Tons of new big video games from giant publishers and developers made it to E3 2017 except for hotly anticipated "Borderlands 3", "The Last of Us 2", and "Super Smash Bros." for Nintendo Switch. But there are the apparent reasons why these three titles did not appear at this year's trade expo and what could happen next.
Borderlands 3
Despite lack of announcement, Gearbox Software hinted the development of "Borderlands 3" during the Game Developers'Conference (GDC) in March. CEO Randy Pitchford he presented a technical demo that showed a glimpse at the franchise' future with its stunning render of characters and environments in great detail.
He further suggested its progress when he posted a selfie in motion capture suit on his Twitter account a few months after GDC. However, the development team might not be that ready to reveal "Borderlands 3" at this year's E3 just yet for obvious reasons.
Gearbox is still busy working on the transition of its multiplayer, "Battleborn", to a pseudo-free model for its multiplayer mode, more so, it has also ventured into publishing games such as "Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition". But it has been almost five years since the release of the massive hit, "Borderlands 2", so, perhaps it is about time.
Super Smash Bros. on Nintendo Switch
"Super Smash Bros. for Switch was also a no-show at E3 2017, but that despite it is not yet announced by Nintendo, it is quite a certain thing. The game is hugely popular because of its impressive fighting mechanics and fan-favorite roster of characters, however, it is made available to Wii U, which only has a small number of users.
The release of "Super Smash Bros." on Switch offers Nintendo a big opportunity to tap a bigger number of players who want the game on its newest hybrid console. The game can be transformed into a better version equipped with a local, on-the-go multiplayer and not only port the game, so, it could take a while, otherwise, the announcement has already been done.
The Last of Us 2
Naughty Dog's "The Last of Us 2" was not mentioned at all at Sony's E3 2017 briefing and game director Neil Druckmann had to explain the reason for it on Twitter. Druckmann said that it was the perfect time for standalone expansion, "Uncharted: Lost Legacy", to shine at the event.
Fans can guess that "The Last of Us 2" will get another trailer or gameplay demo at upcoming events this year. It could make another appearance at the Sony-centric PlayStation Experience 2017 where it first debuted in December.
The next event up is Gamescom in August and the Tokyo Game Show (TGS) in September. So, fans can hold on to their hope to hear official details regarding "Borderlands 3", "Super Smash Bros." Switch, and "The Last of Us 2" soon.