Playstation Experience is on the horizon and it looks like it's been scaled back considerably following Sony's impressive showing at Paris Games Week. There is no conference or keynote planned for the event instead CEO and President of SIEA, Shawn Layden, will open with a short presentation. This is slightly disappointing but it makes sense if Sony are wanting to save their big hitters and Major announcement for E3 2018, it's a smart move.
Most can agree that while Sony put on a good show at E3 this year, it was pretty lackluster. Sony seem to be addressing this by holding back for PSX and planning which games are best suited for each conference over the year. However, there could still be a lot to look forward to at PSX with promises of updates for upcoming titles and there will surely be a surprise or two. With that being said, I have a few predictions about what Sony are bringing to PSX this weekend and I'm sure there will be plenty to talk about even with the absence of the heavy hitters.
Spider-Man
Developer: Insomiac Games
Release Date: Q1/ Q2 2018
First up,
Spider-Man! I'm fully expecting to see a new gameplay trailer, or even a demo from the highly anticipated collaboration between Marvel and Sony. I think we can also expect a confirmed release date, especially after Shawn Layden claiming the game would launch in the
first half of 2018. I'm not a gambling man, but if I had to guess I would say Summer 2018. Either just before or after E3. However, Sony have a reputation for delays.
Insomniac are excellent developers and I very much doubt that they will allow this game to launch without reaching the highest of standards. Sony are banking on this being another AAA franchise and to produce a mediocre forgetable super hero game would be very embarrasing, especially with the hype surrounding it and the fact that Spidey closed out their E3 conference this year. I'm a massive fan of Spider-Man so with a slightly more critical eye I can say I'm impressed with what I've seen so far, but it looks like a little more work needs to be done. I am anticipating a release date, whether or not they hit that release date is another matter.
Ghost of Tsushima
Developer: Sucker Punch
Release Date: TBA
Sucker Punch took everyone by surprise at Paris Games Week with their new game
Ghost of Tsushima, which is set in Feudal Japan. Sucker Punch are one of the best developers working today and it's an impressive feat to take a premise which is quite generic and turn it into something truly interesting and what could be one of the most original games coming to PS4. It's been confirmed that Sucker Punch will be getting a panel at PSX so we should expect a ton of new details, and maybe an extended gameplay demo. It seems like the team have been working on this for a while, I can see this game releasing October 2018 at the earliest, or January 2019 at the latest.
Days Gone
Developer: SIE Bend Studios
Release Date: TBA
Expect an update about Sony Bend's newest game
Days Gone. The reasoning behind this is simply because we haven't heard anything about this game for quite a while.
The Last of Us: Part Two got the spotlight at Paris Games Week, and sharing PSX with
Days Gone would be silly considering the similarities between the two, it has to be one or the other, and I think this game deserves a fair chance to shine. I say this because of all the titles from Sony's upcoming catalogue this is the one I'm least excited for. Nothing I've seen from this game has blown me away, but that could all change this weekend. I hope it does.
God of War
Developer: SIE Santa Monica
Release Date Q1 2018
God of War should have a major presence at PSX and it's likely we'll also get confirmation on that March 22nd release date. I was never a fan of the God of War series. I thought the arcade style gameplay was fun but I couldn't stand Kratos. I couldn't wrap my head around how a character so one dimensional could be met with such reverence. That being said, I am so into the new story driven approach to the franchise. I think this new direction is one that the franchise desperately needed especially with the current landscape of gaming and it looks it's very accesible to newcomers which is always a good thing. It's one of my most anticipated games and hopefully it will be here sooner rather than later.
Dreams
Developer: Media Molecule
Release Date: TBA
Dreams has been confirmed for PSX with developer Media Molecule getting their own panel with a "formal re-announcement". It's becoming clear that this game has gone through a pretty turbulant development cycle and nearly five years later few people are any wiser about what this game is actually supposed to be. It certainly seems very ambitious, that much is clear, and hopefully media molecule will be able to showcase that this weekend and the best way to do that is to announce a playable beta to give players a hands on experience. This will be one to keep an eye on. I get the feeling that this weekend will very much be make or break for this game.
Devil May Cry 5
Developer: Capcom
Release Date: TBA
Devil May Cry 5 is coming. It's been all but confirmed through numerous leaks over the last few weeks and in a telling sign,
Capcom have announced a PS4 remaster of the first three games. What more do you need really? There's been a bit of debate and some conflicting sources about whether we'll see
Devil May Cry 5 at PSX or E3 2018. I think it will have some sort of presence at both events. I don't think we'll see the big hitters at PSX, but an announcement trailer at PSX is sure to get people talking and will create a lot of buzz around the event. It's an exciting time, especially after the success of
Resident Evil 7. It makes sense for another of Capcom's flagship franchises to make a huge comeback. A return to the series original lore and canon is also sure to make diehard fans of the series very happy after the divisive
DMC: Devil May Cry.
What are you expecting to see from PSX this weekend? Do you think there'll be many surprises, if any at all? What game are you hoping to see more of?
Sound off below!