Sony & Microsoft E3 2015 Games: Where They Are Now

Over a year later, here's who disappeared into the void.
2015

Sony Announced Games

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the last guardian

The Last Guardian: Sony opened their show with the reconfirmation of The Last Guardian’s existence, a title revealed for the PS3 in 2009 and rumored to be canceled outright. We were treated to the first ever gameplay footage on PS4, as well as a 2016 release window.

Where is it now? 

The Last Guardian was given an Oct. 25 release date at E3 2016, and was later delayed to Dec. 6. Though a number of technical issues in gameplay and framerate bump the experience, it was one of the most emotionally touching adventures of the year.

 

horizon zero dawn, e3

Horizon: Zero Dawn: Guerrilla Games took the stage to announce an entirely new franchise, one centered around nature and robot dinosaurs. We got a lot of dramatic environment shots and some dino-fighting gameplay, but no release window.

Where is it now?

Horizon: Zero Dawn, after being delayed out of 2016, is set to release on Feb. 28, 2017. We’ve seen a little more gameplay since then, as well as a new trailer that outlines more of the main narrative.

 

Hitman, beta, screenshots, 1080p, beautiful, impressions

The New Hitman: IO Interactive’s take on Agent 47 premiered at E3 2015, promising exotic locations, high priority targets, and “the most ambitious Hitman ever created.” The team also emphasized its expanding world and PlayStation exclusive content.

Where is it now?

In January 2016, it was revealed that this new Hitman would be released episodically, and its first episode launched on Mar. 11, 2016 after a delay from Dec. 8, 2015. The PS4 version included six exclusive missions, collectively titled The Sarajevo Six. Over the course of 2016, IO Interactive continued to release new missions, episodes, and special limited-time contracts, with the final Hitman episode releasing on Oct. 31, 2016. The team is now preparing for Hitman’s return in season 2.

 

dreams-ps4-screenshot-06

Dreams: Media Molecule (LittleBigPlanet) had been speaking and showcasing bits of Dreams since Gamescom 2012, but the game saw its official announcement at E3 2015. It’s hoping to capture the surreal feeling of lucid dreaming, allowing players to create their own dream worlds, and explore those of others. We saw a touch of gameplay, as well as some polar bears and zombies.

Where is it now?

At Paris Games Week, the developer announced a Dreams beta to arrive in 2016. Later on, the team said they were delaying this beta due to the unexpected “enormity” of the project, promising more updates in 2017.

 

destiny

Destiny: The Taken King: Following a series of hefty leaks, Bungie officially unveiled the next Destiny expansion, The Taken King, on Sony’s E3 2015 conference stage. Set to release Sept. 15, 2015, it featured Oryx as the primary antagonist, new supers, and exclusive day-one content for the PS4.

Where is it now?

The Taken King released right on time, alongside a massive Year Two patch for Destiny as a whole. Activision later reported that it was “the most downloaded day-one game in PlayStation history and set a new day-one franchise benchmark for both total players and peak online concurrency.” Its PlayStation-exclusive content consisted of a quest (Show of Strength), a ship (Timeless Tereshkova), and a Crucible map (Icarus).

 

WorldOfFinalFantasy-21

World of Final Fantasy: Not the Final Fantasy announcement everyone was hoping for, World of Final Fantasy made its chibi debut on Sony’s stage and was given a PS4 and Vita release window of 2016.

Where is it now?

World of Final Fantasy landed in the US on Oct. 25, 2016 to fairly positive reception.

 

ff7 remake

Final Fantasy VII Remake: And then there was the Final Fantasy announcement we did want. Final Fantasy VII Remake blew the conference stage to bits, pulling a standing ovation and rocketing Square Enix’s stock to its highest level since 2008. We got a very small glimpse of the game’s world and characters, as well as the news that it was “coming first to PlayStation 4.”

Where is it now?

There’s been little word on Final Fantasy VII Remake since its announcement, particularly since Square Enix has had its hands full getting Final Fantasy XV out the door. We do know it will feature a unique, more action-based combat system, and that it will be released in three separate parts. According to a Square Enix statement, “Each entry will have its own unique story. As a gaming experience, each entry will have the volume of content equal to a full-sized game.”

Most recently, director Tetsuya Nomura said the game still has a ways to go. “We’re steadily progressing on production,” he told Famitsu this January. “While we are making them, I apologize that the wait will be be a bit longer for Kingdom Hearts III and Final Fantasy VII Remake. I am very sorry, but to that degree I will make a game that will meet your expectations.”

 

shenmue 3, e3

Shenmue III Kickstarter: Shenmue III launched its Kickstarter campaign during the show, hoping to bring a sequel to the first two games to PlayStation 4 and PC. Their target release date was revealed to be  December 2017, if the project was funded.

Where is it now?

And oh boy, was it funded. The campaign reached its $2 million initial goal in under nine hours, and today sits at $6,333,295 pledged. We’ve seen a small trickle of screenshots since then, and in December 2016, the team said they were entering “the final phases of R&D.”

“Main game scenarios are nearing completion, motion capture tests are well under way, and voicing tests with the cast have begun,” one December developer update reads. “Yu-san and the production staff are happy to say they are enjoying the work as they continue to diligently make progress on the mini-games, events, and battles.”

Creator Yu Suzuki also chimed in as the year closed out: “I have been completely absorbed in development Shenmue III recently, and often stay at the studio throughout the night to make it the best game possible. My life has become Shenmue both day and night, and I’m happy.”

 

Rigs: Mechanized Combat League

RIGS: Mechanized Combat League: PSVR was still Project Morpheus at the time, and on their E3 2015 stage, Sony announced RIGS for their still mysterious VR platform.

Where is it now?

RIGS released as a PSVR launch title on Oct. 13, 2016. On Jan. 12, 2017, Sony confirmed the planned shutdown of the game’s 19-year-old developer, Guerrilla Cambridge. In a statement, Sony said that “in order to deliver on our strategic objectives, it is necessary to make some changes to the European studios structure.” 


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Author
Sharon Coone
Twinfinite's former Editor in Chief from 2014 to 2017. B.S. in Biology, B.A. in Philosophy, and always within 20 feet of a bagel. Kind of like a reverse restraining order, but with carbs. Sharon's love for video games knows no bounds, and could be found writing about anything and everything at all hours of the day.