After the cancellation of most of what is traditionally considered E3 2020, there is a lot of uncertainty around what could be announced or shown this year. EA Play 2020 is one of the few showcases still being aired, transitioning into a digital-only event. With that being said, it is still anyone’s best guess what we could see, so here are eight EA Play predictions you’ll hope we’re right about.
More Dragon Age 4 Information
EA Play Predictions
It’s already been confirmed that Dragon Age 4 is in the works, we just know very little about it.
From The Game Awards 2018 teaser trailer to earnings calls and Twitter posts from developers, there have been plenty of mentions for the long-awaited sequel to Inquisition without any hard details.
While the release might not be directly around the corner, some more information into the story and placement on the timeline would make a lot of sense at this year’s EA Play event.
Expectations kept in check, a cinematic trailer with some more detailed information from one of the studio heads would be awesome to see, but things like gameplay or a release date are, more than likely, another year out.
Regardless, getting some information at all is practically a lock at this point, considering the amount of time this title has been brewing in the background.
Nintendo Switch Ports Aplenty
EA Play Predictions
So far, EA has not been playing nice with Nintendo’s portable hybrid console since its launch in 2017.
EA explained their lack of early Nintendo Switch support via an earnings call, in which Andrew Wilson stated they believed most Switch owners would just play EA titles on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or PC, which has blossomed into zero Switch ports outside of the FIFA franchise.
More recently, executives have been bringing up the Nintendo Switch, wanting to offer more support going forward. I think now is going to be the time, with make-sense ports coming very soon.
Titles like The Sims 4 or Apex Legends would immediately transition well onto the platform, but going a step further, I think we see Madden finally make its way onto the Switch, whether that be in last year’s version, a mobile downgrade, or the like.
With the great success of the Nintendo Switch, EA will want to get on board as soon as possible, and beyond the titles in their library that would easily be ported, they will also more than likely start pushing their indie game publishing outfit into porting to the Switch as well.
What’s Next for DICE?
EA Play Predictions
EA’s DICE studio has been quiet for a few years, mostly sitting in post-launch-content mode on their latest Battlefield game and Star Wars Battlefront II.
In the past, DICE has been known for pumping out games annually, with several teams and a large number of developers on hand, but we haven’t heard of anything new in the AAA space since 2018.
Since Battlefront II is the older of the two franchises at this point, and with the Star Wars license agreement ending in 2023 for the time being, EA might want to get one more Star Wars Battlefront title out before that timer concludes.
Equally, Battlefield 6 (or whatever it’ll be called) is more than likely in the works, and a brief announcement with some details from that could also be coming during the EA Play event.
Either way, DICE is too talented of a studio to not have anything to show after two years, so whether they stay in their wheelhouse or not, expect to get some confirmation on what they’ve been up to.
Criterion Shows Next Need For Speed
EA Play Predictions
Criterion Games, formerly known for their Burnout series, is taking over the helm on the Need For Speed franchise.
Previously being utilized primarily as a support studio on recent EA titles, Criterion hasn’t headlined their own major racing title since 2012’s Need For Speed: Most Wanted.
All of those points considered, who knows how far along they could be into what the next Need For Speed title will be. Even if they’re mostly in the conceptual phase, I think we see some information on what they could be planning at this year’s EA Play event.
A title and some key features could easily be divulged, as these racing iterations tend to be pumped out relatively quickly.
Fans of the racing genre will probably want to tune in, as this has been making the rounds of the gaming news cycle recently. Let the hype commence!
FIFA 21 Modes Detailed
EA Play Predictions
Considering the fact that Madden’s pushed-back reveal is getting its own event on the 16th, sports titles might be a lighter load this year than they have been for previous years.
If you’re a fan of these sports titles, then this is a highly-anticipated few days where we will see what new modes, improvements, and when those release dates will fall.
Besides possibly getting a more amped up Volta in this year’s version, I think we also see the cover athlete, details on the story mode (which needs something spicier this year to keep the fans going), as well as the announcement that this version will be coming to the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 at launch.
Could we also see some major changes to gameplay overall to make this entry far more interesting than anything we have seen from a FIFA title in a long time? Only time will tell, but FIFA entering the new generation could bring with it some great new changes.
Fans should be excited to see some impressive sweat drips for FIFA 21, as well as some improvements on FIFA 20’s problem areas!
Skate 4 Returns
EA Play Predictions
There has been a wide-open void where skateboarding games used to sit for some time now.
Return to the fold this year is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, a full HD remake of the original titles coming to current-gen systems this fall. Could this mean the AAA companies out there are feeling the pressure to return to their skateboarding IP?
The last Skate title was released a decade ago, and fans of the series have been begging for a new title of some kind for several years now.
It seems like as good a time as any for EA to bring out the big guns—going into next-gen hardware. Skate 4 would round out a list of upcoming titles that would look more impressive than EA has looked in some time.
Are the chances high that Skate 4 happens? Probably not, but exciting things happen when entering a new generation, especially from companies with large budgets.
The Fate of Anthem
EA Play Predictions
After being considered one of the most highly-anticipated titles a few years ago, Anthem fell from grace quickly after a shaky launch and serious lack of content.
In a console generation that saw the failures of No Man’s Sky, fans were deeply disappointed in just about everything surrounding the action-RPG in an extremely similar cycle to the planet-hopping adventure title. But could Anthem have the redemption story of No Man’s Sky as well?
A small team has reportedly taken over a reboot of the game in order to offer up an Anthem 2.0 of sorts, where many of the major issues could be corrected. Fans are hoping for a Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn-like revival.
Outside of some hopeful communication, we know very little about what all could be coming with these changes. A sequel? Hard reboot? Free-to-play conversion?
Regardless, we could possibly see the start of those changes at the EA Play event this year, with nowhere else to go but up for Anthem.
Mass Effect Trilogy Remaster Confirmed
EA Play Predictions
Mass Effect might be EA’s most beloved property and after the middling response to Andromeda, they may be looking to give the fans a pick-me-up in the form of all of the original three titles remade in glorious modern graphics.
Rumors have been swirling about this possibility, and I think we see could those come to fruition as the headliner for the EA Play event this year.
Everyone would lose their minds at the thought of these remasters, but the real question behind this possibility is what systems these titles will land onto.
While it seems obvious they would hit PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and after that is anyone’s best guess. I believe the obvious answer is that the trilogy will also make their way to Series X and PS5, with boosted graphics going even further, but will we see this on the Switch?
The easy answer is no, as the upgrades will more than likely be too much for the Nintendo handheld to properly run, but there is some history with the Mass Effect titles making it onto Nintendo systems, so we can dream!
Published: Jun 18, 2020 08:00 am