E3 2021 is just around the corner, and there’s plenty to be excited about over the next week-and-a-half. The show is set to kick off in spectacular fashion with Sumer Games Fest on June 11, with the rest of the week playing host to a number of large-scale media conferences from a variety of developers.
Unlike in years past, we really don’t know much about the lineup for E3 2021. While there has been minor leaks and rumours floating around, the majority of the announcements are a mystery — meaning we might be in for some big surprises.
With that in mind, the Kotaku Australia team got together to discuss everything we’re excited to see at the show and what might be making an appearance. Here’s everything we’re keen to see at E3 2021.
Nintendo: Switch Pro, WarioWare and Monster Hunter Stories
The Nintendo Switch Pro is one of gaming’s worst kept secrets but if there’s ever going to be a ‘best’ time for news to drop, it’ll be at E3 2021.
On June 16, Nintendo will hold a rare Direct to go through the company’s latest games and tech — and we’ll eat our hats if the next version of the Switch doesn’t make an appearance. There should also be some fun games revealed during the show.
“I’m very drained by video games at the moment and just want something fun and easy from Nintendo to pique my interest,” Lavender Baj, Kotaku Australia writer said of the upcoming announcement.
The Nintendo lineup for 2021 and 2022 is still relatively sparse, so anything could happen. WarioWare has been talked about (and would be fantastic), as has a Zelda 3D All-Stars Collection and a bunch of other intriguing titles.
Of the games we already know about it, it would be fantastic to see more of Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin (which will apparently make a showing during the Capcom presentation), the Pokémon Diamond/Pearl remakes and anything happening on the Mario front.
We’d also desperately want to see any scraps or morsels from Breath of the Wild 2, of course.
The PC Gaming Show
For Kotaku Australia editor Alex Walker, the PC Gaming Show is one of his most anticipated of the entire week.
It’s always a little awkward and a little bit too nerdy for its own good, but there’s also usually always at least one or two indie bangers that emerge from the show.
Griftlands is a great recent example, and this year we might hear about updates to Steam or that rumoured portable Steam console device that Valve’s reportedly got cooking. (I doubt their announce will be something that significant given Valve’s previous experience with hardware, but you never know.)
Personally, I’d also love to see the PC Gaming Show dive into upcoming releases like Two Point Campus — or even news for The Sims franchise. (It’s high time for a new spin-off like Medieval or Online, right?)
Tiny Tina’s Borderlands rumours
The most recent rumour to trickle out of E3 2021 is that Tiny Tina is getting a massive Borderlands announcement at this year’s show. While details are scarce, leaked website info refers to a spin-off called Wonderlands which could expand on Tiny Tina’s adventures.
Given Borderlands 2‘s Assault on Dragon Keep DLC was hands-down one of its best story chapters (and featured a banging soundtrack) this feels like a rock-solid decision. Tina is one of the best Borderlands characters by far, and she certainly deserves another chance to shine.
This is one leak we hope turns out to be true.
Ubisoft’s Avatar Game
Hey, remember Avatar? That movie everybody watched in cinemas when 3D was a novelty, and then promptly forgot about? Well hey, not only is it getting a slew of shiny new sequels, it’s also getting a video game adaptation from the talented folks at Ubisoft Massive. But despite the project being announced way back in 2017, we haven’t heard anything about it.
With Ubisoft’s future slate currently unclear, it could be the game that debuts at E3 2021 and sweeps the board. A long shot, yes, but Alex thinks it’s about time we hear more about the game.
“The timeline lines up with the movies due out next year, and it’s been about half a decade since they announced that deal was signed, which you’d think is enough time in pre-production and development for a big AAA studio like Ubisoft,” he said.
The Future of Bethesda
E3 2021 is the first major showcase for Bethesda following its acquisition by Microsoft earlier in the year. We still don’t really know the full implications of this buyout and how it’ll impact Bethesda’s existing franchises — so this year’s joint Microsoft/Bethesda conference will be an interesting touch point for the future of both companies.
Will we see what’s in store for the Fallout franchise? Maybe a deeper look at the next Elder Scrolls? Prey, Dishonored and Wolfenstein also have uncertain futures, and it would be great to see what’s going on there.
Regardless of what we see during this presentation or how time is split between Bethesda and Microsoft, it’ll definitely be one of the must-see shows of E3 2021.
GTA 6, anyone?
Grand Theft Auto 6 is the current boogeyman of the games industry. Everybody knows it’s coming but nobody knows when, where or how. Could it be officially announced at E3 2021? Maybe, but then again, maybe not.
Regardless of whether it appears at the Take-Two conference or not, it’s likely this game will be the only thing people talk about following this year’s E3.
Its absence will leave a big shadow, but any tease is likely to break the internet.
E3 2021 takes place from June 12 to June 15 this year. For a complete rundown of all those pesky Aussie timezones for upcoming conferences, head here.
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