E3 2010

Subject: E3 2010 Wed Jun 09, 2010 11:56 am

It's that time of year again. E3 2010 is less than a week away, and we can expect to once again see tons of new announcements and surprises. Of course, some will be more surprising than others, as E3 reveals have a nasty habit of leaking out early in the form of rumors.
E3 2010 Project-natal2

Not all E3 rumors come true, though -- some are elaborate hoaxes, misunderstandings, or otherwise. Below we've listed this year's more persistent rumors, including hardware revisions from Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo, anticipated sequels like Resistance 3 and Star Wars Battlefront 3, along with PSN+ and others. We also chime in with our thoughts on whether or not we'll see them confirmed at the press conferences.

Have a look, but remember to keep an open mind -- there's a good chance we're all going to be surprised next week.

Rumor: Microsoft Will Announce a Slim Xbox 360
E3 2010 Slim1

Last year's rumor du jour was the impending release of a Slim PlayStation 3, which was fueled by photographs out of China. With the Slim PS3 now on the market, rumors of a Slim Xbox 360 have started to fly.

Wedbush-Morgan analyst Michael Pachter recently predicted that a Slim 360 will be packaged with Natal, and alleged images of the console's motherboard have appeared out of China. With Natal on the way, this fall seems like the perfect opportunity for a hardware refresh. And given that the Slim PS3 rumors turned out to be accurate, anything is possible.

Rumor: Nintendo Will Unveil the "Wii HD"
It seems like we've been hearing about a supposed HD-enabled Wii console since the original launched in 2006, but the rumors really got hot when a 2008 report citing several anonymous insiders allegedly revealed that Nintendo was already showing off its next home console to game developers.

The rumor was so widespread that it even had professional industry analysts buzzing, with Wedbush Morgan's Michael Pachter predicting that the unit would be out in 2010, with a retail price of under $200.

Obviously, that rumor wasn't true, and we don't think this one is either. It is no great secret that Nintendo is constantly iterating on new hardware, and we have very good reason to believe that the successor to the Wii is well into its development cycle, but there is no reason to believe we'll see it this E3. The Wii remains the best-selling home console on a consistent basis, the follow-up consoles from Microsoft and Sony are still (we're guessing) a ways off, and besides, the 3DS will be Nintendo's spotlight this year. Premiering two new consoles would be unheard-of, not to mention idiotic.

Rumor: Sony Will Unveil the Successor to the PSP

With the 3DS having been outed a little earlier than Nintendo originally intended, attention has naturally turned to Sony's plans for the PSP.

So far, there has been little more than speculation over the possibility of the "PSP 2." Comments by Sony Computer Entertainment America director of hardware and marketing John Koller seem to preclude the inclusion of 3D, but there have been rumors that it will include a 3G wireless connection. And, of course, there are the old standbys like the dual analog sticks and the inclusion of a touchscreen.

Former 1UP editor Shane Bettenhausen opined back in February that he thinks a potential PSP successor will be the "big story of E3" alongside the 3DS, but so far there has been little in the way of solid evidence to support that claim. If there is an announcement this year, don't expect it to be at E3.

Rumor: Project Natal Will Cost $149
Late last month, Edge Online reported that, according to a "trusted source," Project Natal will be priced at $149 when it launches later this year. On top of that, Microsoft will also offer the device bundled with an Xbox 360 Arcade for $299 ($100 more than an Arcade on its own).

All of which sounds believable enough... but is it true? Well, there is the fact this comes from a "trusted source" who has given Edge reliable information in the past. But then, $149 is a surprisingly large number, isn't it? Microsoft has frequently described Natal as offering a whole new experience without having to release a whole new console -- the "Holy Grail in many ways," according to outgoing Xbox 360 boss Robbie Bach. But at $149... man, that's quickly approaching the price point of a new console launch, isn't it? In fact, the $300 Arcade bundle would still be $50 more than the Wii cost at launch four years ago.

Of course, there's always the "wishful thinking" scenario: That maybe Microsoft deliberately leaked the $149 price point to gauge the reaction, and may well change the final price as a result. After all, even if this source is totally accurate, there's nothing stopping Microsoft from calling an audible right before their big reveal. But considering how much planning goes into a product launch, that seems unlikely. If this source really did have the scoop, then expect that number to stay. $149 it'll be.

Rumor: Paid PlayStation Network Service to Debut at E3
This one's a pretty safe bet; even Sony executives have publicly acknowledged that some form of premium PlayStation Network service is on the way. The real question here isn't whether or not PSN subscriptions are coming -- it's what exactly these paid memberships will entail.

Sony has previously polled consumers about what they'd like to see from a premium PSN membership, hinting at features like cross-game voice chat, discounts on the PlayStation Store, and free access to select downloadables like PSN games, PSP Minis, and PSOne Classics. Other rumors point to things like Hulu integration and disc-free access to Netflix.

Multiple alleged insiders offer conflicting reports on the final name, feature set, and price for the paid version of PSN, but they all seem to agree on one thing: Sony has no plans to remove anything from the existing service. That means whatever Sony announces at E3, free PSN accounts should still be a completely viable way to play online, browse the PlayStation Store, and chat with friends.

Rumor: PS2 Games Coming to PSN, Dreamcast Games to PSN and XBLA

There are really multiple, individual rumors here, but they add up to what looks like a consistent trail. First -- way back in September -- came leaked notes from a meeting between Sega and Sony executives revealing (apparently) that "SCEA wants to sell all PS2 titles on PSN." What's more, the notes also mentioned that "if we [Sega] provide a list of [Dreamcast] titles SCEA will let us know which ones they're interested in having exclusively."

We haven't heard a word about this specific leak since September, but what we have heard recently are a few rumors of Dreamcast games coming to Xbox Live Arcade -- and at least one coming to PSN. Specifically, Jet Grind Radio, and Crazy Taxi and Sonic Adventure (and also Shenmue II, although that technically may not count since it was later ported to the original Xbox as well) have been rumored for XBLA, and Sonic Adventure has also been rated by the ESRB for the 360, PS3, and PC.

So considering even the ESRB says a Dreamcast game is coming to the 360 and PS3, then yes, it's very likely we'll see it announced at E3. Whether it'll be part of a broader announcement of a wave of Dreamcast games coming to both consoles is unclear, but the Crazy Taxi and Jet Grind Radio rumors point to yes on that as well. As for PS2 games on PSN, that's a bit more of a long shot (considering this is Sony, wouldn't we have seen, like, 15 different leaks about this by now?). But we don't want to call Sega note-takers liars, so screw it -- we'll predict yes on that as well.

Rumor: Resistance 3 to debut at E3

We first heard about Resistance 3 almost a year ago, when a billboard appeared as part of the set for the upcoming movie Battle: Los Angeles. More recently, the game showed up in a Sony survey, which bizarrely asked if gamers think the game is being developed. Maybe they were trying to gauge surprise for an upcoming announcement.

Insomniac has hit a stride of releasing a game every year, trading off between its two franchises -- Ratchet and Resistance. Last year saw Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time, so we're due for another Resistance title. The one kink in the works is the company's recent EA partnership, which will have the developer making a new multiplatform franchise on top of their existing Sony-exclusive ones. We're not sure yet how that will impact the developer's clockwork-like annual release schedule.

Recent rumors have circulated that Killzone 3, Infamous 2, and Resistance 3 would all be making their debuts at E3. While not quite true since the former two have already been revealed, Resistance 3 would complete the trifecta. Given that Insomniac was probably well into Resistance 3 development when the EA Partners deal was reached, we're likely to see the game in some form this year.

Rumor: LucasArts Will Finally Announce Star Wars: Battlefront 3

Prior to being acquired by Crytek and subsequently being renamed Crytek UK, Free Radical Design was reportedly at work on a new entry in the Star Wars: Battlefront franchise. When Free Radical laid off much of its staff towards the end of 2008, character renders from what was believed to be Battlefront 3 were posted on the internet before getting pulled back down. Following that, there was an off-screen video that surfaced showing gameplay footage of the game in action.

In early 2009, we heard conflicting reports; first, that Rebellion Entertainment had taken over development, and then that Battlefront 1 and 2 developer Pandemic Studios would actually be developing the sequel. Late last year, Pandemic was shut down, leaving the still-unannounced Battlefront 3 in limbo. The game's casting director chimed in to confirm that the game was still in development as recently as this past December.

And just last month, word of Battlefront 3 GameSpy servers popped up (via G4tv) by way of a hack that displays all of the GameSpy servers running at any time. A Battlefront fan site forum member claims that he hadn't seen them as recently as a month prior, so it appears the game is still being worked on by someone; we just don't know exactly who. LucasArts is invariably involved and may opt to finally reveal the game at E3 next week... or they might not, and we'll be left continuing to wonder if Battlefront 3 isn't just bad luck for whichever developer gets its hands on it.

Of course we will get a heavy dose of 3-D, the new 3-DS and both Sony and Microsoft will try to push 3-D on people. Expect sequels, Crackdown 2, Gears of War 3, Halo Reach, Killer Instinct 3, Fable 3, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Lost Odyssey 2, Oblivion 2. Possible Xbox portable. I'll report more rumors and news as it comes available.

E3 2010 1297_FableIIIXboxLCEContentsClosed_

E3 2010 1297_FableIIIXboxLCEContentsClosed_

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Wed Jun 09, 2010 1:05 pm

I love E3

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Wed Jun 09, 2010 1:08 pm

is fable 3 an exclusive to xbox again? i didn't really read the whole thing if you put it in there sorry.

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Wed Jun 09, 2010 1:15 pm

yes it is snipa

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Wed Jun 09, 2010 3:14 pm

oh damn. Ahh well, im guess the last game ill probably be buying now will be black ops.

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Wed Jun 09, 2010 9:20 pm

xPerfect-Killx wrote:: oh damn. Ahh well, im guess the last game ill probably be buying now will be black ops.

same T^T

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Wed Jun 09, 2010 9:43 pm

xPerfect-Killx wrote:: oh damn. Ahh well, im guess the last game ill probably be buying now will be black ops.

Your never buying another game after black ops? dang.

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Thu Jun 10, 2010 9:49 am

that looks like the top of snipes's head!!

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:15 am

no it doesn't dumbass snipes has waves not cornrows

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:16 am

You cant expect Rockethoe to know what those are, in fact I'm surprised you knew what they are. Look's like you might have a crush on a Lakeesha compact model too ehh?

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:27 am

He lives in Louisiana theres like 3 black people for every white person there

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Fri Jun 11, 2010 3:15 pm

yo the black guy in the gears picture up there is being voiced by drake.

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Fri Jun 11, 2010 5:09 pm

Mr.X wrote:

xPerfect-Killx wrote:: oh damn. Ahh well, im guess the last game ill probably be buying now will be black ops.

Your never buying another game after black ops? dang.

well, lets assume by "now" i mean "this year"

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Sat Jun 12, 2010 9:12 am

Hmmm I see

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Sat Jun 12, 2010 11:46 am

If even half of everything being said about this E3 is true, then this E3 is going to be awazing. I foresee Sony and Microsoft trying to heavily compete for the spotlight this year.. It's going to be insane, and I can't wait for the news and announcements to start rolling in. Shocked

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Sat Jun 12, 2010 1:26 pm

Sony was forced to announce a lot of their titles early to combat the onslaught of Xbox 360 news that was dominating the news and internet lately. So I wouldn't expect anything earth shattering from them. Microsoft has been quiet, but are buying up a lot of press, MTV that Circus, 2 floor shows, one strictly for Natal. I mean it's clear they have huge announcements. Slim 360, Natal, Possible portable Xbox.

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Sat Jun 12, 2010 10:35 pm

Possible ''machine to human'' oral pleasure stimulators. Knowone honestly knows what the eff might happen at this spit,but what i do know is kanyes gonna be there and its gonna be BIG!

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Sun Jun 13, 2010 9:04 am

FO SHIZZLE

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Sun Jun 13, 2010 11:01 am

Here's a cool new screen shot of the Natal game "River Rush" yeah, it's a party game. I am sure we will see more hardcore stuff for it tomorrow at E3, but this at least shows they put more effort into graphics and colors then the Wii. I want details on Natal and how it will work with Fable 3, Metal Gear and Ghost Recon honestly.

E3 2010 Riverraft

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Sun Jun 13, 2010 2:31 pm

Natal doesn't interest me at all really. I like playing games. End of.

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Sun Jun 13, 2010 3:47 pm

It's not just for games, it has a lot more applications. It wont be for hardcore gamers for the most part, though I expect some hardcore games to be released with compatibility, but sometimes you just get tired of shooters and the usual. So it will be good to have some buddies over, pop a few brews and make an ass out of yourself, no controller needed. The voice commands and scan abilities interest me the most though to be honest.

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:00 am

I just wanna be able to see my huge wang up on screen.

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Mon Jun 14, 2010 11:04 am

Well you have itty, bitty hands, so I'm guessing thats itty bitty too. Sorry bro.

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Mon Jun 14, 2010 2:08 pm

Subject: Re: E3 2010 Mon Jun 14, 2010 2:21 pm

It was super cool watching the Microsoft Conference with Wolf, Hellhammer, Fusion, ICM and whoever else was there. I think Kinect is amazing and I'm gonna pre-order it. I also plan on getting the new, redesigned Xbox 360 slim. It looked amazing, built in wireless N and a 250 gig HDD. It looked so sleek and sexy, not gonna lie. Actually I have so much confidence in Microsoft, I think I'm gonna finally ditch the PS3 altogether, I mean I never use it other then to stream media because its the one with the bigger HDD for me right now. It's kind of a waste. So I'm gonna ditch that and my old Xbox 360 and on to the new one. Me and HH both. It was a kick ass show!

» Alan Wake Dropping May 18th, 2010
» Madden 2010 (PS3) Playoffs on GB
» E3 2010: Xbox Kinect Confirmed By Microsoft
» Fantasy Football Teams 2010
» Halo Reach Online Beta starts May 3rd, 2010