Xboxist

Our Xbox 360 E3 Predictions

E3 2009 is just around the corner, and the industry press is already chomping at the bit to get its hands on information about what secrets the conference will reveal. By far the most important part of the E3 event are the individual console manufacturer press conferences, where spokespeople from these companies take the stage to demo their latest games and hardware. The Microsoft press conference will take place on June 1st, and we expect the Redmond, Washington company to drop some major megaton news regarding their upcoming business plans. Below, we offer some predictions about what the conference may have in store for Xbox 360 owners. As usual, sources cannot be named and deniability is de rigeur.

Motion control via camera is real and called Xbox Fluid - This rumor has been circulating since the time of the console's release, in one form or another. However, recent murmurings from inside the game industry, as well as similar hardware shown at CES 2009, suggest that Microsoft has developed a motion-sensing camera for the Xbox 360. How this will play out in terms of launch titles and specific functionality, we don't yet know.

Konami will announce Metal Gear Solid + Oxide for the Xbox 360 - Again, this is another rumor with a long history dating back to before the release of the game for the Playstation 3. However, an Xbox 360 Metal Gear Solid port makes perfect sense, given the current economic climate and the tendency for most games to go multiplatform eventually. Konami isn't owned by Sony, so we don't know what they are waiting for, frankly. Heck, there is already a spinoff of MGS4 on the iPhone.

Deus Ex 3 will be shown and will impress -- Eidos is one publisher that likes to keep its cards firmly close to its chest. But the publisher has some exciting projects in the pipeline, and at E3 it will probably reveal information about other titles in development: perhaps the new Hitman game, Tomb Raider, or Thief IV. Check out our feature Deus Ex 3 Preview here.

The next Grand Theft Auto 4 DLC revealed - and will focus on the Irish families of Liberty City. Allegedly called Blood and a Four Leaf Clover, the next exclusive add-on will provide another perspective on the diamond heist double-cross that links together each of the major characters from the GTA 4 story arc.

Alan Wake is the big news at the press conference and is playable on show floor - It feels like we've been waiting years for more concrete news about Alan Wake. Oh wait, we have been waiting for years. The hype machine for this game has been starting to ramp up considerably, and something tells us that E3 will be a major showcase for this open world survival horror title.

Assassin's Creed 2 will be shown - Ubisoft will be showing off some gameplay footage from Assassin's Creed 2 for the first time at E3. The game is still early in development, so there will be no playable demo at the show, but we can expect the title in early 2010.

The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) is the premier opportunity for video game makers to show off their new products.