E3 starts subsequent week! Here is our list of what has us most excited, and what will be notably absent.

For the video video games followers of the globe, next week is one that has been circled on the calendar for a prolonged, prolonged time now. The video game business comes out in their figurative Sunday best, video games will be unveiled, and new hardware will get a closer appear. It is the Super Bowl for gamers.

There will, of program, be other video games debuted at various instances all through the year, and there will usually be new trailers, previews, interviews, and a lot more for the duration of the other 51 weeks out of the year. But this is the most hectic, most productive, and most fun week for these that enjoy their gaming.

So with that in thoughts, here are a just a handful of of the factors we are most seeking forward to, as effectively as the factors we wish we would see but know we won’t. Feel us, we know that there will be many other games that will attract our interest, and several that will catch us unaware, so check back following week for our week prolonged coverage right from LA for far more!

Most Anticipated

Assassin’s Creed III

The AC series is usually close to the leading of our interest checklist, but this a single has hit new heights. Following several years focusing on the exploits of the Renaissance-era Italian Lothario, Ezio Auditore, the series is about to be turned in an totally new route with a new character, a new setting, a new set of mechanics–not to mention at least a partial conclusion to the story of the modern-day day protagonist, Desmond.

The new game will characteristic the character of Connor as he witnesses the birth of ‘Merica and tomahawk chops his way by means of background during the Revolutionary War. It is definitely intriguing to play through the forming of the nation, but Ezio is going to be a challenging act to follow. We’ll trust in Ubisoft although, and prepare to be impressed.

Crysis 3

Crytek has turn out to be popular for making games that are graphical powerhouses, and that is a reputation that is properly deserved. But fantastic graphics are only a small piece of the puzzle, and Crytek does a lot more than just make games search quite. This E3, the creators of the Far Cry and Crysis franchises are back with the very first appear at Crysis three.

With Crysis two just above a year old, we will most likely have to wait a couple of years until Crysis three hits shelves, so the 1st seem is just going to be an appetizer for what is to come and a glimpse at the future.

Far Cry three

Man, this game looks creepy. But in a excellent way. The Far Cry series has jumped around a bit, from Crytek to Ubisoft to a god-awful Uwe Boll movie that can physically damage your brain by watching it. The property has been about the block. The newest iteration although, seems to be the very best by far, as well as one of the most promising first-particular person shooters of the year.

If the trailers are any indication, Far Cry three is more than just a run-of-the-mill shooter, it is an extreme and disturbing trek by way of a lush and vibrant world filled with killers, thieves, and a complete retinue of characters to interact with. This absolutely has the possible to be one of the best games of the year.

Gears of War: Judgement

We only just located out about the subsequent Gears of War game, but it currently has a spot on the list. Part of that anticipation is merely to discover much more about the game–like in which and when it is set (the excellent money says it’s a prequel), and partly simply because Gears as a franchise is worth retaining an eye on.

With the makers of Bulletstorm challenging at work on this mystery Gears title that is rumored to star the character of Cole, there are a lot of unanswered queries that will hopefully be resolved up coming week. But even if the campaign does not wow anyone, there is always the multiplayer (that thousands nevertheless play fanatically) to believe about.

God of War: Ascension

Sony has been playing its cards close to its chest when it comes to this game. We have seen a fair amount about the multiplayer already—at least the basics—but almost absolutely nothing about the campaign has been announced other than that it’s a prequel. The multiplayer is an admittedly fascinating addition to the series, but it is the single player knowledge that has created these video games legendary.

Prequel games are a difficult sell. The narrative is moving backwards, and when you are employing the same character that has currently reached their destiny (or at least a considerable portion of it), the stakes are not really as substantial. There are exceptions although, and if any person can pull it off it is Sony Santa Monica. That helps make Ascension a single of our most anticipated.

Halo four

Normally, when a franchise switches hands from its creators to yet another group, there is trigger for concern. When that franchise then has to commence virtually from scratch as far as the narrative goes, it is understandable that people deal with it with caution. And nevertheless somehow Halo four has managed to keep away from these pitfalls and produce a fair quantity of interest and hype. In reality, numerous are claiming that Halo four is the game they are most interested in from this E3.

Possibly it is because the series has earned the benefit of the doubt, maybe it is since the new developer, 343 Industries, is loaded with folks that have worked on Halo video games for years and bring a passion to the series. Irrespective, Halo 4 is close to the best of our checklist as nicely.

The Last of Us

When the developer of the Uncharted series announces that it is going to consider a thing new, it is really worth having to pay interest to. And when that one thing new is publish-apocalyptic world in which a man goes “Lone Wolf and Cub” with a young woman, helping her survive mutants and scavengers, then color us intrigued.

It is also wonderful to see a new IP that has a shot at greatness as opposed to the flood of sequels and franchise video games that normally grab all the headlines. The post-apocalyptic/mutant/zombie point has been done–a lot–but with Naughty Canine at the helm you can count on a decent bit of character advancement and a significant emotional investment in people characters. That can make this 1 to watch.

Spec Ops: The Line

There are plenty of games out there that claim the title of “military action shooter,” but couple of have the possibility to disturb and increase the ire of a lot of as considerably as Spec Ops: The Line. It is a gruesome and disturbing seem at war that will challenge gamers to keep playing, and kick the borders of traditional shooters in the face. Or so we hope.

Spec Ops: The Line could be 1 of these controversial games that ignites discussion from all levels, and final results in the sector maturing and expanding a bit, as long as the gameplay is up to the challenge. We’ll uncover out quickly adequate.

Star Wars 1313

Regardless of some stumbles above the years, Star Wars video games carry on to keep our interest, and the just lately announced bounty hunter-centric title is no exception. LucasArts is promising a darker and more mature story, which will undoubtedly appeal to the hardcore fans that have had Star Wars in their lives for decades now.

Not considerably is known about the up coming SW title, but hey, it’s Star Wars. If the franchise can survive George Lucas’ constant reworkings, it can survive anything. We all know the likely is there. We’ll discover out following week if it can come close to living up to it.

Tomb Raider

Even though it has been pushed back to 2013, the following Tomb Raider still has our total consideration. And although this is far from the only prequel on the way, this a single is a bit distinctive. Instead than just introducing a new story into the existing canon, this story will fill in a prolonged missing blank in the Tomb Raider mythology and show Lara Croft’s journey from aristocrat to tiger-killing bad ass.

Past that, the game just looks fantastic. The trailers have been exceedingly properly made, and the gameplay videos have looked sound. The Tomb Raider franchise was always a single of the most essential in gaming, but the series has been on the decline lately. That looks like it will all change soon.

Wii U

Final year Nintendo stole the show with the debut of the 1st next-gen console, the Wii U. It was an thrilling prospect. But like a kid coming down off a sugar higher, once the second had passed we had been left wanting facts. The new console looked shiny and neat-o and the tablet-like controller was somewhat squee-worthy, but the announcement was brilliantly devoid of any actual particulars, like cost, release date, or the system’s technical specs. All of that really should adjust up coming week.

Following Nintendo’s press conference next Tuesday, we must have all our long standing queries answered. The specs, the price, when we will get our hands on it, will all soon be well recognized details. If not, there may be riots. But beyond our sheer curiosity, there is a increased purpose for our desire to know more: the Wii U specs will be the beginning of the next stage in the console war. The subsequent era is about to commence, and it goes via Nintendo.

Notably Absent

BioShock Infinite

It was a sad day when Irrational Games announced that BioShock Infinite would be delayed from October right up until February of following year. It isn’t unusual for a game to be delayed, far from it, but this is BioShock! A single of the most anticipated video games of the year and one particular of the belles of final year’s E3 ball.

But even with the delay, it is somewhat surprising that there will not be any sign of the game at this year’s show, even if it is still a number of months from release. There was sufficient to show off final year, so why not this year? It will not hurt the game in any way, but BioShock Infinite will be missed.

Grand Theft Car V

GTAV is on the way, and there will possibly some news coming quickly with regards to it, but Rockstar is not going to be showing it off at E3. That means nothing in the grand scheme of issues and is in maintaining with Rockstar’s method, but from purely selfish point of view we would like to see much more about this game!

It will come however, and no doubt GTAV will be a massive hit. It will be missed at E3 though.

The Final Guardian

Now, there is nevertheless a chance that this title will sneak into the Sony lineup, but lately there has been very tiny excellent news about this game. Many delays, essential men and women departing, and a typically slow development cycle threaten to be the legacy of this title.

But nonetheless, Group Ico have earned a reputation for developing some of the most challenging and unique games of the last decade, and The Last Guardian appears poised to join the ranks. We just want to see far more of it.

Microsoft and Sony’s subsequent gen consoles

There have been rumors for months—maybe even years now—claiming that the PS4 and Xbox 720 (or no matter what it is known as) will be debuted at this E3. The two makers have flat out stated this isn’t the situation, but you can never ever quit the world wide web, you can only hope to contain it.

The Xbox 360 and PS3 are each still carrying out effectively. Sales are looking great, and each consoles are continuing to add new attributes that will attract more and a lot more gamers and non-gamers alike. There is a possibility that one or both could introduce a modified version of their existing consoles, and we could be wrong, but it would seem really unlikely that we will be selecting up our jaws next week following the up coming gen powerhouses are unveiled. That stated, there will no doubt be these that will cry out for the lack of new hardware from Sony and/or Microsoft however. Perhaps following E3.

Prey two

Like BioShock Infinite, Prey two has been hit with a fairly significant delay following an impressive showing at final year’s E3. But not like BioShock, Prey two does not have a release date so it’s probably that the game is undergoing a fairly enormous overhaul and is in no form to be observed.

It would have been great to know that the game–which was rumored to have been on the brink of cancellation–still had some existence in it. Its absence can make us all wonder how healthful the game truly is, and how much it has been altered considering that we saw it final year. Bethesda gets the advantage of the doubt however, but seeing the game would alleviate a great deal of concern.