E3 2011 is just over ten weeks away, running June 7 to 9 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, and the guessing game has officially begun. Plenty of this year’s heavy hitters are already out in the open, from Uncharted 3 and Gears of War 3 to Battlefield 3 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. So rather than rehash the known quantities, here are five games we expect to be formally announced or properly revealed at the show. To be clear, this is speculation on our part, not insider information.
Call Of Duty And Assassin’s Creed Look Certain
First up is the next Call of Duty. Activision has released a new entry every autumn since 2005, and with Treyarch’s Black Ops having taken last November’s slot, the rotation points back to Infinity Ward. That studio has had a turbulent year after Activision fired its heads, Jason West and Vince Zampella, in March 2010, and many staff followed them out the door. Modern Warfare 3 is the name everyone assumes, and E3 is the obvious place for Activision to show the series is in safe hands.
Second, expect a new Assassin’s Creed. Ubisoft followed Assassin’s Creed II in November 2009 with Brotherhood just a year later, and it would be a surprise if the publisher broke that rhythm now. The big question is whether Ezio’s story continues or the series moves on to a new era, and Ubisoft’s press conference is the natural stage for the answer.
Halo And NGP Should Headline The Platform Briefings
Third is Halo. Bungie signed off from the franchise with Halo: Reach last September, handing the keys to Microsoft’s own 343 Industries. The studio has yet to reveal its first major Halo project, and with the original Halo: Combat Evolved turning ten this November, Microsoft has an anniversary practically begging for an announcement. Whatever 343 has planned, Microsoft’s briefing would be the place to reveal it.
Fourth, we fully expect Sony to fill in the blanks on NGP, the handheld it unveiled in Tokyo on January 27. Sony has shown the five inch OLED touchscreen, rear touch panel and twin analog sticks, along with tech demos including an Uncharted adventure, but the final name, price and full launch lineup are all still unknown. A batch of new NGP games is about as safe a bet as E3 offers.
Grand Theft Auto V Is Our Long Shot
Our fifth pick is the long shot: Grand Theft Auto V. Rockstar has not announced a full sequel since Grand Theft Auto IV landed in April 2008, followed by The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony in 2009. Rockstar rarely plays by anyone else’s schedule, so we would not bet the house on it, but a teaser would steal the entire show.
Honorable mention goes to Rockstar’s Agent, which is the subject of a fresh rumor making the rounds today. Who is on your list? Let us know in the comments.