Here Are The Game Critics Awards Best Of E3 2016 Nominations

Best Console Game

• Battlefield 1, EA
• Dishonored 2, Bethesda
• Horizon: Zero Dawn, Sony
• The Last Guardian, Sony
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nintendo

Best PC Game

• Battlefield 1, Bethesda
• Civilization VI, 2K Games
• Dishonored 2, Bethesda
• Gwent: The Witcher Card Game, CD Projekt Red
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III, SEGA

Best VR Game

• Batman: Arkham VR, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
• Resident Evil VII, Capcom
• Star Trek: Bridge Crew, Ubisoft
• The Unspoken, Oculus Studio
• Wilson’s Heart, Oculus Studio

Best Hardware

• Oculus Touch, Oculus VR
• PlayStation VR, Sony
• Xbox One S, Microsoft

Best Action Game

• Battlefield 1, EA
• Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Activision
• Gears of War 4, Microsoft Studios
• Lawbreakers, Nexon
• Titanfall 2, EA

Best Action/Adventure Game

• Dishonored 2, Bethesda
• Horizon: Zero Dawn, Sony
• Mafia III, 2K Games
• The Last Guardian, Sony
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nintendo

Best RPG

• Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Square Enix
• Final Fantasy XV, Square Enix
• South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Ubisoft
• Tyrrany, Paradox

Best Fighting Game

• Absolver, Devolver
• Injustice 2, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
• Tekken 7, Bandai Namco Entertainment
• The King of Fighters XIV, ATLUS

Best Racing Game

• Forza Horizon 3, Microsoft Studios
• F1 2016, Codemasters
• Gran Turismo Sport, Sony

Best Sports Game

• FIFA 17, EA
• Madden NFL 17, EA
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2017, Konami
• Steep, Ubisoft

Best Strategy Game

• Civilization VI, 2K Games
• Gwent: The Witcher Card Game, CD Projekt Red
• Halo Wars 2, Microsoft Studios
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III, SEGA

Best Family Game

• LEGO Dimensions, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
• LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
• Skylanders: Imaginators, Activision

Best Online Multiplayer

• Absolver, Devolver
• Battlefield 1, EA
• Lawbreakers, Nexon
• Sea of Thieves, Microsoft Studios
• Titanfall 2, EA

Best Independent Game

• Absolver, Devolver
• Abzu, 505 Games
• Cuphead, Studio MDHR
• Inside, Playdead
• We Happy Few, Compulsion Games

Best of Show

• Battlefield 1, EA
• Dishonored 2, Bethesda
• Horizon: Zero Dawn, Sony
• Sea of Thieves, Microsoft Studios
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nintendo
• Titanfall 2, EA

Best Original Game

• Abzu, 505 Games
• Detroit: Become Human, Sony
• Horizon: Zero Dawn, Sony
• Sea of Thieves, Microsoft Studios
• We Happy Few, Compulsion Games

[Source]

The ESA Reveals E3 2016 Stats + E3 2017 Dated

The Entertainment Software Association has revealed some stats about this year’s E3, detailing that 70,300 attendees were involved in the week’s events. That included approximately 50,300 professionals, and another 20,000 fans. According to the ESA, over 250 exhibitors showed off over 1,600 products. There was more than 7 million posts on Twitter, more than 500,000 likes on E3-related posts on Instagram during the show. Over 42 million viewers watched E3 content on Twitch this year, the official streaming partner for E3. The ESA also revealed that E3 2017 is set to occur on June 13-15 at the LA Convention Center. 

PlayStation Is Holding A Best Of E3 Sale

Sony is holding a E3 sale on the PlayStation Store until June 21. Here are a few highlights from the sale.  

• Batman: Arkham Knight Premium Edition - $29.99 (PS Plus: $24.99) PS4
• Grand Theft Auto V - $44.99 (PS Plus: $38.99) PS4
• Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain -- $29.99 (PS Plus: $27.99) PS4
• South Park: The Stick of Truth - $11.99 (PS Plus: $9.99) PS3
• Injustice: Gods Among Us - $7.99 (PS Plus: $4.99) PS Vita
• Tearaway - $9.99 (PS Plus: $7.99) PS Vita 

You can see all of the games on sale here. 

Here’s Everything You Need To Know About The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda title which is coming to both the Nintendo NX and the Wii U is titled The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. During a Nintendo Treehouse: Live demo, Nintendo showed that Link needs to be resourceful as he explores the environment. It’s important for players to become familiar with their surroundings so they can find weapons or collect them from defeated enemies. Food helps Link sustain his hearts and can give him a temporary boost or ability that will sustain him. The game breaks with some conventions from the series. For example, many of the minor enemies are no longer scattered randomly around the world, as many now live together in colonies. Link can climb towers and massive structures to get a bearing on his surroundings. He can even reach the top of mountains, any mountain he can see, he can climb. He can paraglide to lower areas or even use his shield to slide down a mountain. Link will travel across fields, through forests and to mountain peaks. Link will be able to jump freely for the first time ever. Among the many changes to the series over the years, one feature has remained the same; Link has never been able to freely jump. But in the new title for Wii U and NX, Link won’t just have the ability to jump, he’ll also be able to scale rock faces, climb trees and chop them down too. In a similar fashion to how characters in Monster Hunter are able to scale rocks and walls, we also saw a snippet in the new trailer that he’d be able to cook food, as well as clothe himself in different shirts and trousers. Breath of the Wild will recreate a much bigger sense of survival and exploration than any other previous Zelda game. 

The game’s wild world surrounds Link, and he must pay attention to changes in climate, as a shift in weather or temperature can affect the environment and his ability to survive in it. A sudden downpour might douse a roaring campfire or a lightning storm might be attracted to Link’s metallic weapons. Players might need to bundle up with warmer clothes or change into something better suited to the desert heat. The Wii U version of Breath of the Wild will support a Wii U Pro Controller, meaning that usage of the GamePad will not be required. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is scheduled to launch simultaneously for both the Wii U and Nintendo NX in 2017.

Nintendo Announces 3 New Amiibo For The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild

Nintendo has announced 3 new The Legend of Zelda amiibo to accompany the new title The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for the Wii U and Nintendo NX. The three amiibo will include Link with a bow (archer), Link on horseback (rider) and a Guardian amiibo. “The game also includes compatibility with amiibo, which are sold separately. Nintendo announced a new series of amiibo figures specific to the game that includes Link with a bow (“Archer”), Link on horseback (“Rider”), and a “Guardian” that is the first amiibo with flexible parts. The existing Wolf Link amiibo works with the game as well: When players tap a Wolf Link amiibo to the Wii U GamePad controller, Wolf Link will attack enemies on his own and help players to hunt. He has three hearts, unless players carry over save data fromThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD. Wolf Link disappears when his hearts run out. Details can be found at http://e3.nintendo.com/amiibo/.” Their release date is yet to be announced. Check out the videos below:

Here’s Everything New You Need To Know About Pokemon Sun & Moon

During today’s Nintendo Treehouse Live at E3, new information and features were revealed for Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon. Details of 3 brand new Pokémon that will be discovered as players explore the Alola region have now been officially unveiled. They are introducing Pikipek, Yungoos and Grubbin.

The first of the new Pokémon revealed is the Normal and Flying-type Woodpecker Pokémon Pikipek, which can bore holes in trees by striking them up to 16 times per second. These strikes can do more than drill through hard wood, they can even shatter stone. Pikipek can attack distant opponents by firing seeds with enough force to embed them into the trunks of trees. This Pokémon also likes small glittering objects and will hide these amongst their food stores.

The second new Pokémon announced was the Loitering Pokémon Yungoos. This Normal type Pokémon is known for its humongous hunger and has a terrible temper when hungry. The majority of its long body is made up of its stomach, and it is never satisfied due to its swift digestion. Trainers will encounter some Yungoos that possess an Ability no other previously discovered Pokémon has had, Stakeout. This Ability means that the Pokémon’s moves can deal 2x the normal damage to any Pokémon that switches in or enters the field mid-battle.

The final Pokémon revealed was the Larva Pokémon Grubbin. This Bug type Pokémon relies on its strong and sturdy jaws, using them as both a weapon in battle and a tool to help them burrow into the ground. Grubbin can spew sticky threads from its mouth and can wrap these threads around trees, enabling this Pokémon to swing around and become much more mobile.

A brand new battle format called Battle Royal which debuts in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon was also revealed during the Nintendo Treehouse Live segment. In previous games in the Pokémon franchise, battles have generally been Trainers facing off against each other 1 v 1. Battle Royal is a new battle system where 4 players battle against one another at the same time in a furious melee. Each of the 4 Trainers in the battle chooses three Pokémon and sends 1 Pokémon into battle at a time. The battle finishes at the end of any turn when all of the Pokémon of one Trainer have fainted. The players are then ranked, and a victor is declared based on the number of Pokémon each Trainer defeated and the number of Pokémon each has remaining in play. This is a completely new way to enjoy Pokémon battles, and many interesting strategies will be discovered as each player must try to predict who will attack whom, or choose whether to act to save a player who is in a pinch in order to claim the number 1 position before the battle ends.

The Mythical Pokémon Magearna will be making its debut in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon. Magearna was created by a scientist of uncommon genius 500 years ago, and it has the power to perceive the emotions, thoughts and feelings of other Pokémon. Stored in the centre of Magearna’s chest is the Soul Heart, an artificial life which was created using the life energy of other Pokémon. Magearna has the Ability Soul Heart, a new Ability that no other previous Pokémon has had. This Ability raises Magearna’s Special Attack by one each time another Pokémon in the arena faints.

Nintendo Announces New Super Mario Amiibo

Nintendo has revealed new Super Mario amiibos will be arriving on November 4th. The new amiibo will include Boo the ghost, who will glow up in the dark, along with Daisy and Waluigi. There will also be new amiibo with different poses for Wario, Rosalina, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong. Check them out below:

Nintendo Announces Mario Party: Star Rush For 3DS

Nintendo has announced Mario Party Star Rush, a new Mario Party game coming to the 3DS. Star Rush features new gameplay changes like all players moving at once rather than having to wait for their turn. This is to make it more portable friendly. Mario Party Star Rush is coming to 3DS on November 4, 2016. Mario Party Star Rush will be showcased on the Nintendo Treehouse stream tomorrow, June 15th. The stream will start at 10am PT.

UPDATE 6/15/16 - A trailer and box art for the game have been revealed. 

New PlayStation VR Gun Controller Is Really Precise

Sony has announced a brand new gun peripheral to use with PS VR. Called the PS VR Aim Controller, it’s an evolution of the old PlayStation Move Sharpshooter. The Sharpshooter required players to slot their Move controllers into its frame, where as PS VR Aim has a built in motion and navigation sensors.This makes the PS VR Aim much more precise than its predecessor. Using 1-to-1 tracking, pointing the controller at a particular spot or angle in the real world will point your virtual gun at the same target in the game. No release date or pricing for the PS VR Aim has been announced at this time.

Insomniac Games Spider-Man Titled Is A PS4 Exclusively

During Sony’s E3 2016 press conference, Insomniac Games showed off a short teaser for an upcoming Spider-Man game coming exclusively to PlayStation 4. Speaking with the Associated Press, Insomniac president Ted Price says that the game is not connected to the upcoming Marvel Spider-Man: Homecoming film. Instead, the game is set in a different version of the Marvel universe, and not the cinematic continuity. Marvel is working with the studio to creature the game. No release date or name was given yet. Check out the trailer below. What do you think of a Spider-Man game made by Insomniac Games ? All I can say is give it to me now!

LEGO Star Wars: Force Awakens Demo Available Now On PS Store

During Sony’s E3 2016 press conference, Sony showed a trailer revealing new footage for Lego Star Wars: Force Awakens. The end of the trailer revealed that a demo for the game is now available on PS Store. Lego Star Wars: Force Awakens is out on June 28 for PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, 3DS, PS Vita and PC.

Horizon Zero Dawn Looks Beautiful

During Sony’s E3 2016 press conference, Sony showed off a demo for Horizon Zero Dawn. The demo showcased the main character Aloy hunting down a report of a demonic machine that was corrupting watchers. Her fight with the machine showed off the game's explosion particles, and with every jump it kicked up impressive clouds of dirt and dust. the demon also was quite formidable by grabbing and hurling large boulders with its tail. Horizon Zero Dawn is set to release on February 28, 2017 for PlayStation 4.

Become An Android Detective In Detroit: Become Human

During Sony’s E3 2016 press conference, Sony showed a trailer for Detroit: Become Human.  In Detroit: Become Human you’ll collect information, investigate murder scenes, and face life and death situations that will force you to make smart choices and affect the narrative in a variety of ways. A release date wasn’t given. You can watch the trailer below. 

The Last Guardian Finally Has A Release Date

During Sony’s E3 2016 press conference, Sony's showed a short cinematic trailer for The Last Guardian, which revealed that the games October release date. You can watch the trailer below. The Last Guardian will release for PlayStation 4 on October 25.

Sony Announces Days Gone [UPDATE- Delayed Into 2019]

During Sony’s E3 2016 press conference, Sony's Bend Studio announced Days Gone. Not much is known about Days Gone, but it looks like from the trailer that you'll be playing as a biker in a barren world. Gameplay shows how the characters survivor, motorcycle traversal, and brutal combat with other humans and zombie like creatures. No release date has been given. You can see the full trailer below.

UPDATE 3/10/2018 - Sony has announced that Days Gone will be delayed in 2019

The New God Of War Finally Got Announced

During Sony’s E3 2016 press conference, Sony finally revealed the new God of War. This time, it looks like Norse mythology will take the place of the Greek mythology. The gameplay trailer follows a 
Kratos as he takes his son on a hunt through the woods after a deer. Things get interesting when creatures show up and attacks them. No release date has been announced. This game looks so good. I need a release date now! You can watch the reveal trailer below.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole Details + Release Date

South Park: The Fractured But Whole, will pick up right after the Stick of Truth, but now the kids are playing superheroes instead of fantasy heroes. There are over a dozen different super-hero classes.The game’s combat has also changed as players can moved around the battlefield on a grid. Players can knock enemies across the board and into other players, and there will also be objects in the environment that you’ll be able to interact with. Anyone who buys The Fractured But Whole will get a free copy of Stick of Truth starting today for PS4, Xbox One and PC. The game releases on December 6 for PS4, Xbox One and PC. 

Life Is Strange Developer’s New Game, Vampyr Looks Awesome

Life Is Strange developer, Dontnod Entertainment, has released an E3 trailer for its upcoming game, Vampyr. Te trailer features protagonist Dr. Jonathan Reid’s struggle of being a doctor turned vampire. The game is set in 1918 London during a flu epidemic, Reid must struggle with the duality of satisfying his blood lust, while trying to adhere to his Oath. Dontnod Entertainment won me over with Life Is Strange so I can't wait to see what Vampyr brings to the table. Check out the trailer below.

Design Your Own Custom Xbox One Controller

During Microsoft's E3 2016 press conference, Microsoft announced  a new program that allows players to create an custom colored Xbox One controller. The website allows you to customize the colors on the main body of the controller, as well as the bumpers, triggers, d-pad, face buttons and more. A wide variety of new colors are available, and you can even have a message engraved onto the controller. The price for the controller starts at $79.99. You can check out a video of the design lab below.

Microsoft Unveiled Project Scorpio, Coming Holiday 2017

During Microsoft’s E3 press conference, Microsoft announced the rumored more powerful Xbox One console, called Project Scorpio. According to Spencer, Project Scorpio is part of Team Xbox's philosophy to "unite gamers wherever they play." The console will supposedly have "true 4K visuals." You can watch the reveal for Project Scorpio here:

With Nintendo NX, PS4 Neo and now Project Scorpio, this was the shortest console life cycle ever. I really do feel that these were the consoles we should've gotten back in 2013. Thats just how I feel. What do you think ?