The best games of E3 2019: Avengers, Breath of the Wild 2, Cyberpunk 2077 and more
From fantasy RPGs to the return of a gaming icon, here is our pick of the top titles from this year’s expo
The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), which has played host to some of the gaming world’s biggest announcements, has entered its final day.
Microsoft stole headlines on Sunday, when the tech giant took to the stage at the annual event to unveil key details about its next-generation console, nicknamed “Project Scarlett”.
But there have been equal levels of excitement about the new games launched at E3, which is being held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Here are some of the best new titles revealed:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Borderlands 3
Fans have been waiting for almost four years for a new entry in the sci-fi role-playing game (RPG) Borderlands franchise. Now, their patience has been rewarded, after developer Gearbox Software announced that Borderlands 3 will be launching on consoles and PC on 13 September.
The upcoming game will challenge players to fight the Calypso Twins, who rule a cult called the Children of the Vault, reports gaming news site PCGamesN. Borderlands 3’s story begins on Pandora, the planet from the first two games, but players will be able to explore new worlds, too.
Cyberpunk 2077
After releasing a one-hour Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay trailer in the wake of last year’s E3, developer CD Projekt Red has unveiled a new cinematic trailer that gives fans a better look at the game’s gritty, futuristic world and characters. The developer, behind the critically-acclaimed The Witcher series, has also revealed the Keanu Reeves will feature in the game.
Cyberpunk 2077 will launch on 16 April 2020, some eight years after CD Projekt Red first revealed that the title was in development.
Halo Infinite
Microsoft announced at last year’s E3 that Halo Infinite was in the works, and has now confirmed that the sci-fi shooter will be a launch title for the company’s next-generation console.
A preview trailer shown during Microsoft’s expo conference on Sunday revealed that the players will once again be in the shoes of the Master Chief, although their ultimate goal remains unclear. Meanwhile, developer 343 says that Infinite is a “spiritual reboot” of the Halo franchise, Polygon reports.
Expect Halo Infinite to arrive at the end of 2020.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2
Nintendo showcased a range of new games during its Direct conference on Tuesday, but one title stood above the rest.
“The sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is now in development”, the company confirmed after revealing a preview trailer for its next open-world adventure game. The first game was “one of the biggest, best and most beloved” titles on the Switch when it launched in 2017, so the sequel’s announcement “quickly took the internet by storm”, says Den of Geek.
The entertainment news site claims that the trailer’s “horror” tone points to the “beautiful landscape” of Hyrule, the world explored by players in the first game, may be ripped to “shreds” by a villain similar to Breath of the Wild antagonist Calamity Ganon.
Nintendo has yet to announce when the game will arrive. But given the amount of detail on display in the trailer, Breath of the Wild 2 looks to have been in development for some time.
Marvel’s Avengers
Coming off the back of a host of blockbuster movies, Marvel is on a role with its Avengers franchise. So it stand to reason that the comic giant has announced a video game set in the superhero world.
Previewed during Square Enix’s E3 conference on Monday, Marvel’s Avengers appears to be a “third-person action game” that allows gamers to play as Iron Man, The Hulk, Thor, Captain America and Black Widow, notes Metro.
No gameplay footage has been shown at the expo, but Square Enix says the game is set around “A Day”, an event where the Avengers “mess up”, and “it’s implied many innocent civilians are killed” as a result, according to the newspaper.
Marvel’s Avengers is expected to launch on consoles, PC and Google Stadia on 15 May 2020.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
EA-backed studio Respawn Entertainment revealed the first gameplay footage of its new single-player adventure game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order at E3 over the weekend.
The 14-minute trailer shows young Jedi Cal Kestis fending off hordes of Stormtroopers while working his way through an Imperial prison on Kashyyyk, the home planet of the Wookies.
“Cal is skilled with a lightsaber and can wield Force powers to knock enemies down, toss his [light]saber and even slow down environmental hazards or blaster fire,” reports Engadget.
Little else is known about the game’s story, but fans won’t have to wait very long to find out more. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order launches on 15 November for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
Watch Dogs: Legion
Watch Dogs: Legion doesn’t shy away from “addressing the issues that helped contribute to Brexit and the chaos that could result from the UK leaving the European Union”, notes The Independent.
The third instalment in the Ubisoft’s hacker-themed series, Watch Dogs: Legion is set in a futuristic version of the UK after its divorce with the EU. The French gaming firm’s vision of post-Brexit Britain is a bleak one, with surveillance and police brutality rife on the streets of near-future London.
Watch Dogs: Legion puts players in charge of a group of vigilantes and are tasked with finding new recruits to help disrupt the oppressive Government, notes IGN.
It’s set to launch on 6 March for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Indie film's 'very brief' use of AI sparks backlash and calls for boycotts
Talking Points Did the creators of a new horror movie make a deal with the artificial intelligence devil?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Could Taylor Swift swing the election?
Today's Big Question The pop star has outsized influence — and that extends beyond the music industry
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Artificial history
Opinion Google's AI tailored the past to fit modern mores, but only succeeded in erasing real historical crimes
By Theunis Bates Published
-
Is Google's new AI bot 'woke'?
Talking Points Gemini produced images of female popes and Black Vikings. Now the company has stepped back.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Why Google search results have 'gotten worse'
Under The Radar Search engines are 'flooded' with 'garbage' content, say experts
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
2023: the year of the AI boom
the explainer This year, generative artificial intelligence bypassed the metaverse and became the next big thing in tech
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Netflix's epic quest into gaming
Under the radar The streaming giant's entry into the video game industry has been a slow burn, but that could change soon.
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Is using Google's Enhanced Safe Browsing mode worth it?
Talking Point The mode has its positives and its drawbacks
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Google is pitching an AI journalism tool to major news outlets
Talking Point News executives find the technology called Genesis unsettling
By Theara Coleman Published
-
Forget junk mail. Junk content is the new nuisance, thanks to AI.
Speed Read AI-generative models are driving a surge in content on fake news sites
By Theara Coleman Published