E3 2021 was little disappointing, but next year should be amazing

The overall reception to the shows of E3 2021 seems to have been a collective meh, disappointing for individuals who have been awaiting its return for a yr. It’s not that every one the shows have been unhealthy, however they actually didn’t reside as much as the needs. With the worldwide pandemic affecting the velocity of recreation growth, followers have been in all probability anticipating an excessive amount of. Nonetheless, let’s look on the brilliant aspect. This yr’s disappointment will imply that subsequent yr must be superb. It needs to be higher, as a result of in any other case E3 itself might find yourself being one other sufferer of this pandemic.

Let’s discuss why it will likely be higher and what occurs if it isn’t.

Okay, E3 2021 might have been higher

After the yr that all of us endured with 2020, all of us deserve a little bit of a pick-me-up. As gaming followers, E3 ought to have been that occasion to raise our spirits. Attending to see the brand new video games, improvements, and know-how that we are going to be having fun with over the upcoming months ought to have us all giddy with pleasure. As an alternative, this yr’s shows have been mediocre at finest. There have been some attention-grabbing video games launched, however there was additionally numerous filler. We have been proven some video games and DLC that have been simply not attention-grabbing, or footage of video games that have been already recognized.

Microsoft was seen to have had one of many higher exhibits of E3 2021, and even that had its points. In the meantime, the Gearbox showcase could have been one of the awkward and disappointing shows ever. Capcom didn’t actually reveal something. The Koch Primetime present felt prefer it was put collectively by Zoom, that includes far too many interviews with builders through their webcams and never sufficient recreation footage. Sq. Enix revealed Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which appears to be like prefer it may very well be enjoyable. However the remainder of the showcase? Fairly forgettable.

With all of those shows being pre-recorded and never reside, the sluggish pacing and over-extended segments are unforgivable. All of us wish to see as a lot as we are able to of the video games we love. Nonetheless, so many of those exhibits would have been improved by trimming 10-20 minutes from their operating time. Too many shows have been making an attempt to disguise the very fact they didn’t have a lot to indicate by spending far too lengthy on the sections they did convey to the desk.

Xbox had one of many higher shows of E3 2021.

Extra like Ubisoft backwards

Whereas not one of the shows actually lived as much as expectations, Ubisoft Ahead feels just like the one that basically missed an open purpose. The writer has some nice franchises and attention-grabbing issues in growth. Nonetheless, affirmation of the continued existence of Past Good & Evil 2 would have been nice. Give us a brand new Splinter Cell recreation. Even the “BattleCat” undertaking that leaked nearly every week earlier than E3 might have been extra attention-grabbing than among the stuff on show.

Ubisoft kicked off with Rainbow Six Extraction. It was good to lastly see gameplay, however earlier than displaying us that, the corporate had builders speaking about it. Certainly, it will have made extra sense to indicate us the sport footage after which have builders sit and clarify. When you’ve people determined to see nice recreation footage, they don’t actually wish to be greeted with speaking heads. Ubisoft additionally spent a good bit of time speaking a couple of movie adaptation of a VR recreation that many individuals haven’t even heard of.

When Ubisoft’s “another factor” announcement was revealed, you can hear the gasps of boredom world wide when everybody realized that it wasn’t going to be a Splinter Cell or Past Good & Evil 2 trailer, however a brand new recreation set within the Avatar universe. Avatar could have taken the world by storm 12 years in the past, nevertheless it’s not precisely remembered fondly. Sure, there are new motion pictures on the way in which (beginning subsequent yr), however this recreation announcement would have labored higher after a film trailer had whetted our urge for food to leap again into that world.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora was introduced throughout Ubisoft’s E3 2021 presentation.

Japanese recreation growth seems to be hardest hit by the pandemic

A part of the explanation that we’re not attending to see as a lot great things as we wish is the way in which that recreation growth has been stifled by the worldwide pandemic. Whereas all builders have had their course of slowed, it seems to have hit Japanese studios the toughest. Nintendo dissatisfied some followers by not displaying what they have been anticipating. Sure, there was a brand new recreation announcement for a 2D Metroid recreation that obtained everybody speaking. But it surely’s being developed by MercurySteam, a Spanish studio. Most individuals assumed that Nintendo’s massive recreation could be the Breath of the Wild sequel, and whereas it was featured, all it confirmed was a short trailer with little to no precise gameplay.

Sq. Enix’s E3 showcase was additionally disappointing with its presentation. The largest response to the Japanese writer’s present was the reveal of a Guardians of the Galaxy recreation coming later this yr. Nonetheless, that recreation is being developed by Eidos-Montréal. There was an array of video games for iOS and Android. Babylon’s Fall confirmed up after three years and it appeared wonderful. The one different announcement that garnered something like a optimistic buzz was Stranger of Paradise: Closing Fantasy Origin. This clunkily titled motion recreation is a spin-off to the very first Closing Fantasy, a recreation launched 34 years in the past. At the least this recreation is definitely a Japanese creation because it comes from Crew Ninja.

Stranger of Paradise: Closing Fantasy Origin was revealed throughout the Sq. Enix E3 2021 presentation.

After which there was Capcom. Ooh, this one wasn’t good. It was as if the corporate had determined to do an E3 presentation after which realized a couple of week beforehand that it really wanted to indicate one thing. So, what did Capcom come out with? Actually, not that a lot. There was a video concerning the upcoming multiplayer element of Resident Evil: Village, together with DLC was simply now going into manufacturing. Monster Hunter Rise and Monster Hunter Tales 2 additionally has DLC on the way in which. We did get extra info on a brand new, upcoming recreation. Nicely, at the very least new for Western audiences. The Nice Ace Lawyer Chronicles (one other catchy title there), will probably be attention-grabbing to followers of the Phoenix Wright sequence, nevertheless it’s unlikely to succeed in a wider viewers.

After which how did the corporate cap this presentation off? With a piece on how Capcom was embracing esports. There was no “another factor” second; it closed it out with a whimper.

This yr’s loss is subsequent yr’s acquire

In case you have been one of many many followers who discovered E3 2021 disappointing, don’t lose coronary heart. This yr could not have featured as many goodies as we have been hoping for, however subsequent yr must be superb. Let me clarify. The explanation why we haven’t seen the video games we wish to see this yr has been right down to the slowdown in recreation growth as a result of pandemic. That is excusable over the past 12 months as studios have needed to create new work pipelines and practices to allow builders to work at home. Nonetheless, it’s excusable just for this yr.

Even when the groups are actually solely working at 90% effectivity in comparison with earlier than, they need to have the ability to ship a wealth of goodies subsequent yr. What’s extra, the pandemic is coming to an finish and numerous AAA builders are beginning to convey their groups again to their places of work. Some are nonetheless providing the power to work at home a couple of days every week however they’re nonetheless anticipated within the workplace sooner or later throughout the week. This could imply that growth will get again to full velocity imminently. And extra growth means extra video games.

We’re totally anticipating that subsequent yr’s E3 will introduce the video games we have been anticipating this yr however didn’t see. That’s not all although, the video games that may have been a shock to us this yr ought to come subsequent yr in addition to what they might have anticipated to indicate in 2022 anyway. All of this could imply a very bumper yr for the subsequent E3.

Sport Improvement is step by step getting again to regular

E3 2022 must go massive or go residence

With the troubles that E3 has had over time, it desperately wants 2022 to massive an enormous yr. After the 2019 version of the present, the ESA was speaking concerning the ways in which they have been going to shake issues up. This was as a result of folks have been speaking about whether or not it was now irrelevant. Digital Arts and Sony now run their very own occasions separate from E3. The occasion has simply typically been on the decline for the final 10 years or so.

With the pandemic sending every little thing on-line, it exhibits publishers that they’ll simply do what E3 has carried out on their very own phrases and much cheaper. The ESA must show the worth that it could actually convey to publishers by having all their video games in a single enviornment. As a part of the media, we discover E3 useful, irritating, exhilarating, exhausting, busy, chaotic, and nearly every other emotion or feeling you may consider. It’s nice to have the ability to have all the brand new and upcoming video games in a single place and to have the ability to discover some indie gems. It’s nonetheless doable to do that in different methods although.

If E3 2021 doesn’t ship, it actually may very well be the tip of the present. We’re positive that publishers would proceed to indicate off their wares by means of on-line shows and a few in-person occasions (like EA Play). Nonetheless, E3 has been part of our lives for thus lengthy now that it will nonetheless be unhappy to see it come to an finish.

Starfield is among the video games that’s sure to be featured in subsequent yr’s E3.

E3 2021 was disappointing, however issues can solely get higher

E3 could have been disappointing for most individuals however that was in all probability as a result of expectations have been too excessive. We nonetheless obtained to see some nice bulletins. Nonetheless, if E3 needs to hold on in the long run, then subsequent yr’s present must be superb. And builders must be in an excellent place to indicate off some actually nice titles. The pandemic could have slowed growth however issues are starting to get again to regular. We are able to’t wait to see what they’ll provide you with. Right here’s hoping that E3 2022 is one to recollect.