Topic: E3 2012 Predictions

[nickmitch]

You make a good point, but keep in mind that spending money and cutting off a revenue stream is the kinda double whammy that Sony really doesn't need or has needed for some time now. It's not really a greed motive as your tone suggests.

[Caterkiller]

GDC is next month. Does anything cool ever get announced there? I forget.

[cubist]

GDC is next month. Does anything cool ever get announced there? I forget.

Yes. Usually developers will let a couple tidbits slip in terms of working with the development kits...especially when media are digging for Wii U info.

[TJ Spyke]

GDC is next month. Does anything cool ever get announced there? I forget.

Nintendo announced Super Mario 3D Land at it. I know more has happened, but that came to to top of my head.

[NWR_insanolord]

We'll get info on stuff coming before E3, like probably Luigi's Mansion 2, and maybe minor hints and teases about stuff that will be at E3.

[nickmitch]

Nintendo has a pretty sizeable booth this year. Maybe we'll get more/new Wii U demos.

[NWR_insanolord]

Oh, I'm sure there will be a ton of Wii U demos. It seems like they're going to have a big blowout to start the hype train for its release. I can't wait to play Pikmin 3, and I'll be sure to let you all know whether it's the greatest game ever or merely the greatest game made so far.

[Ceric]

I wouldn't be too surprised if Nintendo allows developer an early hands on with some of the new demoes for Wii U on finalish hardware under an NDA at GDC .

Sort of here is an example of something cool.  This is how easy we got that something cool to work.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Nintendo's large booth is the same size as Crytek's, and Crytek and AMD are right next to Nintendo too. Something is cooking... smells like Time Splitters 4.

Also Sony has a really big booth too, larger than Nintendo, so I'm curious as to what they are up to.... I'm sure it has nothing to do with PS4 though.

[Ceric]

They need to get dev's to Vita and the PS3 Still

[nickmitch]

You guys think more tech demos or some fleshed out game demos? I'm thinking maybe more complex tech demos with actual games being playable behind closed doors so that I'll never hear about it anyway.

[NWR_insanolord]

The system will be launching less than six months after the event; if there aren't real game demos there, and a lot of them, Nintendo fucked it up big time.

[Chozo Ghost]

Wasn't there Wii U game demos at E3 2011? I don't think there is any doubt there will be some this year, but the question is just how many. There better be a lot.

[nickmitch]

There were tech demos that could be made in to a compilation game. But I think the only real game there was NSMBMii.

[Ceric]

GDC is primarily a Developer conference still.  I think Nintentdo be more interested in showing what the Wii U can do and talking to developers on how you can achieve that in a way that is simpler then competing platform.  Get into the tricky bits where people have been struggling.  Flesh out how your game can use there online so you don't have to code one yourself.  Stuff like that.

[tendoboy1984]

The system will be launching less than six months after the event; if there aren't real game demos there, and a lot of them, Nintendo fucked it up big time.

You really think Nintendo would launch the Wii U without any real games? Remember when the Wii was first revealed at E3 2005? There weren't any real game demos shown, just tech demos. The good stuff didn't come until E3 2006.


It's the same situation with the Wii U. All the big games will be shown at E3 2012 and possibly at Nintendo's Fall conference. I guarantee NSMB Mii will be a real game, and Battle Mii / Chase Mii might be part of a launch compilation.


For a guy who runs a Nintendo fansite, you sure have a lot of pessimism and negativity regarding Nintendo.

[TJ Spyke]

and Battle Mii / Chase Mii might be part of a launch compilation.

I would like that actually, those tech demos looked pretty fun to me.

[NWR_insanolord]

The system will be launching less than six months after the event; if there aren't real game demos there, and a lot of them, Nintendo fucked it up big time.

You really think Nintendo would launch the Wii U without any real games? Remember when the Wii was first revealed at E3 2005? There weren't any real game demos shown, just tech demos. The good stuff didn't come until E3 2006.


It's the same situation with the Wii U. All the big games will be shown at E3 2012 and possibly at Nintendo's Fall conference. I guarantee NSMB Mii will be a real game, and Battle Mii / Chase Mii might be part of a launch compilation.


For a guy who runs a Nintendo fansite, you sure have a lot of pessimism and negativity regarding Nintendo.

I believe that post was a response to someone arguing there might not be that kind of thing there, and that was meant as mocking the idea. There will of course be a lot of Wii U demos at E3, which was my point. I don't always quote the posts I respond to, so it can be easy to mistakenly take them out of context after the fact. I may be a little cynical about Nintendo at times, but I'm very optimistic about the Wii U, and am positively giddy about being able to go to E3 and check it all out.

[Spak-Spang]

GDC is primarily a Developer conference still.  I think Nintentdo be more interested in showing what the Wii U can do and talking to developers on how you can achieve that in a way that is simpler then competing platform.  Get into the tricky bits where people have been struggling.  Flesh out how your game can use there online so you don't have to code one yourself.  Stuff like that.

True. though one of the best ways to do that is to show the developers first hand with your games...now most of this stuff will definitely go on behind close doors...but I will be greatly surprised if Nintendo doesn't have something juicy for the media to sink there teeth into at the conference.  Nintendo needs any positive publicity right now, and I have a feeling there stockholders would throw a fit if Nintendo didn't show the media something worthwhile.

Personally if I was Nintendo, I would do everything I could to show developers they can reliably put mature, core gamer games on the Wii U because the Wii U will attract those gamers. 

[FZeroBoyo]

A little over three months to go... That's pretty close and yet so far.
 
Anyway, I've got a few to throw into the pot now:
 
Wii U
 
- It will be priced at $299.99; you get the console, cords to power it up, one tablet, and a packet of manuals that puts the 3DS's to shame. You'll also get a pack-in game featuring all of the tech demos that were shown off at last year's E3; it will be called Wii U Play.
- The big name launch title from Nintendo will be Pikmin 3 and it will receive high scores and praise from critics all around. For every hour that it's talked about on a gaming podcast, ten minutes will be spent talking about its strengths and the other fifty minutes will be spent talking about the faults, shortcomings, and annoyances that the hosts have with the game.
- A lesser launch title from Nintendo will be New Super Mario Bros. Mii and it will go on to dominate the launch in a sales fashion similar to its predecessor. Given the recent 3DS games, it will feature the Tanooki Suit, replacing the Propeller Suit.
- Big name third party titles including Resident Evil 6, Grand Theft Auto V, and more will be announced as launch window titles.
- The slogan for the system will be the groan-inducing, "Wii would like to play with U."
 
3DS
 
- Given that Netfilx and Hulu Plus are either on the system or on the way, Nintendo will (mostly) complete the video viewing Triforce with the announcement of a YouTube app.
- No announcement of a new model (as much as I've said so before) but we will be getting two or three new colors in time for Christmas.
- A new 2-D action game is in the works, developed by Retro Studios who've been given the license again to fix the damage caused by Team Ninja. Tentative title is Super Metroid Returns.
- We'll get a mention of the next Legend of Zelda game and a release date of some time next year; it will be developed internally.
- Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle in September, Luigi's Mansion 2 in October, Paper Mario in November, and Animal Crossing in December.
- While giving us information on Pokemon Black 2 and White 2, which will release in September on DS, Reggie will go, "And Pokemon fans will be able to experience where it all began, with the release of Pokemon Red and Blue, which is available on the Nintendo eShop right now."
 
- The whole keynote will end with the slightest teaser trailer for the next Smash Bros. We'll see Mario, Link, Kirby, and Pikachu like last time with one or two new characters.
 
That's all I got for now. Let's see if I come back to this before the big show.

[Adrock]

- It will be priced at $299.99; you get the console, cords to power it up, one tablet, and a packet of manuals that puts the 3DS's to shame. You'll also get a pack-in game featuring all of the tech demos that were shown off at last year's E3; it will be called Wii U Play.

Nonsense. Why would Nintendo provide the power cords?

[ThePerm]

I love pikmin, but I wonder if they need a re-design. They were designed for gamecube, and they had to cut corners. If they do something to change it, obviously they would have to stay cute, but maybe have fur or a new skin texture or something?

The same goes for Pokémon.....which yeah...Pokémon, maybe they'll make that great console version of Pokémon everyone wanted since 98? Actually, its kinda amazing how well Pokemon stadium has held up, im watching youtube vids.

[Kairon]

Pikmin with FUR?!?!?! @_@

[ThePerm]

maybe like a felt texture, idk.  I went and looked up pikmin promotional art, and in the art they are much more matte

[Ian Sane]

In Pikmin 2's art they look like they're made out of clay.  They don't quite look that good on the Gamecube.  There are too many jaggies and rough seams.  Pikmin is a series that will really benefit from near photorealistic environments juxtaposed with cartoony looking creatures.  They can make Pikmin 3 look really nice without changing the design of the Pikmin themselves.