Which Company Had the Best E3 2016 Lineup?

E3 2016

E3 2016 was a huge event, full of some of the biggest upcoming games and even a few hardware surprises. All of the largest video game companies showed up with their best in tow, ready to impress while they showed off the future of gaming. Between conferences and the show floor, there was no shortage of games to please every type of gamer out there. Of course, some companies outshined others throughout the week.

Based on their shows and what they had available on the floor for fans, we’ve ranked every major company’s lineup at E3 2016.

10) EA

EA’s big games:

• Titanfall 2
• Mass Effect Andromeda
• FIFA 17
• Madden 17
• FE
• Star Wars (general)
• Battlefield 1

EA had quite possibly the weakest showing at E3 2016. It’s not because their properties aren’t worth looking forward to or anything. In fact, EA has some of the biggest licensing deals in all of video games thanks to Madden, FIFA, and Star Wars. However, the company didn’t really show anything that fans didn’t already know about. Mass Effect Andromeda received a new trailer, but gameplay is still a mystery, and Star Wars received some behind the scenes looks that created more questions than answers.

EA opted out of a show floor presence in favor of the EA Play event just a few blocks away from the convention center. Battlefield 1 was the game to play there, with Madden and FIFA offering a chance to try out some new mechanics, as well. Titanfall 2 was there, but thanks to a pretty simple multiplayer demo it was difficult to become excited. Still, I have to give EA credit for doing something for the public, E3 is hell to get into for the average person. 

9) Nintendo

Nintendo’s big games:

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Pokemon Sun & Moon
• Monster Hunter Generations
• Ever Oasis
• Paper Mario: Color Splash

Nintendo showed up at E3 2016 with a very clear plan in mind. The company was going to show off what makes The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild great, even if it meant showing the game for over 10 hours. A large portion of the Tree House event was set aside for the upcoming action RPG, but it was definitely impressive. There was also a healthy look at Pokemon Sun & Moon to whet the appetites of those looking to collect a whole new roster of the little critters.

Ever Oasis may also prove to be something special, though it was only shown off during stream and wasn’t seen on the show floor. In fact, the show floor for Nintendo was almost entirely dedicated to The Legend of Zelda. We weren’t complaining though, as it was absolutely beautiful.

 8) Koei Tecmo

Koei Tecmo’s big games:

• Attack on Titan
• NiOh
• Berserk

While Koei Tecmo did have other games present in its E3 2016 meeting area, Attack on Titan and NiOh were the obvious standouts. On one hand you have a high-speed, action packed dive into one of the most gruesome anime in recent years. Attack on Titan will have you racing through the skies as you battle ferocious monstrosities what would like nothing more than to eat you. NiOh, on the other hand, is a slower, much more deliberate experience. Some may draw a connection between this upcoming action RPG and Dark Souls, and those individuals honestly couldn’t be blamed. The challenging enemies and strict mechanics will force you to think about every move and learn fights in and out.

Koei Tecmo’s offerings may not create new believers in their products, but they do offer a different type of video game. Whether you’re into anime, or over-the-top action, Koei Tecmo’s lineup may be just what you’re looking for.

7) Ubisoft

Ubisoft’s big games:

• Just Dance 2017
• Ghost Recon Wildlands
• South Park: The Fractured But Whole
• The Division Expansions
• Star Trek: Bridge Crew
• Grow Up
• For Honor
• Trials of the Blood Dragon
• Watch Dogs 2
• Steep

Ubisoft came out strong, even without all of the big annual hits. Watch Dogs 2 looked to be a huge step over its predecessor with a brighter world, more likeable protagonist, and much more gameplay variety. The Division also showed up, finally receiving details for two of its upcoming expansions. There was a bit of weirdness to be experienced though, mostly thanks to Just Dance, it may be popular but those live dance sessions are always a bit odd. Another bit of weird came in the form of Trials of the Blood Dragon, clearly not what fans of Blood Dragon had in mind when they said they wanted more.

Ubisoft’s show floor presence was similar to that of Sony’s. A lot of the games weren’t playable, instead offering a theater experience that provided more info and a closer look. The games that were playable, however, were pretty fun. Steep has a lot of potential for an open-world extreme sports game. For Honor let players experience a bit more of the technical combat, with its focus on skill stealing the spotlight once more. It would have been cool if something like Watch Dogs 2 was on the show floor, especially since Ubisoft managed to put Assassin’s Creed Syndicate on the floor last year, but we’re sure they had their reasons to keep it away. 

6) Bethesda

Bethesda’s big games:

• Quake Champions
• Dishonored 2
• Fallout 4 Expansions
• The Elder Scrolls: Legends
• The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim Special Edition
• Prey

Bethesda opened up its press conference with Quake Champions, an arena shooter built around all of the classic mechanics players loved. It was unexpected, especially since Doom just recently released, but it was a welcome addition to the lineup. Dishonored 2 received a ton of new details, and we got to check out Emily in action, who seemed a lot more badass than her father, Corvo. The Elder Scrolls: Legends was back with more, but it was the Skyrim Special Edition that stole the spotlight for the franchise thanks to the updated visuals and mod support. Fallout 4 wasn’t done sharing the E3 stage this year, either. The next round of expansions were revealed to huge applause. The biggest reveal of the night might have to go to Prey. It’s a new take on a series that fans have been clamoring for, and it helped to really round out Bethesda’s offerings.

The show floor wasn’t as exciting as the press conference, though. Fallout 4 and The Elder Scrolls: Legends were playable, but that’s it. No Dishonored for fans, no Prey, no journey through a prettier land of Skyrim. It was pretty unfortunate that not one of the biggest games they unveiled was available to try, especially considering that Dishonored 2 isn’t very far away at all. 

5) 2K

2K’s big games:

• Mafia III
• Civilization VI

When Take Two said that the company would be at E3 2016 in a big way, they weren’t lying. 2K had a massive booth that was hooked up to resemble a New Orleans street in the 1960’s, complete with a live band and tons of art. The two big games brought along for the ride were Mafia III and Civilization VI. Those who made their way into each game’s theater were treated to a whole slew of new details surrounding each upcoming release. There was a lot to learn, and all of it was exciting, like music to the ears.

Unfortunately, none of it was playable on the show floor. Perhaps 2K wants fans to bide their excitement and then enjoy the game on release, or maybe they couldn’t decide on a vertical slice that was representative of the games. Whatever the reason, there’s no telling how the games play, only that they look great. Still, for only two games, that’s a really strong lineup capable of stealing attention.

4) Sony

Sony’s big games:

• God of War
• Days Gone
• The Last Guardian
• Horizon Zero Dawn
• Detroit: Become Human
• Resident Evil 7
• Batman Arkham VR
• Final Fantasy XV VR
• Farpoint
• Bound
• GT Sport
• Crash Bandicoot Remastered
• Death Stranding
• Spider-Man

Sony had yet another knock-out press conference at E3 2016. Just when everyone was wondering whether or not this member of the “Big Three” could outdo itself, Sony went on to reveal even more asked for titles. Crash Bandicoot Remastered is happening, Kojima showed off his brand new project, Death Stranding, for the first time, and even a brand new Spider-Man game exclusively for the PS4. VR also got a bit of love with the unveiling of Resident Evil 7, Batman Arkham VR, and a few other titles. That’s not to mention all of the other great games that fans are eagerly looking forward to.

The show floor for Sony at E3 2016, however, wasn’t as full of excitement as the company’s stage show. There were some games to play, sure, but the big reveals were nowhere to be seen. Also, a lot of the demos were theater experiences, meaning they were hands-off. While it was still cool to get your hands on a few things, the lack of anything huge to play was definitely felt.

3) Bandai Namco

Bandai Namco’s big games:

• Tekken 7
• Tales of Besaria
• Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization
• Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
• God Eater 2: Rage Burst
• JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven
• Necropolis
• Warhammer 40K: Eternal Crusade
• Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS-Force

Bandai Namco isn’t one to rely on a huge press conference, but that doesn’t mean that the publisher/developer didn’t have anything special to show. The first major game the company brought along, Tekken 7, was actually shown off during Microsoft’s press conference. But the trailer could not do the game proper justice, as it was one of our Games of Show, showing a huge jump over its predecessors. Tales of Besaria opened up the gameplay and looks to be even more beautiful than before. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 wasn’t playable, but there was some cool footage shown off that was definitely exciting.

Aside from Dragon Ball being a video only, pretty much everything in Bandai Namco’s lineup was available to play. It was cool to try out the upcoming releases and test out how each developer is transforming how games are played. While Bandai Namco’s titles may not all be the most mainstream offerings, the fact that they were playable was a welcome display of confidence and fun. 

2) Square Enix

Square Enix’s big games:

• Final Fantasy XV
• Kingdom Hearts 2.8
• Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
• Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness
• I am Setsuna
• Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
• Dragon Quest Builders
• NieR Automata
• World of Final Fantasy

Square Enix showed up for RPGs in a big way. Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Nier, Star Ocean, and I am Setsuna were all in attendance and beautiful in their own special ways. The publisher is closing in on one of its biggest releases in years, so it’s not surprising that they wanted to put their best foot forward.

The show floor was full of demos for upcoming games, and even had stations to try out DLC for some games that are already out. Square Enix definitely wanted everyone in attendance to get a taste of what they had coming next. It was a fun booth to jump into. Even if you’re not strictly a fan of RPGs, there was a little something there for everyone to enjoy making it one of the most fun stops as you made your way through the floor.

1) Microsoft

Microsoft’s big games:

• Gears of War 4
• Forza Horizon 3
• ReCore
• Inside
• We Happy Few
• Dead Rising 4
• Scalebound
• Sea of Thieves
• State of Decay 2
• Halo Wars 2

Microsoft was clearly more focused on upcoming hardware and features coming to the Xbox One. The new ecosystem that pools the home console with mobile and PC was a driving force during the Xbox press conference. That doesn’t mean that company was without its games, though. While many were returning stars – ReCore, Scalebound, Gears of War 4 – there was still a healthy dose of new. A few standouts were Forza Horizon 3, State of Decay 2, and Dead Rising 4.

What really helped Microsoft standout at E3 was the amount of playable games on the show floor. With titles like Forza Horizon 3 and Dead Rising 4 available to be played, the future was right at every attendees’ fingertips. Even Sea of Thieves let players get in on some swashbuckling hijinks. We Happy Few and ReCore had to be two of the brightest highlights, though. Those two creative projects are proving to be pivotal games in the Xbox One’s lineup.