10 Hypeworthy Game Awards Announcements That Would Raise the Roof
Final Fantasy VII Remake Update and Release Window
Lets kick this off with a bang. If Geoff Keighley were to break out Final Fantasy VII Remake at The Game Awards, a game we haven’t seen since 2015, the crowd would lose their minds. If the trailer is substantial and includes a release window, it would likely be one of the central headlines from the show.
Now, there are reasons why a Game Awards appearance would be unlikely. The game’s director, Tetsuya Nomura, is also the director of Kingdom Hearts III, and he indicated earlier this year that his priority has been towards the latter. With Kingdom Hearts III’s release date still about two months away, Square Enix might not be ready to show anything Final Fantasy VII-related.
While an update might not necessarily be likely, it’s also not impossible. Final Fantasy VII has previously been shown at PSX, and, with no PSX this year and no E3 appearance for Sony, The Game Awards could be the best place if there is something to show. Also, considering that Kingdom Hearts III recently went gold, it’s possible Square’s marketing focus might begin to include the eagerly awaited remake.
It could be a long shot, but if Cloud, Barret, Tifa and the rest of the Final Fantasy VII crew make an appearance at The Game Awards, expect to see some excited fans, myself included.
10 Hypeworthy Game Awards Announcements That Would Raise the Roof
New BioShock Announcement
BioShock is one of gaming’s biggest and most highly-regarded series, but it’s been quiet since the release of BioShock Infinite in 2013. This is likely partially because Irrational Games, the developers behind BioShock and BioShock Infinite, closed down with some of its members rebranding as Ghost Story Games.
However, while the original team might be gone, it’s unlikely that the series is dead. According to a report from Kotaku’s Jason Schreier in April, a new BioShock title is indeed in development at 2K Games, though it seemed to be early in development.
Even if the game has a while to go in development, it’s possible we could see an initial reveal at The Game Awards. If so, the revival of such a beloved series could make for an incredible moment, especially when the mystery of the game’s setting is revealed.
The series has gone into the ocean with Rapture and into the clouds with Columbia, so what’s next? There’s no guarantee, but we hope to have an answer Thursday night.
10 Hypeworthy Game Awards Announcements That Would Raise the Roof
Halo Infinite Story and Gameplay Reveal
We haven’t seen anything from Halo Infinite since its reveal at E3, and the game’s story and gameplay still remain a mystery. We know that it’s apparently not a prequel and won’t have a battle royale mode but other than that, not much is certain.
Microsoft has been active recently, acquiring studios, holding their X018 fan event, constantly growing Xbox Game Pass and, going back to June, absolutely killing it with game announcements at E3. It seems Microsoft is trying hard to keep the Xbox brand on all of our minds this year.
If Xbox wants to end the year with a bang, what better way than bringing out their biggest franchise at one of gaming’s biggest shows? If we get a trailer showing off Halo Infinite’s story and gameplay during The Game Awards, it could easily become one of the central headlines of the show.
Of course, there are reasons to be hesitant. In a blog post, 343 Industries said, “I know waiting can be hard for folks who are excited for more info about the game. We are taking the time we need to make the right game and are making changes to how we approach things this time around.”
It could be too early to see what Master Chief’s next journey will be, and E3 2019 might be more likely. But hey, there’s nothing wrong with being hopeful.
10 Hypeworthy Game Awards Announcements That Would Raise the Roof
Dragon Age Reveal
Let’s go for a more probable announcement, shall we? BioWare General Manager Casey Hudson recently gave a massive hint for a Dragon Age appearance at The Game Awards in a blog post. Here is his quote:
“Dragon Age is an incredibly important franchise in our studio, and we’re excited to continue its legacy. Look for more on this in the coming month (though I won’t tell you where to look…)”
So, especially with BioWare already confirmed to be at The Game Awards with Anthem, it’s highly likely we get a Dragon Age announcement as well. With 2014’s Dragon Age Inquisition being the last game in the series, this announcement is long-awaited and could make for a great moment.
After the rocky reception of last year’s Mass Effect: Andromeda, everyone is looking for BioWare to mount a comeback. A strong showing of Anthem leading into its February release date along with a brand new Dragon Age could be exactly what they are looking for at The Game Awards.
10 Hypeworthy Game Awards Announcements That Would Raise the Roof
Fable 4 Announcement
It’s time for Fable’s revival. In this age of open world story-focused games like Red Dead Redemption 2, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Witcher 3, Metal Gear Solid V and so on, Fable’s signature morality systems, character customization and brilliant overwhelmingly British humor would be an excellent fit.
Lionhead Studios, the makers of the original Fable games, were caught in an unfortunate storm of pressure from Microsoft to make a live service game, development problems and other factors that eventually led to the studio’s closure, and, seemingly, the end of Fable. However, earlier this year it was reported that Playground Games, the developers behind the Forza Horizon games, might be working on a new big-budget Fable title.
If this is true, and Playground is ready to announce, a reveal of a classic, fan-favorite RPG series returning as a console-exclusive to Xbox could be a very big deal.
As with Halo Infinite, this title may be too far away to be at The Game Awards, but the possibility is certainly alive, and if Playground shows up with Fable in all of its chicken-kicking glory for the first time in eight years, I am all in.
10 Hypeworthy Game Awards Announcements That Would Raise the Roof
Metroid Prime 4 Trailer and Release Date
Nintendo has had a strong presence at The Game Awards the last couple years, and with the success of the Switch, it seems like this year will be the same. In 2016, Nintendo showed off a trailer for Breath of the Wild. In 2017, they showed Breath of the Wild DLC as well as the announcement of Bayonetta 1 and 2 Switch ports and Bayonetta 3 being made exclusively for the Switch.
This year, it’s time for a Metroid Prime 4 blowout. The only time we’ve seen Metroid Prime 4 was its E3 reveal well over a year ago, and that was really nothing more than a logo. This could be Nintendo’s last big announcement for the year, just in time for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to release the very next day.
Considering that the last game in the Metroid Prime series came in 2007, fans are sure to be excited for the series’ revival. If the game packs the graphical and design leaps one would expect after a ten-year hiatus, this could be a big win for Nintendo.
Also, a Metroid Prime 4 trailer could come with a Metroid Prime trilogy Switch port similar to last year’s Bayonetta announcements. If both of these happen at The Game Awards, there will be a lot of happy Nintendo fans.
10 Hypeworthy Game Awards Announcements That Would Raise the Roof
Persona 5 for Switch
It just makes too much sense. Ever since Persona 5’s release, fans have wondered if the game will ever see a Switch release and for good reason. An 100+ hour RPG like Persona 5 is perfectly at home on a portable system like the Switch that lets you play anytime, anywhere.
Also there’s reason to believe it could be a possibility. At the beginning of the year, Atlus put out a survey that asked, among other questions, what platforms fans would like to see the company develop games for, with Nintendo Switch as an option.
Persona 5 was something of a breakout for the series, topping 2.2 million in sales earlier this year and receiving high praise including runner-up in Twinfinite’s 2017 Game of the Year rankings. A port of a game with this success to a console as hot as the Switch currently is would be a great way to keep the buzz going. And we all know many of us would pony up the cash to double dip.
After winning Best Role-Playing Game at last year’s Game Awards and being nominated for Game of the Year, it would be incredible to see Atlus return with news of a Switch port. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.
10 Hypeworthy Game Awards Announcements That Would Raise the Roof
Dreams Beta Shadow Drop
Along with the likes of Death Stranding, Media Molecule’s upcoming title, Dreams, has long been one of the strangest upcoming games out there. The game focuses on allowing players to create their own levels, worlds, characters and even music in what could be the most robust creation systems we’ve ever seen in a game.
While Dreams certainly looks interesting, Media Molecule has been very quiet since the reveal at E3 2015, and the game has had several delays. A beta was originally planned for 2016 but was delayed to 2017. Now, near the end of 2018, we still don’t have a beta.
However, in late November, Media Molecule claimed the beta would still come this year. There’s not much time left in the year, and if Sony wants to have a big splash for this game that has struggled to gain buzz, The Game Awards would be the place.
The announcement of a Dreams beta that could get the game in the hands of talented creators would be exciting, but a shadow drop would be even more exciting. A shadow drop is when a game is announced and is immediately playable, similar to how Zelda’s The Champion’s Ballad DLC was announced at last year’s Game Awards and was playable the same night.
If Game Awards viewers are able to download the Dreams beta as soon as the awards finish, it could be just the PR boost that Media Molecule and Sony are looking for.
10 Hypeworthy Game Awards Announcements That Would Raise the Roof
New Actor for Death Stranding
Death Stranding is already a wild and crazy acid trip and we don’t even have a solid grasp on what the game is yet. Since Hideo Kojima revealed the game at E3 2016, there have been several bizarre trailers that revealed appearances by multiple well-known actors such as Norman Reedus, Guillermo del Toro, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, Lindsay Wagner and Troy Baker.
It’s also no secret that Kojima is good friends with Game Awards host Geoff Keighley, and Kojima’s Death Stranding has already made appearances at the show in both 2016 and 2017. This is to say, there’s a good chance the game is shown again, and possibly with a new actor.
This new actor could be anyone, but after the recent announcement that Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Bastards, Django Unchained) will be a presenter at the show, many fans have their sights on him. The question is, would Keighley be this obvious? Maybe not, but the thought of an actor at the caliber of Waltz joining an already stellar cast is an exciting prospect.
Regardless of who it is, many fans will likely be happy to see the Death Stranding hype train continue to roll, should there be another trailer.
10 Hypeworthy Game Awards Announcements That Would Raise the Roof
Super Mario Odyssey DLC
It’s been over a year since Nintendo released Super Mario Odyssey, and despite impressive sales, there has been no word on a new DLC kingdom or any other substantial post-release content. This is unexpected especially considering Zelda received a full story expansion the same year it released.
However, though it has been a while since Odyssey’s release, there might still be a possibility for DLC. Earlier this year, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa said during an earnings call that he wants to see DLC for “big titles that are already out.”
As the Switch continues to sell, and more and more people pick up Super Mario Odyssey for the first time, Nintendo could pump fresh life into the game with an all new area to explore. If they were to make this move, a Game Awards announcement feels like a great fit, and would make for two straight years of exciting DLC announcements for Nintendo.
Those are our picks for hypeworthy Game Awards announcements that we are strongly pulling for. What announcements would make you lose your mind? What do you think about our picks? Let us know in the comments and stay tuned to Twinfinite for all the news that comes out of The Game Awards 2018.
The Game Awards will be held Thursday, Dec. 6 and will be streamed online. To find your airtime, check the Game Awards website.
Published: Dec 3, 2018 09:57 am