E3 2018 is right around the corner, and that means a ton of video game news, announcements, and reveals are almost upon us. Several of the show’s biggest games–Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Battlefield V, Rage 2–have been announced in the weeks leading up to the event, but that doesn’t mean E3 itself won’t have some surprises in store for us. According to the rumor mill, there’s quite a lot that could happen.
Rumors and leaks are par for the course, although last year was incredibly leak-heavy. 2018 has not yet proven to be quite so bad in that regard–save for the Walmart Canada incident–though there remains plenty of time for that to change. There have been rumors and reports about what we’ll see at E3, and we’ve rounded up many of the biggest ones for you to peruse below. Some are much easier to believe than others, as is often the case. Compared with last year, though, it’s going to be hard to top reports of a turn-based strategy game featuring Mario and Rabbids (although what was most surprising is the game turned out to be quite good).
This year’s E3 unofficially gets underway with Electronic Arts’ pre-E3 event, EA Play, on June 9. That will be followed by press conferences from numerous other companies, which is where the bulk of E3’s news will be revealed. You can see the full E3 press conference schedule for more on when to expect news to roll in. In the meantime, check out all of the big rumors we’ve seen so far; we’ll update this should any more arrive between now and E3.
E3 2018 Rumors
Gears Of War 5, New Assassin’s Creed, Just Cause 4, And More
Many of the expectations for E3 2018 were set in one go. Retailers have been known to leak things from time to time, but Walmart’s Canadian website seemed to potentially spoil quite a lot with a single leak. Listings for numerous unannounced games went online in May, including Rage 2, a new Assassin’s Creed, Gears of War 5, Dragon Quest 2, and Just Cause 4.
The sheer number, combined with some typos–such as Forza “Horizons” 5, rather than what would be the series’ next game, Forza Horizon 4–made it all seem unlikely. However, Bethesda had an unusual response to the whole situation, and soon after we learned that Rage 2 is real. One game from this list turning out to be legitimate doesn’t mean the others are anything but placeholders or errors, but it does lend some credence to the possibility of them being real.
A New Splinter Cell Will Be Revealed
Another game mentioned in the Walmart Canada leak was something simply titled Splinter Cell. This might also turn out to be nothing but a placeholder, but Ubisoft itself has certainly set fans up to expect some kind of news related to the franchise before long. Following Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot’s comments last year, the company released a Splinter Cell-themed update for Ghost Recon Wildlands earlier this year. That not only set up the potential plot for a new Splinter Cell, but it marked the return of beloved Sam Fisher voice Michael Ironside–and it doesn’t seem like a stretch to think Ubisoft brought him in for more than just a small cameo.
Fallout News Is Coming
This is less a rumor and more speculation, as fans believe we’re nearing an announcement involving the Fallout franchise. Bethesda offered days of teases for Rage 2 before it was revealed, and, as of this writing, it’s seemingly begun to do the same for Fallout. The company first tweeted a “please stand by” image similar to a screen we’ve seen in the series previously. Subsequently, it kicked off a livestream with the same image playing on a screen in the background, but with a Fallout Vault Boy figure in the foreground.
That’s sparked speculation that we could see a new Fallout game or–perhaps more likely, given its Skyrim re-releases–a remastered version of Fallout 3 or 4, perhaps for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch. Bethesda has said this year’s press conference could be its biggest ever; clearly it’s got more than just Rage 2 and updates to The Elder Scrolls Online to talk about.
Update: Indeed, Fallout news has arrived. Bethesda Softworks has officially unveiled Fallout 76, a new game developed by Skyrim and Fallout dev Bethesda Game Studios. We don’t know a ton at this point about how it will play, but Kotaku reports it will be have online-based survival elements. Bethesda said we’ll be hearing more at E3; if that is the form the game takes, Bethesda is sure to provide some indication at E3.
Star Fox Is Getting A Racing Game Called Grand Prix
The Star Fox franchise hasn’t seen much activity in recent years save for the Wii U game Star Fox Zero, but that may change in the near future. According to leaks published around the internet and a report from Eurogamer, Retro Studios–of Metroid Prime and Donkey Kong Country Returns fame–is at work on a racing game called Star Fox: Grand Prix. Reddit user DasVergeben claims it will feature elements of F-Zero and Diddy Kong Racing, with an adventure mode and hub world.
Cyberpunk 2077 (Or Another CD Projekt Red Game) Will Be There
We know CD Projekt Red, the developer of the Witcher series and the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, is attending E3. A listing on the official E3 website earlier this year suggested the studio would be there to show off an RPG, although that was later removed. The company has not yet announced its plans for the event–if it has anything to publicly show at all–but fans have their fingers crossed that Cyberpunk (or the studio’s other triple-A RPG) will finally be revealed properly.
N64 Classic Edition Will Be Announced
While not E3-specific, there have been rumors about an N64 Classic Edition since the release of the NES Classic. With both that system and the subsequent SNES Classic proving to be huge successes, it would be no surprise to see Nintendo continue the trend by bringing a mini version of the Nintendo 64 to the market. Trademark filings have also suggested it’s something Nintendo is at least considering, and Nintendo would be the ideal place to reveal its existence.
Predictions And Confirmed Games
For more on what might show up at E3, check out our predictions for each of the major platforms. You can also see all of the games that have been confirmed for the show through the links below.