E3 2014: All the New Game IP Announcements
A lot of new games got revealed at this year's E3. From Software's presentation of PlayStation 4-exclusive Bloodborne and Ubisoft's Rainbow Six Siege highlighted the blockbuster games, but there were also several independent and smaller projects unveiled
In case you missed the announcements that came out of E3, we've put them into one place. New game properties (and one reboot of an original Xbox game) are followed by snippets of news or previews for context.
New Game Properties:
Ori and the Blind Forest (Moon Studios | Xbox One, PC)
"The trailer for Ori and the Blind Forest, being developed by Moon Studios, showed off a ghostly creature performing a variety of lithe platforming moves, and his friend, an obese masked demon."
Read more about Ori's announcement here.
Inside (Playdead Studios | Xbox One Timed Exclusive)
"The team behind Limbo has another adventure coming out, and it looks to carry the themes of desolation and despair that made its first game so good. Inside places you in a world in which the citizens are controlled automatons. And you play as a young boy who still has his mind. The core action looks similar to what Limbo offered, though more complex than the pushing and jumping you were limited to there."
Read more about Inside's announcement here.
Phantom Dust (Microsoft Studios | Xbox One)
"Today during Microsoft's E3 press conference, the company officially announced a new Phantom Dust game for Xbox One. The announcement comes just a few weeks after Microsoft filed a trademark application for the Phantom Dust name." Technically, this isn't a new IP, but it's been such a long time and comes as such a surprise, we're listing it as such.
Read more about Phantom Dust's announcement here.
Scalebound (Platinum Games | Xbox One)
"The CG trailer looked like a play on Monster Hunter by the best action developer around. There's no concrete details on what this game will contain other than our wishful fantasies and crazy dreams. We do know that it's coming exclusively to the Xbox One."
Read more about Scalebound's announcement here.
Mario Maker (Nintendo | Wii U)
"It's so incredibly easy to craft a level in Mario Maker that even I, a person who couldn't even slap together an obstacle-free stage in a 2D fighter, was able to make a reasonably fun level, all in less than 10 minutes. I'm sure you don't believe me; I wouldn't either if I wasn't there. But that's the truth. Mario Maker makes the arduous task of designing a stage into something that's so straightforward, and so entertaining, that I enjoyed my little time with the game almost as much as anything else I've seen at this show."
Read the rest of our preview here.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Nintendo | Wii U)
"It's easy to gaze wistfully toward the future when so many Wii U games are being promised. After all, just about every announcement ended in “coming in 2015.” But don't overlook Treasure Tracker just because Toad is an untested protagonist. This is a unique adventure that tests your smarts rather than your dexterity, and is fun to boot. We'll see how the finished product shapes up later this year, but I for one am happy Toad was given a chance in the spotlight."
Read the rest of our preview here.
Splatoon (Nintendo | Wii U)
"What's undeniable is that Splatoon is a welcome addition to the Wii U's future lineup. Competitive shooters have been the exclusive domain of "core" gamers for decades now, so it's nice to see games like Splatoon (and, more recently, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare) come in and try to appeal to a different section of the gaming population. After all, shooters are fun, so everybody (even Wii U owners) should get a chance to play them."
Read the rest of our preview here.
Code Name S.T.E.A.M. (Nintendo | 3DS)
"In Code Name: S.T.E.A.M, you play as a member of S.T.E.A.M., a group formed by President Lincoln (even though the game is set in London) to fight an enemy force from outer space. Its visual style is described as a combination of steampunk and comic books. Overall, Nintendo describes the game as a "world-spanning adventure game."
Read more about S.T.E.A.M.'s announcement here.
Entwined (Pixelopus | PS4, PS3, Vita)
"Sony introduced an independent game with the third presentation of their conference this year. Called Entwined, Pixel Opus' first game shows the impossible relationship between a bird and fish. The two creatures soar through a cylindrical tube, one controlled by the left stick, the other the right stick, and you evade obstacles in an attempt to unite at the end."
Read more about Entwined's announcement here.
Bloodborne (From Software | PS4)
"The Bloodborne demo ended with a large boss fight against a towering, emaciated creature with long straggly fur and an exposed chest cavity. It looked tough to beat, which for any Souls fans, is great to hear. How the game's greater focus on aggression and its changes to death penalties will affect the crushing, oppressive, and demanding feel of a Souls game remains to be seen, but there's one thing that's clear about Bloodborne even at this early stage: it's building off a solid base, and I'm excited to see more."
Read the rest of our preview here.
Abzu (Giant Squid | PS4, PC)
"The game has an underwater setting and a striking art style, reminiscent in its use of shape and color of the look of Journey. That's not surprising, considering that Giant Squid was founded by Matt Nava, art director on Journey and Flower. Footage showed schools of fish darting around, a diver swimming among sharks and massive whales, and standing near a group of glowing jellyfish-like organisms."
Read more about Abzu's announcement here.
Let It Die (Grasshopper | PS4)
Previously known as Lily Bergamo, the game has been reborn. "If you've ever doubted the strangeness of Suda 51, well, why? Everything that man touches is incredibly bizarre. So now we have Let It Die, a PlayStation 4 exclusive that looks to carry the mantle that Grasshopper is known for. These games are a guilty pleasure of mine. The extreme violence and casual attitude has always made me grin, and though little is known of Let It Die now, it at least looks unique. My guess? It's their first multiplayer game, given that we saw what looked like one monstrous man shoot at another. Now we just have to wait for more details."
Read the rest of our preview here.
Shape Up (Ubisoft Montreal | Xbox One)
"Exclusive to Xbox One, Shape Up combines a foundation of proven fitness methods with entertaining and rewarding workout routines displayed in a unique arcade style."
Dreadnought (Yager | PC)
"In between matches, you will upgrade your vessels with various attachments and improvements, making Dreadnought's closest comparison World of Tanks and its peers. I asked Holzapfel just how deep he expects the customization options to go, but the team has yet to nail down all the specifics, such as exactly how many ship classes the game will launch with, and how many secondary abilities players will get to choose from. Details may be scarce, but the fun was undeniable: Dreadnought is teeming with potential, and I can't wait to see what Yager shows us next."
Read the rest of our preview here.
New Games Announced for Existing Series:
- Dance Central Spotlight (Harmonix | Xbox One)
- Halo: The Master Chief Collection (343 Industries | Xbox One)
- Crackdown 3 -- just called Crackdown (Cloudgine | Xbox One)
- Rise of the Tomb Raider (Crystal Dynamics | Xbox One, PS4)
- Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (Crystal Dynamics | Xbox One, PS4, PC)
- The Legend of Zelda (Nintendo | Wii U)
- Kirby and the Rainbow Curse (Nintendo | Wii U)
- Mario Party 10 (Nintendo | Wii U)
- Star Fox (Nintendo | Wii U)
- LittleBigPlanet 3 (Sumo Digital | PS4)
- Dead Island 2 (Yager | Xbox One, PS4, PC)
- Magicka 2 (Pieces Interactive | PS4, PC)
- Grim Fandango Remastered (Double Fine | PS4, Vita)
- Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar Games | Xbox One, PS4, PC)
- Rainbow Six Siege (Ubisoft Montreal | Xbox One, PS4, PC)
- Just Dance 2015 (Ubisoft | Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, Wii U, Wii)
- Payday 2 (Overkill Software | Xbox One, PS4)