E3 2021 Pipe Dreams, Hopes, and Predictions

It’s that time of year again! E2 2021 is completely online this year, and with Nintendo’s announcement of their showcase time, the schedule is starting to take shape.

Summer Game Fest begins on June 10, followed by Koch Primetime on June 11, and then the start of E3 proper on June 12.

So far, digital E3 events have been announced by Ubisoft, the PC Gaming Show, Devolver Digital, Xbox & Bethesda (they’re together now), Limited Run Games, and Nintendo. There are some smaller events scattered in and around the E3 dates as well, so I’ll consider covering those.

Will Square Enix have its own showcase? I hope so, but they haven’t announced it yet.

Update: Square Enix has now announced its E3 presentation, and others have been revealed through the official E3 schedule, including Bandai Namco.

(Meanwhile, PlayStation is off doing its own thing again, and EA is saving its showcase for late July.)

With the big event almost upon us, I can’t help but hope for exciting news!

E3 Pipe Dreams

You know, I’m running out of pipe dreams. In 2015, I thought a TWEWY sequel and Bayonetta 3 were pipe dreams, but they’re both in development. In 2016, I added Dai Gyakuten Saiban to the list, and that’s happening. We got a new Layton game and another Paper Mario in the meantime, too (and my feelings toward Origami King softened thanks to Bug Fables filling that Paper Mario void).

That means my only remaining pipe dreams from prior years are:

• Ace Attorney Investigations 2 localization (chances are better than ever now)
• Tales of Symphonia prequel (no way it’ll happen with Arise coming out so soon)
• Xenosaga HD (they say it’s impossible, but I still hope)
• Knights of the Old Republic III (doubtful, but there are rumors of a KotOR remake)
• World of Final Fantasy 2
• Mother 3 localization
• Persona 3 remake

And you know what? I’ll just go ahead and toss all of my remaining top localization dreams onto the list: the untranslated Tales games, Fatal Frame IV, Crossbell, and the Yakuza spin-offs.

But now let’s move on to something a bit more reasonable…

E3 2021 Hopes and Predictions

Square Enix is at the top when it comes to hopes and predictions, which is one of the main reasons I hope they’ll announce their own showcase. We’re supposed to get Final Fantasy XVI news this year, and there are rumors of a Souls-inspired Final Fantasy spin-off. And while it’s probably too early, I can’t help but hope for even a small tease of Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2. And… Babylon’s Fall? Please?

Update: Babylon’s Fall is confirmed to be part of Square Enix’s E3 lineup.

Meanwhile, I think Ubisoft’s show will give us payoff for the Mario + Rabbids sequel rumors after all, and the Xbox show will include another look at Halo Infinite and maybe Psychonauts 2.

From Nintendo, I’ll dare to hope for Bayonetta 3 news at long last, and I expect we’ll get a look at Breath of the Wild 2 and maybe Metroid Prime 4. News about Shin Megami Tensei V also feels likely. Personally, I hope to see something from Monolith Soft, whether it’s a Xenoblade Chronicles X port, a new Xenoblade title, or the announcement of their mysterious fantasy IP.

I’ll also be bold and guess Elden Ring will finally be shown, maybe at the Xbox show or Summer Game Fest, which people seem to think is likely.

(Of course, there’s every chance Bayonetta and Elden Ring fans will be crying together again after E3.)

More than anything, I want the E3 showcases to dazzle me with surprise announcements I never saw coming. There’s nothing more exciting at these events than the announcement of a new, unanticipated game that looks fantastic.

So, what are you hoping to see from E3 2021? What do you expect to be announced? Share your own hopes or predictions in the comments!

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