The past week was all about E3 2021 and Summer Game Fest events which, according to many were a bit lackluster. Nevertheless, the events did showcase plenty to look forward to in the immediate and not-so-immediate future with strong games like Elden Ring, Starfield, Breath of the Wild sequel, Forza Horizon 5, and more. There were also some smaller yet still highly significant announcements and we bring you all the details in the breakdown below.
Elden Ring release date revealed in the new trailer
Elden Ring stole the Summer Game Fest event
The lack of information on Elden Ring has become somewhat of a meme in the gaming community. Luckily, Summer Game Fest has put the meme to rest with the release of a trailer featuring a healthy mix of cinematics and gameplay along with a release date. The well-known FromSoftware visual design is once again front and center, giving us a glimpse of the new open world, the rideable mount, and the epic bosses we’ll be dying to. Besides singleplayer, the game is also going to have an as of yet undisclosed online multiplayer mode.
What’s even better are some statements given by Bandai Namco’s CEO Yasuo Miyakawa, which seem to indicate that the franchise might expand into a TV series, a movie, or even an anime. Check out what he had to say as well as all the information on Elden Ring in our original news coverage.
Bethesda’s Starfield is coming at the tail end of 2022.
A new trailer and a release date but not much concrete information still
According to many critics and gamers, Xbox had the strongest E3 presentation by far. Not only did they focus solely on games but the games they showcased were some really high-profile ones that many were eager to see. One such game is of course the much-anticipated space adventure RPG Starfield. The official description for the game states as follows: “In this next-generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery.”
Sounds like everything the fans have been hoping for. Sad news for the PlayStation crowd is that the game has been confirmed as an exclusive for Xbox Series X/S and PC that will be available on the Xbox Game Pass on day one of its release. For more information, the release date, and the full trailer, check out our original news coverage.
Forza Horizon 5 is set in Mexico and releases this year
Forza Horizon 5 voted the most anticipated game of E3 2021
Announced during the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, the Forza Horizon series is heading to Mexico with Forza Horizon 5. Playground games are describing Mexico as the most beautiful open-world the studio has ever built. This fact was actually the main focus of the trailer shown during E3 which jumped from deserts to tropical rainforests all the way to small seaside towns. Some of the scenes looked near photorealistic and Xbox Series X seemed to handle them smoothly without issues.
There was a lot of talk about the new and improved multiplayer with a huge number of players in a single instance of the game. There’s also the new AI assistant which should make it much easier to link up and play with other players. Check how awesome it all looks for yourself in our original news coverage.
Halo Infinite will have a standalone multiplayer
Infinite is bringing the classic Halo multiplayer experience
While we knew we’d be seeing more of Halo Infinite during this year’s E3, we were slightly surprised at this announcement. Following in the footsteps of many multiplayer FPS giants, Halo Infinite is going to have a standalone free-to-play multiplayer. The experience will launch in time for Christmas this year and is going to receive a ton of post-launch content mostly focusing on customization options of the very first season, “Heroes of Reach,” which will also be including a Yoroi Spartan armor.
343 Industries promised Halo Infinite‘s multiplayer will stick to the classic Halo formula whilst also offering support and guidance for new players. There’s even a Halo Insider programme through which the players will have the chance to play Halo Infinite multiplayer this summer in one of its many technical previews. For more information, check out our original news coverage.
Square Enix revealed a single-player Guardians of the Galaxy game
A massive surprise completely opposite to Marvel’s Avengers
Square Enix kicked off its digital E3 live stream with a massive bang, announcing Guardians of the Galaxy, coming out in just 4 short months. What’s great is that the game goes in the completely opposite direction of the recent Marvel’s Avengers by being a story-focused, single-player title. The only playable character is going to be the leader of the Guardians Peter Quill aka Star-Lord. He’ll of course be joined by Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot in an epic struggle for the fate of the universe.
The game is also going to be available on a plethora of platforms with confirmations of it releasing on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, and even on the GeForce NOW streaming service. Check out more information and all the footage showcased in our original news coverage.
Nintendo’s E3 Direct had plenty of exciting announcements
All the heavy hitters like Link, Samus, and Mario were present for the show
After a relatively quiet first half of the year, Nintendo decided to come at us guns blazing during E3 2021 with some previously unannounced titles. Some of the more prominent announcements were Metroid Dread, a new 2D Metroid title from the developers behind 2017’s Metroid: Samus Returns, the remaster and re-release of the Advance Wars series, and of course, the announcement of the yet-untitled Breath of the Wild sequel.
That’s not all of course as Nintendo also had new showcases of previously announced titles, third-party games making their way to the Nintendo Switch, and plenty of DLC for their existing titles. There was plenty to unpack, so visit our original news coverage to see absolutely everything they showcased.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin in development by Team Ninja
“CHAOS!”
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is a fantasy action role-playing game, is in development by Team Ninja. Official news came from Square Enix’s presentation, which shows a brief, almost three-minute video surrounding the game’s characters and gameplay. In the typical Team Ninja fashion, the focal point of the game will be the fast-paced, flashy combat.
The trailer, while showcasing the combat system, also received some humorous comments regarding the main villain whose name (Chaos) is exclaimed by multiple characters in an over-the-top fashion. Even Square Enix had a self-referential humorous Tweet, simply writing “Chaos!”, much to the approval of fans. Check out the action-packed trailer and more information on the game in our original news coverage.
