Nintendo Gets It Right – Jon Fisco
How cool would it be if Nintendo had the console everyone wants? What would 2016 be like if Nintendo was the A+ player it used to be? I want this new Nintendo device to be what it should be, what it can be. I want a console that plays awesome, unique Nintendo games but can also play the AAA titles I’m excited about. Please Nintendo, do right by us this year.
VR Is The New Frontier – Mark Steighner
VR games will bring something new and genuinely astonishing to the table in terms of gameplay and storytelling. It’s probably not likely in the first generation of headsets, but one can hope, especially when one pre-ordered an Oculus Rift! VR has been trying to emerge for decades, and it may be that — not unlike 3D televisions — VR is trying to solve a problem no one has, in which case it will fade yet again.
AAA Is Back In 2016 – John K
That 2016 will be a big rebound year for the AAA portion of the industry, which has been mired in an unimaginative quagmire for years now. How many years have we been talking about boring, repetitive sequels now? Four? Five? When I bought my PS4, I couldn’t wait to see what new and exciting games would be made for it. In the 2+ years that I have owned it, I have played only one AAA title that I have found enjoyable (Infamous: Second Son). Last year’s E3 was one of the more promising ones in a long time. It’s time for the industry to make good on that promise.
The Legend of Zelda & Nintendo NX – Joel Szerlip
Nintendo actually releases The Legend of Zelda in 2016. I’m platform agnostic at this point. Whether Nintendo brings the next Legend of Zelda to the Wii U, the NX or both is beyond the point. For me I hope that we get the latest Zelda adventure on a home console in 2016. The wait for this game has been excruciating albeit predictable. However the small snippets of gameplay that Nintendo has teased us with over the years has my mouth salivating for what could be. So please Nintendo don’t let us down. Release an incredible Zelda adventure in 2016.
The Renaissance Of The JRPG – Chris Jespen
With games like Persona 5, Final Fantasy XV, and the announced sequel to Ni No Kuni on the horizon, combined with the fatigue of western RPGs, this could be a new resurgence for the JRPG. Whether these games maintain more traditional mechanics or embrace the more open world style of western games, I hope that the genre makes a big comeback this year. I would prefer that games like Persona 5 and Final Fantasy VII Remake adhere to their roots, as I feel there aren’t enough games like them these days.
Remasters Stop Being A Thing – Jordan Hurst
I’ve heard a few insider stories suggesting that this trend is the result of publishers expecting console sales to decline in favor of mobile markets, and thus not wanting to invest in any proper next-gen titles. That’s a far less cynical explanation than the one I think most of us previously subscribed to (i.e. companies trying to sell the same game twice in lieu of just providing backwards compatibility), and, miraculously, it might actually be true. The number of great-looking titles coming in 2016 suggest that publishers have finally gotten the message that traditional video games aren’t dead, and if this continues, an 8th generation system that isn’t the Wii U may actually be worth buying.
VR Takes Off In A Meaningful Way – Eric Woods
It’s already been announced that the Oculus will cost $600 upfront, and that’s without the controllers you’ll need to manipulate in-game objects with your hand movements – they’re coming later. With its room-sensing peripherals, the Vive is likely to cost even more. On top of that, you’ve got the necessary PC upgrades just to support VR gameplay. The PlayStation headset could be more affordable, but we don’t know if the PS4 is powerful enough to handle it on its own, and a new graphics card box could jack up the price of that headset too. Consumers are going to need a good reason to plunk down a fat wad of cash on a shiny new VR headset, and chances are Lucky’s Tale isn’t going to cut it (sorry Palmer) and neither will, most likely, many of the other games that have been announced for VR, many of which represent tech demos. In 2016, I hope that consumers get a clearer idea of what each different headset is capable of, which games will play on which device, and how much they’ll reasonably have to spend to support each. Furthermore, I hope this weird, promising industry gets a foothold, and some genuinely neat exclusives come to all VR platforms.
The Last Guardian Is Worth The Wait – Grant Gardiner
Shadow of the Colossus is one of my all-time, favorite games. So of course I was beside myself when I heard the rustlings that Team Ico was developing a new game. I still remember the announcement trailer that opened with a solitary feather lazily drifting through the darkness. That was in 2009. The Last Guardian is scheduled to debut this year but with an excess of seven years since its announcement, I feel that expectations amongst fans have reached dizzying heights. The hype surrounding its showing at last year’s E3 was surprising given that Ico and Shadow of the Colossus had a cult following but were never huge, blockbuster games. I’m hoping for the best, and I’m trying to keep my expectations in check… but man, I really want this game to be good.
Machine Games Rebuilds Quake – Jonathan Miley
For the past two years I have accurately predicted Bethesda’s moves. Not only was Prey 2 cancelled in 2014, but my two-part prediction that Dishonored 2 would be announced and that Dishonored 1 would get a current-gen remaster in 2015 all came true. So here it goes again: Machine Games, the fine makers of the phenomenal Wolfenstein: The New Order will take a crack at another beloved id franchise: Quake. And just like Wolfenstein, it will somehow fit with previous and will not a reboot. Also just like Wolfenstein, it will have a strong focus on story and it’ll be amazing. Oh, and the campaign will have optional four player co-op both online and off.
Gears of War Is Back On The Map – Jonathan Paris
The Gears of War trilogy is easily one of my favorite multiplayer games of last generation. The smooth cover system, beautiful cinematics and gory gun-play never gets old to me. After Gears of War:Judgement was released to lukewarm reviews, the series seem to be on the downfall. For a while I even questioned if the series was going to be continued on the Xbox One. After well over 100 hours in Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, I feel pretty confident in The Coalition abilities to recreate what made Gears of War so special.
The Legend Of Zelda Lives Up To Expectations – Charles Wilson
Whenever you have a long running series like The Legend of Zelda, there’s always a chance that the next game may be one you don’t particularly care for. While, thankfully, I haven’t experienced that personally, I know a lot of people who did not enjoy Wind Waker for example. There is also the hope that it doesn’t get delayed again.
