8 highlights from 2018's E3 Gaming Expo
The 2018 E3 conference, or electronic entertainment expo, ended on June 14 following a flurry of announcements of new games and tech.
200 exhibitors and 69,200 attendees participated in the event, which took place from June 12-14 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The biggest names in gaming made some of their top announcements of the year.
Now that the dust has settled, what were the most important highlights from the event? Read on for a breakdown of the most exciting news from this year’s E3 conference.
1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
The new “Super Smash Bros.” was one of the most talked-about announcements of this year’s E3. It combines every character from the series’ history, so there are more than 60 characters and 70 stages — hence, the title of ultimate. Plus, it’s coming out for Nintendo Switch.
2. Cyberpunk 2077
CD Projekt Red announced “Cyberpunk 2077,” and it made a huge impression with the sneak peeks of the game it gave at E3. The game’s graphics and gameplay look incredible, and the story is sure to be exhilarating. It’s also expected to combine elements of various genres, making for a unique playing experience.
3. Marvel’s Spider-Man
The first thing Insomniac Games focused on when it started making its new Spider-Man game was the mechanics of swinging from your web as Spider-Man. The developers wanted to make the player feel like they are Spider-Man as best they could — and they did an outstanding job. The game also features an engaging storyline and a detailed replication of Marvel’s New York City.
4. Kingdom Hearts III
“Kingdom Hearts III” was all over this year’s convention, showing three different trailers at three separate press conferences. The game will be out on Jan. 29, 2019 on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. It’ll include new worlds based on “Frozen,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Ratatouille.”
5. Anthem
Bioware’s “Anthem” turned heads at E3 2018 with its smooth gameplay — even when jetpacks were involved. This game puts more of an emphasis on the multiplayer aspect than Bioware has in the past. It features a vast world with plenty of opportunities for combat with other players, but still has a greater emphasis on story than other multiplayer RPGs.
6. Elder Scrolls for Smartphone
Bethesda confirmed at this year’s event that “Elder Scrolls VI” is on its way. We don’t have too many details yet, which indicates it may be a while before the game is ready. To tide us all over, though, Bethesda also announced it’s introducing “Elder Scrolls: Blades,” which will be available for free this fall on iOS and Android smartphones.
7. Rage 2
Bethesda announced “Rage 2” last month, a sequel to a 2007 first-person shooter. We got a good look at the gameplay at E3 and the game’s “Mad Max”-style world. It’s an open-world, first-person shooter in which, Bethesda promises, you can “go anywhere, shoot anything and explore everything.”
8. The Last of Us Part II
Post-apocalyptic action game “The Last of Us Part II” boasts one of the most captivating trailers of this year’s event. The clip began with a tender kiss that showed off some serious animation chops. The clip then delves into some equally impressive gameplay that included the series’ signature stealth elements and fierce melee combat. Ellie, it seems, will be the main character in part two of this series.
Which Big Titles Were Missing?
Although this year’s E3 included plenty of big announcements, as the event typically does, there were still some notable titles missing from this year’s festivities. Some of the big names not to make an appearance include “Skate 4,” “Metroid Prime 4,” “Final Fantasy 7” and the next core “Pokémon RPG.”
Perhaps we’ll have to wait until next year’s E3, which is scheduled for June 11-13, 2019.