SYSTEM UPDATE: The three coolest things from E3 2021
The Electronics Entertainment Expo is back! And boy did it return with a bang.
Last year, of course, was a mess. Heck, the previous few years before that had been adventurous. The Los Angeles event had long been a prime showcase for gaming, but in recent years, key publishers had skipped the showcase, and there were always rumblings about the declining need for the event known as E3. Then last year, of course, there was no E3; thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was cancelled.
But this week, after that one year off, it was back in a new, virtual form, a series of streams by key publishers that came together to form an event that anyone with a screen in front of them could view. And the new format certainly seemed to work.
That was in part because of a slew of exciting announcements that injected the event with serious life and sent a message: 2021 (and beyond) is all about stellar games and exciting ways to play them. Last year, in reality, featured a limited amount of truly blockbuster titles. That wasn’t an issue this year. Here are the 5 most exciting announcements from E3 2021.
HALO INFINITE ARRIVES THIS FALL
We’ve known for awhile that Halo Infinite was in the works, and it was originally supposed to be a release title for Xbox’s Series X and Series S consoles. When it was pushed back, it was a blow to an already-thin release lineup.
But it was worth it. Microsoft showed off Infinite in its briefing, and the game is loaded with promise -- and story. In an age when many shooters skimp on story, Halo Infinite will give you a legitimately interesting one headed by this thread: A new A.I., known as “the Weapon” is working with Master Chief. If you recall Halo V: Guardians, stalwart A.I. Cortana went rogue. Her status will be explored in-depth in the new game, which will arrive before the holidays.
Add in a loaded multiplayer that seems to have massive theaters of war and a variety of shooting and vehicular combat, and Halo Infinite promises to be one of the most explosive titles of the year.
METROID DREAD
We’re still waiting for the next Metroid Prime, but on October 8, we will get a different Metroid. Metroid Dread is set after the events of Metroid Fusion, and it calls back to a side-scrolling era of Metroids, a very different game.
Once again, you’ll take the reins of Samus Aran, the legendary and ultra-capable bounty hunter, and she’ll come with new tools, with new melee attacks and a series of stealth capabilities as well. And while this is a side-scrolling exploration game, it promises to be fast-paced too, challenging you to both explore and think on your feet against new enemies as well.
THE RISE OF XBOX CLOUD
To be clear, this one actually started a few years ago, when Google began pioneering Stadia, a streaming platform that lets you play games that stream directly to your Stadia app -- or your TV via Chromecast. Either way, it’s become a wildly underrated way to play top-tier games without a console.
Xbox has quietly been laying the foundation for a similar concept with Xbox Game Pass and X-Cloud. Xbox Game Pass offers a vast library of Xbox games, a rotating library that includes some great hits (and will include Xbox-exclusive titles like Halo Infinite from Day One). Now comes the next evolution: Xbox is exploring putting technology into TVs that will allow you to stream games to the TV.
Does this mean bye-bye consoles? Unlikely. There’s a good chance that the most gamer-focused of gamers will want their Series X (and PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch) so they can get a premium gaming experience. But not everyone wants that experience, and for some, this could help Game Pass become the Netflix of gaming, a handy subscription that easily streams a library of titles to your TV. It’s a glimpse into amazing things to come. And yes, you’re gonna love it.
AND A NOTE FROM TECH-LAND: SAMSUNG TEAMS UP WITH DUSTIN POIRIER
Everyone’s readying for UFC 264 next month, and just in time for that (and Father’s Day), we’re all getting a glimpse into lightweight superstar Dustin Poirier’s training.
Poirier’s been grabbing behind-the-scenes clips of his training using Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra, which is loaded with a terrific camera, and he’s aiming to showcase a lot more than pushups and situps. Turns out fatherhood is playing a key role in his training prep. “MY family has been my anchor,” he says, adding that he communicates with his family on video calls with his Galaxy. “This lifestyle is intense, but staying connected with my family keeps me grounded. It’s just fighting. I’m a father and a husband and that’s forever.”
