Respawn Entertainment took the stage first to show off Titanfall 2. The sequel to the 2014 first-person shooter will continue the series trend of frantic multiplayer shoot-outs and giant mech fights, while introducing some game changing mechanics, such as new titan abilities and a grappling hook that seems to come in handy in a multitude of situations. In addition, a campaign trailer made its debut. While specific details regarding the campaign are still scarce, it’s clear from the trailer that the relationship between a pilot and their titan will be the core theme of this campaign. Titanfall 2 will be released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on October 28, 2016.
Following Titanfall 2 was Madden ‘17. EA debuted footage of the game in action before announcing a series of upcoming competitions and weekly challenges for both dedicated eSports players and players looking to dip their toes in the eSports community. The first competition will be taking place this week at E3 and will be broadcast on ESPN.
Mass Effect: Andromeda was up next on the agenda. BioWare took the stage to show off a behind the scenes trailer for the game, showcasing a few new characters, including the base female model for the new protagonist. BioWare stated more information will come to light this fall. Mass Effect: Andromeda is still slated for an early 2017 release.
FIFA ‘17 took the stage next, and big changes are coming to the beloved series. The new game will be sporting (…ahem…moving on) a new cinematic story mode – dubbed ‘The Journey’ – which follows an up-and-coming soccer star named Alex Hunter. Players will make decisions that effect Alex’s personal life and, based on how well players do on the field, watch his fortune either rise or fall. EA went on to outline the four major areas of focus in regards to FIFA gameplay: a set piece rewrite, an “active intelligence system,” more options for physical play, and new attacking techniques for offensive players.
Following FIFA ‘17, EA announced its new indie publishing label – titled EA Originals. Each year, the company will partner with and fund smaller scale game makers to bring their dreams to life. The first EA Original announced was Fe – a beautiful adventure game by Swedish indie developer Zoink Games.
Fe is “A game without words.” Players will take on the role of a lone creature in a dark forest, and will meet a variety of new creatures, each of which has their own song. Each song the player learns will open up a new section of the forest to explore. No release date or platforms were announced.
EA then took the time to shed some light on all the Star Wars projects they’re currently working on. Battlefront 2 was confirmed to be in development at DICE – in conjunction with Motive – and will be released in 2017. EA confirmed the sequel will contain content taken from the new movies.
EA also confirmed Amy Henning’s story-driven Star Wars game will be released in 2018. They reiterated the game will be an original narrative experience and will feature a new cast of characters. Finally, Respawn Entertainment’s third-person Star Wars game would explore a “different” era of the Star Wars universe. Let the rumors and speculation commence!
EA closed the show by dropping a new trailer for their heavy hitter, Battlefield 1. One major point EA is focusing on is Battlefield 1’s new dynamic battle system. Dynamic environmental destruction is still present and has been cranked up to 11, while weather can change dramatically mid-match. EA also stated the “behemoth” vehicles, which include airships, armored trains, and battleships can all be piloted. And yes, there will be plenty of horses to ride in Battlefield 1 when it releases October 21st.
What did you think of EA’s press conference this year? What has you most hyped? Disappointed? Sound off in the comments below, and stay tuned to GameSkinny for more E3 2016 coverage!
