Topic: E3 2016 predictions

I have no interest in VR myself, I think it'll be the new 3D, but a super all singing all dancing, retina searing power house Xbox, I'd sign up for that! I love my One and have not been disappointed with it in the slightest. I am a Day One owner but I would get the new one too.

I predict a riot, I predict a riot!

@BAMozzy: I think you should be OK. The Occulus is designed to be operated seated (at least at the moment). Another rumor that I read somewhere said 4K playable. VR needs 1080p x 2 and (as youve already said 90fps). Thats a meaty meaty machine so I guess theyll have to drop the resolution requirement although if they can getthe latest graphics on board, maybe not. we will see soon!

The rumor also talked about how much Microsoft will want to say as they dont want to impact current/future sales of the current box. The prospect of higher framerates alone, like you, excites me. Hell Dark Souls 3 sometimes nearly shudderscto a halt occasionally.

@sorethumbed: Some games are seated but some also require more freedom of movement and I think look designed to be stood at the very least. Some games like driving will of course be sat but as VR develops we could see more games that require 360 degree rotation and being stood up to get the most from it.

PSVR is a 5.7" 1960x1080 OLED screen - standard 1080 resolution but the single screen is split into 2 meaning 980x1080 per eye and operates at 90-120hz with 100degree Field of View. Oculus though has 2 individual screens - both 1080x1200 (2160x1200), a 110degree FoV and operates at 90hz. As you can see, the PSVR is no higher than your HD TV in terms of resolution but Oculus isn't that much higher overall. Considering a lot of monitors run at 1440p, this is actually lower. To build a PC, the cost of a CPU is around £120 and the GPU around £300 (you could spend more or less if you shop around) but as these are 'shop' prices, the cost to MS if they wanted to build a console to match these Specs would be a LOT lower (bulk buying in millions, no middlemen, shop profits etc). AMD's new GPU's are designed with VR in mind to bring the cost down and make it more accessible for everyone - this GPU is rumoured to be in the Neo and possibly the Scorpio too. The specs needed for VR are not as high as needing a Titan or Fury GPU for example. Obviously VR requires more processing power but its not that much more for the resolution alone. its not that dissimilar from split screen gaming. Games may not need to run at 90fps but the screen could artificially refresh at 90 or 120hz - similar to how some TV's work. The main difference between games running on a TV and VR is motion tracking and precisely mapping where your head is in a virtual space - add in motion controllers too, then that is a lot of processing power. I think we are a few years/generations away from getting games like Battlefield on VR.

Like I said, I am not that interested in VR from a gaming perspective. I have more interest in it from a social or even an educational perspective - the opportunity to visit Museums or watch a sporting event from the stands with 'friends' in virtual world appeals because being disabled, I doubt these will be available in reality.

From my point of view, the increased power that is needed for VR will benefit non-VR gaming. I want the best experience possible from a console. I know a PC can outperform a console but a PC needs monitors, a desk, space to set it up. I know a lap top can be used but again that restricts screen size and I want the simplistic, plug and play with my TV and the comfort of sitting on my Sofa gaming experience.

I know that games are still playable on XB1 and still give a good experience on thee whole. I have several games on both my PS4 and XB1 too - some differ in resolution. It is obvious. Going from Arkham Knight on the XB1 to the PS4 for example, the rain on Batmans cloak, the sharpness in the details etc all adds to that 'Wow' factor - going the other way. PS4 to XB1 - the game looks worse than it probably is. Its difficult to see these differences on youtube on smaller screens with the compression it uses but on my TV, the difference is noticeable. I know it doesn't change the game, the story, the playability etc but it does affect the impact, that wow factor. Its not the most important issue I agree. Frame rates are more important - especially if the game is dropping from 30fps as opposed to dropping from 60fps. Things like texture pop-in, screen tear, visual pop in etc all break that immersion. Lighting, shadows, reflections, draw distances etc help build the world - seeing jaggy shadows or inaccurate reflections (if a game has it) doesn't affect playability but helps build the world. I don't know anyone that isn't 'disappointed' when a game they buy doesn't match the quality they were expecting - even if that disappointment is 'minor'. I don't know any developer that would want to show off their game at the lowest resolution/frame rates. I know they get blamed for stuttering/unstable frame rates but often that is down to hardware constraints. They could fix it by reducing the quality of the visuals and effects further but then people complain it doesn't look as good as another version or another game. Graphics have always been important - just nowadays these have 'numbers' to quantify that. As far back as I can remember, a games graphics have been part of a review and discussion.

The new Hardware should enable a lot more stability and more consistency. I can see games being 1080/60 as standard with many probably delivering a higher native resolution. I can see draw distances, pop-in visual effects being set at 'ultra' to give a more dynamic and realistic/natural look. I hope we see more honesty as well - saying Doom (for example) is a 1080/60 game on XB1 when it only achieves this in a few select areas/points but runs mostly at 900/56 but will drop down to nearly 720p and 48fps in places is misleading. It like offering upto 80MB Internet but averaging 50MB. I know you like Dark Souls but I bet you would prefer a locked 60fps and 1080p min (instead of 900p and unstable 30fps) with all the visual effects turned up to Max.

@BAMozzy: Thanks for a very comprehensive response. Looking at it though, IMO its still a big ask but the machine iscrumored to be 4 times as powerful.The latest cards delivering 4k at decent frmerates are 650 smackeroonies.In terms of VR 'social sharing' companies are apparently currently working on bringing concerts to VR. Glastonbury without the mud though burning a bit in the bedroom to get the atmosphere right probably wont go down too well with my wife.

As todark souls, yup, it looks fantastic but I died several times when the framerate dropped and it became impossible to nail the dodgepoint (well thats my excuse anyway). Believe me, I would settle for locked 30fps and turned down everything else in the height of some of the fights you wouldnt notice if it looked like minecraft, too busy trying to stay alive.

@sorethumbed: LMAO trying to recreate the right aroma is not something I will miss - particularly the toilet areas!!!

The new nVidia GTX1080 is incredible - it delivers native 4k at playable frame rates (35-45fps) better than the Titan and Fury (which barely hit 30fps with the same settings) and at twice the frame rates (if not more) than the GTX980. This is primarily down to the new architecture of these chips - granted its still expensive but no doubt nVidia will be replacing the 28nm chip Titans with the new 16nm FinFET chip version and I wouldn't be surprised if that can hit 4k/60fps consistently. I don't expect the new consoles to deliver native 4k and at stable, playable frame rate. I can see some games hitting 4k though. If you think about it Gears 4 is 1080/60 and 4k is 4times the resolution so 4x the power 'could' hit native 4k. I think with something like Forza though, they would concentrate on the effects - things like shadows, reflections etc as well as increasing the quality of the peripheral items - all of which would stop that reaching 4k. I do think it will upscale though - similar in essence to the method used by Doom and Quantum Break by super sampling anti-aliasing. At 1440p for example, 50% are native so 50% have to be added. at 1080 though 75% have to be added. By the time you drop down to 720 though, only 10% of the screen is native and 90% is guessed. 1200-1440 upscaled is still likely to look a lot better than 1080 native but the most important aspect will be stable and hopefully locked 60fps frame rates.

I bet you wouldn't want Dark Souls to look like Minecraft. I am sure that the areas where you are not engaged in a fight are stunning - areas you just look out on and go 'wow' and that is also part of the experience - I know spent well over an hour on my Uncharted 4 playthrough just looking at the detail, the views etc and being amazed at the quality. I do admit though that frame rate drops can have an impact and lead to frustration as well as break that immersion. I bet though that if you could have a locked 60fps and 1080 with all the effects turned on to max you would prefer it to 900p or even 720p with all the effects turned down or off and a locked 30fps - I think anyone that wouldn't is lying.

@BAMozzy: Of course I would. Its not so much the scenery (which is bloody gorgeous in places) but the particle effects that cause the problems mainly. Dust in the air, smoke etc. It adds to the atmosphere when you walk into an empty???? Room with dust catching the light. When you stop to look in Souls, thats when you die.

Unlike usual years, I'm not feeling much excitement towards E3 this year. Microsoft closing down Lionhead Studios has got me down, Nintendo seemingly focusing on The Legend of Zelda U only (as well as recent translation decisions they've made) have got me down, still not caring much for the PS4 and it's horrible controller has got me down, and all this talk of new consoles has done nothing to get me interested. For general expectations, I'm predicting we'll see gameplay trailers for many of the games that each of the companies announced at last E3, and I'm hoping to see gameplay footage of Scalebound and Gravity Rush 2. VR will likely be mentioned in both the Microsoft and Sony presentations, and I can easily see Microsoft announcing an Xbox One Slim. Whether new Generation 8.5 hardware is announced by both studios, I don't know, but it seems likely that Sony will at least announce something along those lines this E3. I feel Microsoft's would probably be reserved for next E3, as I'm unsure if there's would be ready for this year.

For more specific, and perhaps hopeful predictions on each of the companies... I can see Microsoft trying to quell concerns over the closure of quite a few of their studios by announcing some exclusive (or at least console exclusive) games. I'm thinking of these as 1st, 2nd, or 3rd party exclusives, and given the reaction to Rise Of The Tomb Raider's temporary exclusivity, these would likely be permanent exclusives to avoid such reactions. Of such titles, I'm personally hoping for a Sunset Overdrive 2. I also think we'll see Rare's next game teased, which I think will be a revival of one of their IPs, but I'm not guessing which one it'd be. That said, I remember Phil Spencer commenting on wanting more platforming games on the Xbox One, so I could see that being Rare's next project, or just a Microsoft project in general. I'm also hoping we will find out whether Microsoft's planned remake of Phantom Dust is going to be salvaged or not. If it is, I predict we will see a trailer of it this E3, it not, we'll hear it's complete cancellation confirmed in interviews at or after E3.

From Sony, I hope they announce a bigger, heavier PS4 controller... which is unlikely as I've heard others complain that it is already too heavy and too big (which I just cannot understand). I think we could see the announcement of a Crash Bandicoot revival, and that it'd be shown off at Sony's E3 presentation, though I don't think it'd be exclusive to Sony's systems (they weren't willing to pay out for him for PlayStation All Stars and I don't see anything changing now). I believe a new Ape Escape was considered teased earlier in the year, and I'd love if that were to be announced, but I doubt that to be the case. Still, I can hope for it. Overall I predict that we'll see a lot of games announced, but most won't be coming out until next year at least. On the plus side, I think there will be plenty of games that were announced last year that will be coming out this year, which will ensure Sony have a decent line-up for the PS4 this year. Once again, the PS Vita will be ignored and PSVR will be shown off a lot and darn... this was supposed to be a more hopeful prediction and I can't even must that up for my Sony E3 predictions.

As for Nintendo, whilst the main focus will be on The Legend of Zelda U, I doubt that will be all that is there. I do believe them when they say the NX won't be there, but I could see them tease a bit of the NX version of the new Legend of Zelda game. I think we will get a little more in the form of 3DS games being shown off, particularly Pokémon Sun and Moon versions, the return of the Nindies that they did last year, and a couple of smaller Wii U games announced. I'm currently speculating Project Giant Robot, a port of the 2015 Luigi's Mansion Arcade game, and Pikmin 4 as the most likely possibilities. Oh, and of course there will be some footage shown off of Paper Mario: Colour Splash and Metroid Prime: Federation Force, an it seems like Nintendo have decent hopes for the latter.

@Souldin: Isn't Rares next project 'Sea of Thieves'? I can't see MS/Rare announcing their 'next' project when this is not even out yet. I think we may get a release date for this - maybe to coincide with the Slim - along with Forza Horizon 3, Crackdown 3, ReCore and Gears4 as it seems that MS won't be releasing its 'Scorpio' this year to compete with Neo and the improvements that will bring to the big 3rd party games - FFxv, BF1, CoD:IW/MW:r etc. I would love to see more on Scalebound but with all the talk of more powerful systems and the 'scale' of this, I wonder if its 'delay' is to take advantage of that extra power - a big open world game with big beasts and dragons would certainly benefit from more power to improve frame rates and visuals. I can see more info on Halo Wars 2 - another game that MS could be hoping to help shift consoles over Sony's - Although if they do manage to release Horizon Zero Dawn and that utilises the Neo, I know where my money is going. I would love Sony to release an 'Elite' equivalent of the DS4, talking of them. Insomniac haven't long finished the Ratchet and Clank game - although mostly a remaster - so could have been working on something else alongside that - I would like a new 'Resistance' or similar. I prefer the more serious setting to games like Sunset Overdrive. I can see 3D platformers making a comeback -obviously Yooka-Laylee is due out in October but I can see the indie market moving on from 2D as the next logical step - Skylar & Plux: Adventure on Clover Island is expected soon and very reminiscent of Jak and Daxter.
I would like to see new IP's but looking at MS's developers, It seems a lot are already working on known projects. A lot of the other big 3rd Party studios have games in development or supporting newly released games too. There aren't that many with unknown projects - maybe Rockstar's RDR2? or maybe something new from Rocksteady after finishing the Arkham trilogy?

I'm aware of that, my expectation was that they'd announce the release date of Sea of Thieves and then announce what their next game they are working on is, akin to how they released Rare Replay around the same as announcing they were working on Sea of Thieves. According to Wikipedia, they apparently consist of around 200 employees, so I can see them starting work on a second project sometime through their current project.

I thought the point of the rumoured Gen 8.5 hardware would be to give upgraded power for games, but to still allow them to be playable on the systems we currently have. In that case, whilst Scalebound might be better presented on a Gen 8.5 system to show off how much said system can upgrade a game as it were, it can still be presented as it would be on the current Xbox One.

I expect it more along the lines of just an announcement with a vague 2017 release date, given they only recently finished a couple of games. An as I noted, this is more of a hope. Thanks for replying to my comment.

@Souldin: The difference between Rare Replay and Sea of Thieves is that Sea of Thieves is a completely new IP. Rare Replay could be handled by a small crew - collecting the games up and porting them over. I would be surprised to see Rares next project but I can see your point. I think its unusual (although not unheard of) for developers to mention their next big project before their current project is released or even has a date.

Its difficult to know if the Scorpio is an 8.5 system - if it is the rumoured 6Tflops - over 4x the power, that's quite a major increase. Its obviously going to have software that won't run or be available to XB1 owners - the whole VR - which is different to Sony's Neo and maybe why that is only 2.5x as powerful? MS are in a 'different' position to Sony with the whole UWP eco-system - it could drop the 4th gen Xbox into it that can play XB360 BC games with XB1 and XB360 owners, XB1 games with XB1 owners and maybe have its 'own' games and play those with PC owners. I am not saying something like Scalebound wouldn't come to XB1 - after all a lot of games do cross-over in the first few years - like AC4, BF4, Titanfall etc. I could however see more 'significant' improvements to some games than just resolution - I can see it getting a resolution and frame rate boost - 30fps on XB1 and 60 on Scorpio. How would some games play in MP for example if the XB1 versions are 30fps and the Scorpio at 60fps (like BF4 was on the 360 and one - I know there was other differences like 32vs32 too). On Neo the power difference isn't quite so large so I could see MP games being just resolution enhancements. Obviously nothing has been confirmed but Sony Neo leaks seem to indicate that things are in place to ensure that its just a more powerful PS4 - all games must run on both - inc VR, all features the same, no extra content to Neo etc etc. I think the fact that its being 'delayed' to next year, also seems to indicate that its less likely to be an intermediate console - Phil Spencer also said that MS have no interest in doing this and that any 'new' console would be a leap up from the previous gen. The power jump isn't as big as the jump from XB360 it seems but adding a whole new technological capability/experience in VR could be seen as a leap - it may also coincide with Hololens too...

It would be interesting to see what Insomniac are working on next and it would be good to have at least a multi-platform release rather than a Sony exclusive. I can't say that Sunset Overdrive was a game I greatly enjoyed or would want a sequel but I know it was quite popular.

More reasons to not have any money is what i predict

@BAMozzy: Scorpio will launch Christas next year. Right at the end of the presentation, Holiday 2017 flashes up on the screen

@sorethumbed: Yeah I saw - I hope that gets brought forward. I think it will depend on what Sony do and how their sales go. The reason it affects me is that if Neo launches this year or Q1 at the latest, I will buy the games on PS4 because by the time the Scorpio drops, chances are I will have finished with them and any potential power benefits will not be included - Frostbite 3 for example on XB1 games are 720/60, 900/60 on ps4 but 1080 (min) on Neo (from Oct - if rumours are true) so I would rather play BF1, TF2 and ME:Andromeda at much higher resolution. Fog (like Fallout 4 Far Harbour and the Witcher 3's Bog) causes a lot of frame rate drops on those - BF1 has Dynamic weather, Gas grenades etc so could be affected... Hence buy these on PS4 Neo because by Holiday 2017, I will have pretty much finished with these.

I wonder if MS would bring it forward if sales are lower than expected if/when Sony releases Neo and Nintendo releases the NX?? I think in part its because they don't want to upset the 20m XB1 owners and that why they are holding out for another year but if the Slim doesn't hit sales targets and/or game sales continue to favour the PS platform, if they bring that forward....

@BAMozzy: Yes, thats possible. Not a PS player so what sony does doesn't really affect me. Also, I will probably get VR at some point and I will want something that will run on PC and Xbox.