Where Were the OMFGs?
Sony E3 2018: Questions We Still Have
Though Sony’s library of content shown at E3 was strong overall, many of the highlights were focused on titles we already knew about. Kingdom Hearts III, Ghost of Tsushima, Spider-Man and Death Stranding are all heavy hitters, but none of them caught us by surprise. We kept waiting for the shock that never came, and in the end, that perhaps ended up being the greatest shock of them all.
One wouldn’t go so far as to suggest that Sony coasted a little at the event, falling back on its position as the industry leader and letting that reputation do the heavy lifting, but a matter of perspective can unveil some truths. Had this been Microsoft’s presentation, would we have been so forgiving? The titles unveiled for the Xbox One arguably took more gambles and allowed themselves to be more daring. Hell, arguably the biggest reaction of the day came from the revelation that Fox McCloud would be appearing in the Switch version of Ubisoft’s Starlink, allowing Nintendo to snatch valuable gasps before they were even due to officially hit the stage.
We gamers are a greedy breed, no doubt, and we adore the landmark moments above all else. In Sony’s presentation, you can point to a level of consistency, but no particular peaks that pushed the needle. This year’s effort won’t really stick in our heads in the years to come, and we can’t help but feel besmirched. Go ahead, call the ‘waambulance,’ or whatever glib remark you’d prefer; we’ve been spoiled over the last few years, and our ice cream of expectation has hit the pavement with a disheartening splat.
