stage at its E3 keynote on Sunday to reveal additional details and gameplay of its latest installment of the Nazi-hunting franchise.
Evil Within studio debuts supernatural action adventure, 'Ghostwire Tokyo'
The studio behind horror series The Evil Within is building an action-adventure game set in a city of supernatural evil, called Ghostwire Tokyo. Tango Gameworks founder Shinji Mikami and the title's creative director, Ikumi Nakamura, debuted the new game during Bethesda's E3 press conference, showing a glimpse of the story and world, but skimping on details like platforms or release date.
'Fallout 76' is about to be a lot more like 'Fallout'
Back in February, Bethesda detailed its plan to revitalize Fallout 76 in 2019. After all, it's no secret that the developer's shared-world action RPG is in desperate need of improvement, having been plagued by a number of serious issues since it launched in November of 2018. And today, at its pre-E3 2019 event, Bethesda revealed the next major update for Fallout 76: Wastelanders, which it says will "fundamentally change the game." The biggest difference is the addition of non-player human characters, a feature that's going to make Fallout 76 feel a lot more like Fallout, thanks to a new main quest as well as choice and consequence scenes. You'll also get new weapons and gear, naturally.
Watch Bethesda's E3 2019 press event here with us!
Recovered from Xbox? Get ready for the company that resurrected Wolfenstein and Doom, as Bethesda caps off E3 Sunday. While we're unlikely to hear more on Elder Scrolls VI during its E3 showcase, expect update news for Fallout 76, a little more on the aforementioned Wolfenstein and Doom series and something new, maybe, if we're good? We'll be live-streaming alongside and after the showcase, so join Senior Editor Nick Summers and myself right here or on YouTube. It all kicks off at 5:30PM PT / 8:30PM EST / 1:30AM GMT.
'Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition' arrives this fall
Microsoft revealed at its E3 event that Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition will arrive this fall. As with the updated Age of Empires, this version of the classic RTS includes 4K support and remastered audio, as well as a brand-new campaign called The Last Khans. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition will be available on Xbox Game Pass for PC, while signups for the beta are now open.
George R. R. Martin and From Software collaborate on 'Elden Ring'
The rumors were true -- George R. R. Martin is involved in a video game, and it's not a Game of Thrones tie-in. The author has partnered with From Software to produce Elden Ring, a fantasy title coming to the Xbox One and PC. There are precious few details at this point, but it's set in a universe created by Dark Souls mastermind Hidetaka Miyazaki. Someone appears to have shattered the ring, and the consequences are dire.
Microsoft's xCloud game streaming begins in October (updated)
Microsoft didn't give us many new details about its Project xCloud game streaming service at E3, but at least we learned one component of the service is going live this October: the ability to stream games from your own Xbox. The functionality will first roll out through the Xbox preview program, and it essentially turns your system into an xCloud server, letting you play your games from a variety of other devices. That's pretty much what Sony has been doing with its PlayStation Remote Play feature, but Microsoft's cloud expertise should allow for significantly better performance. Update 6/10, 9:30A ET: Microsoft's E3 conference made it sound like the entire xCloud service would be arriving in October, but it turns out it's just the console streaming component. We've updated the post to clarify.
'Halo Infinite' arrives holiday 2020 alongside the new Xbox
It's been a year since 343 Industries gave us our first glimpse of the next installment of Xbox's flagship series, Halo Infinite. But during the Microsoft keynote event on Sunday, 343 revealed that Master Chief will once again return to the battlefield just in time for the holidays in 2020. What's more, the game will be a launch title for the upcoming Xbox system, codenamed Scarlett. If you're not ready to upgrade, you'll still be able to play, since the plan is for it to support "more platforms than we ever have for a single game," across every Xbox One and PC.
'Tales of Arise' launches on Xbox One and PS4 in 2020
First launched on the Super Famicom way back in 1995, Bandai Namco's Tales series is one of the longest-running RPG series in the history of gaming. At Microsoft's E3 keynote on Sunday, the company announced that the "dynamic action RPG" will receive yet another iteration come next year. Dubbed Tales of Arise, the follow-up to 2017's Tales of Berseria will reportedly offer an updated combat system that still remains true to the gameplay that fans of the storied franchise have come to expect over the past 24 years.
Microsoft's 'Project Scarlett' Xbox arrives holiday 2020
Microsoft is following through on its teaser for next-gen Xbox details, and it's clear the company is ready to take the PlayStation 5 head-on. The new system, nicknamed Project Scarlett, will use a custom variant of AMD's Zen 2 processor architecture with GDDR6 memory, with enough processing and graphics power to handle 8K (presumably not for most, if any, games), real-time ray tracing and 120 frames per second performance. It'll also try to stamp out loading times with SSD storage that can serve as virtual memory.
Microsoft unveils an even more customizable Elite controller
Remember the Xbox Elite controller? Well, it's just been replaced. Microsoft says its new Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (what a mouthful) has "over 30 new ways to play like a pro," including adjustable-tension thumbsticks and shorter hair trigger locks. The pad also comes with wraparound rubberized grips and up to three custom profiles so that you don't have to reconfigure everything when you switch between Forza Horizon 4 and the upcoming Gears 5. According to a quick teaser, the Series 2 Elite controller will last 40 hours on a single charge and can be replenished with a bundled charging dock. The entire package, which is available to pre-order today, costs $179.99 and will ship on November 4th.
'Dragon Ball Project Z' is now 'Kakarot,' arriving early 2020
If you've been jonesing for a Dragon Ball Z game that wasn't a straight-up 2D fighter, you're in luck. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot (formerly Dragon Ball Project Z) is coming to the Xbox One and PC sometime in early 2020. There aren't many details available in the initial trailer, but you can clearly see the cel-shaded look, a variety of combat, familiar characters and screaming... lots of screaming. In other words, it's probably what you were looking for if you were already a fan of Goku, Vegeta and crew.
Double Fine joins Microsoft Studios
Microsoft Studios has been on an acquisition spree over the past year or so, snatching up the likes of Ninja Theory, Playground Games, InXile, and Obsidian. During the company's marathon E3 keynote on Sunday, Microsoft announced that it has also added Psychonauts and Brutal Age maker Double Fine Productions to its developers stable.
'Gears 5' arrives on September 10th
The wait is almost over. After teasing Gears 5 at last year's E3, Microsoft has now revealed that its legendary title is coming to the Xbox and PC on September 10th. As we learned from the cinematic trailer that dropped at E3 2018, Gears 5 is "going back to where it all began," and it features a new female character who will join the one and only Marcus Fenix. Their mission? To discover the origins of the Locust Army, which of course means you're going to be smashing a lot of aliens along the way.
