The power of hope.

E3 is on the horizon, and as usual, we are buzzing. This year in particular should be huge. With two brand new consoles on the way and the promise of rescue titles for the Wii U, there’s a lot to be excited about. That said, history proves that things could easily go awry. Despite this, part of what makes E3 so great is the hope that comes along with speculation leading up to the show. I for one am pretty optimistic for this E3. Here are some of my hopes for E3 2013:

 

Sony Capitalizes on their Positive Image

While broad, I feel like Sony is in an interesting position. With all of the recent, negative press that Microsoft has been getting, Sony has been looking like a knight in shining armor to most consumers. Sure, there’s a huge chance that a lot of the Xbox One woes will be the same on the PS4. However if they announce a decent price (I’d say between $400 and $500), and continue showing off what software is on the way, they might cement themselves as the go-to next gen platform. Games like Infamous: Second Son will surely impress, but with the next Final Fantasy on the way, and rumors of games like The Last Guardian and Kingdom Hearts 3, Sony can really please a lot of fans.

Generally speaking, I suppose my hope is that Sony just keeps doing well, and that they don’t suddenly announce some kind of DRM or restrictive service that would make the system less desirable. Also, I REALLY hope to see The Last Guardian, Final Fantasy Versus 13, or Kingdom Hearts 3 show up, simply because they have been in limbo forever.

 

Microsoft Covers Up their Negative Image with Amazing Software

Microsoft is obviously in a tough position right now. After a lackluster reveal for the Xbox One and an extremely messy release of information about the system, many people – including myself – aren’t very keen on the idea of the Xbox One. That said I did realize that there are still some things that the Xbox One can show to get me interested: games. Hopefully, their earlier press conference was the extent of the nonsense and they spend most of their E3 presentation showing games that will wow us.

The prospect of a new Killer Instinct and rumors of Beyond Good and Evil 2 showing up really entice me. I’d also like to see something brand new. Surprise me, and show me something that would justify the purchase of a system. I think that even though I’m not too pleased with what I’ve been hearing about the Xbox One, they could come out and make the system look much more desirable with the right software lineup. Also, just like Sony, they have to keep the price in a decent range. Anything over $450 seems like a bit much, but I imagine that there will be a couple of options:  one subscription based and one complete package. Basically, I just hope Microsoft brings the games!

 

Nintendo Gives Fans What they Want for Wii U

Being a Wii U owner these days is tough. I’ve been looking for every little excuse to turn my system on – surviving on the Rayman Legends Challenges App (which is really good by the way) and the recent virtual console releases. Though I love the fact that I can play Super Metroid on the Wii U gamepad, I also haven’t purchased a game for the system since the Wii U launch. Earlier this year, Nintendo promised that there were a slew of games on the way and while most of them were met with delays, I feel like we have a good chance of seeing them at E3.

We already know about The Wonderful 101, Pikmin 3, and even The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD. While all of those games look great, I’m hoping they show us games that will make us giddy. Show us more of Monolith Soft’s X. Show us the Fire Emblem X Shin Megami Tensei game. Let us see the return of dormant franchises like Star Fox or F-Zero. Show us what Retro Studios has been working on. Reveal that Metroid Dread wasn’t just a cruel joke!

Kidding aside, I also want to see a new idea. I want it to be something unique, creative, fun, and not aimed toward the casual audience. Last but certainly not least, I really hope that the next Super Smash Brothers game brings in some unique elements while retaining the competitive nature found in Melee and the Project M hack. I’m not asking for it to be a completely hardcore game, but I definitely want it to be more competitive than Brawl. Nintendo has a lot to prove this year, and while they may not steal the show, I feel like they can still make a statement. If they don’t, they will surely get stomped by the competition.

 

Third Party Developers Bring Old and New Experiences to the Next Gen (and Wii U)

Third party developers are interesting, because they are always the wild card. Last year, Ubisoft nearly stole the show with Watch_Dogs. This year, I have a feeling that third parties will have a lot of great titles to show off with the dawn of the next gen consoles. We already know that Ubisoft has Watch_Dogs but they’ll also have Assassins Creed 4 and a few rumored returning franchises. If I had to bet, I’d say we just might see the return of Beyond Good and Evil 2, and MAYBE even a new Prince of Persia game -- which would really make me a happy camper.

Capcom should have a few surprises in store as well. Will we see Street Fighter 5 and bring the World Warriors into the next gen? I really hope so. Also, maybe -- just maybe -- we’ll see the return of the Blue Bomber. Whether Mega Man is rebooted, they go the safe route and announce Mega Man X 9, or just reveal a cameo in the new Smash Bros, I feel like we just might see him make his return at long last.

Square Enix has a lot to prove this year. The lackluster reception of the Final Fantasy XIII games and the disaster that was the original Final Fantasy XIV still leaves many unsure about the direction of the franchise. Not to mention there are games that have been in limbo for way too long, including Final Fantasy Versus XIII and Kingdom Hearts 3.While Kingdom Hearts 3 would be great, what they really need to do is restore faith in the Final Fantasy name. If they reveal Final Fantasy XV, hopefully it’s a brand new game and not just Versus XIII -- the current unsettling rumor.

Lastly, as always – a few surprises and new concepts would be more than welcome. Going into the next gen, this is the perfect opportunity to see what games will be the Mass Effects or the Assassins Creeds of this console cycle. And for the love of all that is good, somebody besides Ubisoft please publish some games on the Wii U! Everybody needs a fair shake!

I’m certainly excited for what these companies have in store. Last year, my hopes were crushed due to an overall lack of surprises and by getting my hopes up too much. While anything can happen, I feel like there’s high potential to for some real exciting announcements. Even if there are some disappointments, this year could be one of the best E3s in recent memory.

What do you hope to hear about this E3? Let us know in the comments section below!