"One More Thing": Bitmob Predicts E3 2010 Surprises

Update: Check out this article to find out who guessed correctly and who was way off base. -Brett

If there's one thing that gamers love more than, you know, video games, it's predicting what new games will be unveiled at the various conventions throughout the year. Since most of the Bitmob staff will be at E3 next week, I thought I'd engage them in a little soothsaying. I asked them what they thought would be the biggest surprise coming out of the show. You'll find their answers below.

The kicker? After E3 has closed its doors, I'll revisit this story to see just how right (or how very wrong) their predictions were.

Those of you who fancy yourselves expert prognosticators can join in the fun as well. Add your own "surprise" prediction in the comments, and I'll include some of them in the follow-up post. So dig out your Magic 8-Balls and start guessing!

Dan "Shoe" Hsu, Co-Founder

Prediction: I’m sure I’ll be way off on this, but hey...I’ll look brilliant if this comes true: a new, slimmed-down, more modern Xbox 360 console.

Demian Linn, Co-Founder

Prediction: Bungie will debut its multiplatform game at the Sony press conference.

Jason Wilson, Managing Editor

Prediction: Good Old Games will announce the acquisition of the Strategic Simulations, Inc., Dungeons & Dragons catalog -- aka the "Gold Box games." The first planned for release is Pool of Radiance. And Jason will leave E3 with mixed feelings, as while he endorses the return of the Gold Box games, he laments that no new RPG will be announced that features a six-character party system.

Aaron Thomas, Editor

Prediction: Browser-based Zelda MMO. If this doesn't come true, I'll eat my hat live on the Mobcast. [Ed. note: Aaron is currently on vacation, so I volunteered a guess for him. -Brett]

Brett Bates, Editor

Prediction: Insomniac will debut their new series at the Microsoft press conference.

James DeRosa, Editor

Prediction: I'm not sure how far out there this is, but my bet is that Square will confirm a Xbox 360 release for Final Fantasy 14. Last year, they went on record and said they were "considering all options at this time," and I think expanding the potential user base for any MMO is the savviest move you can make.

Rob Savillo, Editor

Prediction: I'll put my money on a Portal Wii port. Newell already stated that Valve's E3 surprise will be Portal themed, and he's previously mentioned that Nintendo's system "represents big opportunities" and is a "hole" in Valve's strategy.

Jay Henningsen, Editor

Prediction: Fresh on the heels of the iPad, Microsoft will finally reveal its long-rumored handheld entertainment device.

Andrew Hiscock, Community Manager

Prediction: The Arcade 360 unit is abandoned and all future Xbox will have hard drives, with each SKU moving down one price point; Natal Enabled Viva Piñata (which I would play the fuck out of); and a Wii-side Pokemon add-on for Black and White that will not only allow for online play, but very basic MMO elements.

Alejandro Quan-Madrid, Writer

Prediction: Nintendo shows off a new big-budget, non-game franchise and a new Kid Icarus game for Wii. Oh, and Sega shows off a retooled version of their previously announced portable media player device...or they announce their re-entry into the console market with Sega Saturn 2 -- which goes on sale during E3, taking everyone, including retailers, by surprise.

Jasmine Rea, Writer

Prediction: Square announces a re-imagining of Final Fantasy 7, making it darker, edgier, and voiced entirely by former and current Disney stars. Although to be fair, Lance Bass was pretty good as Sephiroth in Kingdom Hearts...

Omar Yusuf, Writer

Prediction: I don't have any evidence to back this up, but my gut tells me that Peter Molyneux's "Milo" might turn out to be a bloody, action-packed, third-person shooter. Think Gears of War, only with an innocent, freckled English kid. Oh, and if Valve knows what's good for them, they'll announce some Half-Life-related news. *Shakes fist*

Mike Minotti, Writer

Prediction: The new Legend of Zelda game will use the Wii Vitality Sensor, and it will be called The Legend of Zelda: The Pulse of Eternity.

Omri Petitte, Writer

Prediction: I'm holding out for Eidos to change its mind and provide some tantalizing info on Thief 4, but that's probably wishful thinking at best.

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Alejandro Moreno

June 11, 2010

A 2D Metroid game for DS! If they can make good Mario RPG games that use both screens, imagine what a Metroid game would be!

Chris Cosmo Ross

Valve changes name to Drain, because that's where all my money is going lately. Stupid sexy Steam sales!

William Rohrig

Square announces Chrono 3 and Nintendo announces Mother 4 A.K.A EarthBound 2 because IT'S COMING TO AMERICA!

: (

Lance Darnell

I'm holding my breathe for the Elder Scrolls 5. Well not really, but I'm hoping it's coming.
If half of these predictions come true it will be a great show!

S. Robert Delk

The 3DS has three screens. You heard it here first.

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Chase Koeneke

Still holding my breath for a Star Fox on Wii. Sadly, Nintendo will most likely butcher it with heavy motion control and ground segments.

At least Golden Sun DS will be good.

And my fingers are firmly crossed for a reveal of at least most of the Marvel vs. Capcom 3 roster.

Chris Davidson

Portal for Wii actually sounds realistic, nice one.

I'm fairly certain Nintendo is going to announce that Pikmin 2 will be given the Wiiplus treatment, alongside a Pikmin 3 announcement.

Jonathan Ore

re: The 3DS has three screens

Think bigger. 3DS = Three Dual Screens. Six screens.

Tim Larkin

I think Andrew is a little off mark, but close. I predict a new SKU which is the Arcade unit with Natal. I also predict that all future 360s will come with Natal by default. However, if this doesn't happen, all SKUs will see a price drop of $50 and Natal will cost $50.

Jason Wilson

Geez. Between the commenters and staff, how many of these predictions are about sequels and not new, original games? Sad state of the industry.

June 12, 2010

@Jason On the bright side, we may be surprised by a new and original game. You have to admit, however, that there's a ton of hardware changes from each of the big three. It's hard to focus on much else when you have fundamental hardware innovations of this magnitude.

@Jason it's hard to predict a new IP. Sure, I'd love to see one though.

Hell, if I throw a couple random words together, I'm sure I could guess the title of an unreleased RPG.

"Vambrace of the Dragon" perhaps?

John Michael

in regards to new ip's... That Devil's Third trailer looked pretty sweet.

I predict that I won't be dissapointed with the Zelda announcement... ... because for the first time ever, I think there is room for dissappointment in a Zelda announcement..

Frank Anderson

I predict that most gamers will be less than pleased with what Microsoft and Sony offer as far as software for the Move and Natal are concerned. I also predict that the press will cover all the same games and neglect taking the time to look at the smaller, possibly more innovative games in a rush to get hits by posting the 1,232,879th post on Call of Duty: Black Ops.

@Tim Gaming should never be about the hardware. It should always be about the software. It's sad that so much of the focus is on the machine, not the game.

@Jason You're going to be disappointed for the rest of your life, because I don't see the end of hardware innovation happening for the next 100,000 years.