2019 Gaming Predictions

Shut up balla and mas, Breath of the Wild is the best piece of art the human race has ever achieved and Skyward Sword was best Zelda before that.

To this day Skyward Sword is the only 3d Zelda I've not only never finished, but never even progressed beyond the second dungeon.

Dunno what it was, the game just didn't hold my attention. Ghirahim was aces though!

I'd probably finish it if they ported it without the motion controls, I have actually considered going back to it a few times over the years but just can't be stuffed dealing with the Wii's claptrap in the lounge room.

Balladeer wrote:

So were Ocarina, Twilight Princess, Minish Cap... heck, even Majora was functionally linear in the way it worked, and that managed an overworld. Skyward Sword doesn't get a free pass for that, not from me anyway. Deliberately scrapping one of the better things about Zelda games does not a great Zelda game make!

I did still enjoy SS though, although I had further problems with it. The motion controls were (yes Jimbob) excellent.

Nah SS is way more of a linear action-adventure than any other Zelda as the "dungeon" gameplay spills out of the dungeons and into the "overworlds". Getting between dungeons is as much a series of puzzles and scripted combat scenarios as the dungeons themselves, whereas in OoT and TP the overworld is primarily for exploration. The overall structure of the games is linear, in that you progress through them in a defined order following the storyline, but they aren't linear in minute-to-minute gameplay, whereas Skyward Sword basically is outside of Skyloft.

Put it this way - in 3 weeks in 2011 Skyward Sword, Uncharted 3 and Skyrim all got released, and contrary to what most people might expect Skyward Sword shares a lot more with Uncharted 3 than it does Skyrim.

Look Mas got a prediction right already with The Division 2 being a Epic Store exclusive

Sort of, it's on uplay too right which you can buy keys for from various places

OrangeRakoon wrote:

Nah SS is way more of a linear action-adventure than any other Zelda as the "dungeon" gameplay spills out of the dungeons and into the "overworlds". Getting between dungeons is as much a series of puzzles and scripted combat scenarios as the dungeons themselves, whereas in OoT and TP the overworld is primarily for exploration. The overall structure of the games is linear, in that you progress through them in a defined order following the storyline, but they aren't linear in minute-to-minute gameplay, whereas Skyward Sword basically is outside of Skyloft.

Put it this way - in 3 weeks in 2011 Skyward Sword, Uncharted 3 and Skyrim all got released, and contrary to what most people might expect Skyward Sword shares a lot more with Uncharted 3 than it does Skyrim.

Ah I see.  In that case I just don't like what it was trying to do so much.  I did like the game as a whole, though - again, belting motion controls. Just not as much as everyone else seemed to.

I'm with Balla on the motion controls, for me they worked fantastically

The motion controls were fantastic, the aesthetics were gorgeous
the dungeoneering was unparalleled, the characters were wonderful and for me the sky was enough to scratch my exploratory itch. Ill conceee that people's complaints are valid but none of them stopped me falling head over heels in love with the game.

I agree with everything you just said Drunka why it's my 3rd favourite Zelda behind Wind Waker and Twilight.

Changes to make for a remaster:

- Make Fi optional
- Only pop up text telling you about items the first time you pick them up, not every play session

I forgot to put any predictions. I'll probably do that in December, but for 2019 the only thing I really, really, really want to see happen is a twenty-fifth anniversary remaster of Sonic 3 & Knuckles, developed by the good cunts who did Sonic Mania.

I even didn't put in a humorous/'humorous' subtitle for you, Cappa.

OrangeRakoon wrote:

Sort of, it's on uplay too right which you can buy keys for from various places

Metro Exodus then

Half year post-E3 update bay bay

Nintendo
1. E3 Booth to based on one game which is likely Animal Crossing, Nope
2. Some sort of Zelda game to keep the one game per year since about 2010 Yep Link's Awakening and Cadence of Hyrule
3. Level-5 Character in SMASH, Not yet
4. Koei Tecmo Character in SMASH, Not yet
5. Some sort of partnership with MS likely Banjo in SMASH, Yep and not sure if Cuphead was announced when we did these
6. New Switch like DSi, New 3DS, PS4 Pro, One X, Not yet
7. Something else comes to NSO that isn't an NES game Tetris 99 as it's only on NSO
8. Wii U port (Not NSMBU) to 3DS or Switch, Not yet
9. A GameCube game get's HD'd, Not yet
10. Ubisoft exclusive thing, Don't think so yet

PlayStation
1. Two PSX like events (I think one will be June time either before or after E3), We've had state of play but wasn't what I was thinking
2. PS5 will be shown at the later PSX to launch in 2020, Could still happen especially with news on the system
3. New Uncharted game not from Naughty Dog announced, Might happen still
4. Bluepoint announces their new game, Still might happen
5. MediEvil is not good (It never was that good, yes I will buy it) eg less than 70 on Metacritic, Still to come out
6. Days Gone is actually good eg 75+ on Metacritic but no one really cares that much about (Yes I will get it), Nope it wasn't a 75+ but people didn't care
7. Guerrilla shows of the other game (not HZD2) which will likely be part of the PS5 showcase, Could still happen
8. Only one of the Big Three comes out in 2019 with Death Stranding to be the most likely, So far so good
9. Death Stranding to be really divisive on Metacritic so either critic's give it 90+ but Users 3's or the other way around with things like you love Kojima or you don't get Kojima, I reckon this will still happen
10. PS4 passes 100m sold and may even pass the Wii & PS1, Pretty much going to happen

Microsoft
1. Scarlett is announced at E3, Bingo
2. Scarlett to have two SKU's, Not at the moment maybe next E3
3. MS will have some sort of Japanese team, Nope
4. MS will buy at least two studios, Just the one so far
5. Gears 5 to launch in October, I was a month out
6. RARE allows someone to use an IP (like with Battletoads), As of now nope
7. Fable is announced from Playground, Nope, I'm thinking next E3
8. Less than three games from the new studios come out (Doesn't count things like Outer Worlds), Looks like it will just be the one game Bleeding Edge
9. Some sort of Japanese exclusive, PSO2 is a timed exclusive
10. Some sort of partnership with Nintendo likely Banjo in SMASH, Bingo

Other
1. Final Fantasy XVI announced, Nope, maybe next E3
2. Watch Dogs 3 to be the big Ubisoft end of the year game, Got the game but not the year unless we're talking fiscal year
3. Epic Games store to get a big timed exclusive A few which has annoyed everyone
4. Shenmue III is bad, It's going to be horrendous
5. Cyberpunk 2077 to be confirmed for PS5 and Scarlett, As of now no but I would like to come back to this in 2020
6. THQ buys some random IP They bought Kingdom Come Deliverance and have like 80 games in development now
7. Google releases its streaming box thing, Stadia on the way
8. Red Dead Redemption 2 comes to PC, Nope
9. Marvel game announced, Iron Man VR
10. Rocksteady announce their new game, Nope also what is WB doing?

Yeah, I'll do a half year update, sure!

JayMoyles wrote:

I'll do some predictions this year - 10 for Ninty and 5 each for the rest.

Nintendo

1) Sora to be announced for Smash alongside ports of the Kingdom Hearts series for Switch That'll be a no. Could still happen... there's two DLC slots left!
2) Metroid Prime 4 to be delayed to 2020 That's a bingo.
3) Animal Crossing will be this year's big autumn release Negative.
4) Pokémon will be the big winter game And that's a bingo!
5) And I guess that leaves Fire Emblem as the summer game Correct.
6) Spring? Fuck knows. Yoshi? I mean, I guess, but "big" is another story.
7) SNES games will not be added to the Switch Online offerings Remains to be seen, but there's no sign of the NES games stopping. 1 year anniversary of Switch Online will be the kicker, I reckon.
Skyward Sword Remastered to be revealed Highly unlikely. Aonuma was on record scoffing at the idea.
9) New 2D Zelda game to be announced Cadence of Hyrule or Link's Awakening, take your pick.
10) New Nintendo IP to be shown off too I don't think so, right?

Sony

1) FFVII Remake to finally get a release date, 2020 naturally Correct!
2) Horizon Zero Dawn 2 to be announced Negative!
3) Bloodborne 2 (or the spiritual successor at the very least) to be revealed Unless Elden Ring is gothic and Lovecraftian, I doubt it.
4) PS5 announcement at PSX this year, and it'll be disappointing Remains to be seen!
5) Death Stranding will get a release date. 2020, natch That'll be a no! 2019.

Microsoft

1) Xbox Two or whatever announced this year - backwards compatible out of the box and a heavy push on on-demand games services like Game Pass Yep, bit of a gimme, that one.
2) Microsoft will show off at least six exclusives from their new studios to tempt people to pick up their new console I don't think so, right?
3) New Rare platformer Nope.
4) The Outer Worlds to get exclusive content on Xbox by way of Obsidian being first party now Nope.
5) Despite all this, Microsoft will still struggle compared to Sony in 2019 Er, I guess?

Other

1) Valve still won't bother announcing a new game Auto Chess was announced, right? Is that even Valve/
2) New Ace Attorney to be revealed Nope.
3) Harry Potter action RPG thing to be released in the autumn What happened to that, anyway?
4) Shadow of Tsushima will win the majority of GOTY awards No sign of this even coming out yet.
5) Mother 3 will... not be announced for the West. You've beat the optimism out of me, Nintendo. Correct...

Again Harry Potter is WB

Also Outer Worlds is on Game Pass which I don't think it would of happened if not for MS owning Obsidian.

I was more thinking like exclusive quests or something like with Destiny on PS4.

Why not.

Balladeer wrote:

Nintendo

1. The Smash Bros. Ultimate season pass contains at least one more character who's never seen the light of day properly on a Nintendo platform.  Balladeer turns puce just thinking about it.  Also, it contains an indie character of some sort.  They're fun to play as. There's still time, but not thus far. Mind you, Banjo has never and will never be on Switch.
   
2. One of the SSBU characters' games is brought to Switch.  No more than one, mind. You could argue that Dragon Quest XI nailed this, but it's not what I was looking for.
   
3. Daemon x Machina is good, but not quite as good as I'm hoping.  Measured 'objectively' by a score in the 80s on Metacritic. Can't be answered yet.
   
4. Yoshi's Crafty World doesn't manage to hit the same heights.  Measured 'objectively' by a 65-79 score on Metacritic. 79! Just.
   
5. We finally see Metroid Prime 4.  It has disappointing voice-acted NPCs in it.  It's also delayed until 2020. 2020? Try 2022.
   
6. Pokémon Gen. 8 links into Let's Go! in a big way.  Trumpets the connectivity on the box or something.  It introduces new Megas.  Balladeer turns puce again. Part 1 could still be true. Part 2, happily, looks like it's going to be false.
   
7. One and only one of the following announced at E3: Star Fox, F-Zero, 2D Mario, Paper Mario, Waluigi's Great Adventure. We got none of these, which was a bit bobbins.
   
8. Switch redesign announced.  It's smaller, but has no power drop: more a redesign than a new version. Nothing yet.
   
9. SNES games announced for Switch Online.  N64 games are not. Nothing yet.
   
10. Nintendo finally stop pretending to support the 3DS.  No first or second-party games in the last three months of the year, or a formal notice. This looks very likely.

Nontendo

1. Continues to fade into irrelevance against the GLORIOUS SWITCH. Never was this more true than over E3.

Not exactly covering myself with glory there: I'm looking at 2/10. Prediction 7 does illustrate, despite its solidity, how light the E3 Direct was on surprises: BotW2 was big, but it's years away yet, and there was nothing else of the same level.

@Jay I'd give you half a point if I was judging as Spencer has said before he doesn't like exclusive content as he feels everyone should have it all

@Balla History though with Banjo also I wouldn't be shocked to see Banjo on Switch

That would be nice, and with MS' new pally-pally approach it's not entirely out of the question. Also, while I'd generally insist on Banjo's latest game coming out on a Nintendo console, nobody actually views N&B as Banjo's finest hour. (Well, nobody besides .)

Nostradamus888 wrote:

Nintendo:

-Pokemon gen 8 to exist, possible late-year release Right on the money
-Fire Emblem Three Houses to somehow have a decent localisation despite Treehouse being involved Still up in the air
-Zelda rumours begin to float around, but nothing concrete beyond "we're working on a new game".  Internet to explode anyway. JUST CALL ME NOSTRADAMUS!
-Some old IP to get a new game, but for it to not be F-Zero because god forbid they make a futuristic racer without any gimmicks A swing and a miss here
-Switch to get a handheld SKU Rumours flying around say I'll be right by years end
-3DS to continue to get releases to the bafflement of even myself.  3DS4EVER

Microsoft:

-Continue to become irrelevant as the PS4 and a PC do the exact same job far better Pretty much.  I'll be fair, this was a vague statement which would've been hard to get wrong.

Sony:

-Censorship woes to begin impacting Japanese companies making games for the PS4, Nintendo to begin seeing a slight increase in third party support as a result. Not just yet, but it's starting to creep in for sure
-Something something generic zombie game 102 and 103 to be shown off again, continue to be vaporware Well I'll be damned, Days Gone has come and gone.  See what I did there!  
-Generic shootybang games galore as usual Yeah.
-New Tales game, releasing early 2020 in the west.  Woohoo, this turned out to be right!

Another year, another example that being a cynical arse makes you capable of seeing the future!

The year is almost over and we've just had what seems to be the last State of Play, Nintendo Indie Showcase and The Game Awards along with already having the last Inside Xbox & Nintendo Direct that till whatever the first one is next year, the news will dry up till then.

Meaning I can and you can look at these

Nintendo
1. E3 Booth to based on one game which is likely Animal Crossing, Nope 0 points
2. Some sort of Zelda game to keep the one game per year since about 2010, Yep Link's Awakening and Cadence of Hyrule 1 point
3. Level-5 Character in SMASH, Nope 0 points
4. Koei Tecmo Character in SMASH, Nope 0 points
5. Some sort of partnership with MS likely Banjo in SMASH, Yep and Cuphead & Ori 1 point
6. New Switch like DSi, New 3DS, PS4 Pro, One X, The Switch Lite 1 point
7. Something else comes to NSO that isn't an NES game, Tetris 99 and SNES games 1 point
8. Wii U port (Not NSMBU) to 3DS or Switch, TMS #FE Encore was announced 0.5 points, could also say ACIII just the doesn't feel like a Wii U game
9. A GameCube game get's HD'd, Nope 0 points
10. Ubisoft exclusive thing, Yep the Rabbids game in China 1 point

Total 5.5/10

PlayStation
1. Two PSX like events (I think one will be June time either before or after E3), We've had state of play but wasn't what I was thinking 0 points
2. PS5 will be shown at the later PSX to launch in 2020, Nope 0 points
3. New Uncharted game not from Naughty Dog announced, Nope 0 points
4. Bluepoint announces their new game, Nope 0 points
5. MediEvil is not good (It never was that good, yes I will buy it) eg less than 70 on Metacritic, 67 so that's 1 point and I didn't buy it
6. Days Gone is actually good eg 75+ on Metacritic but no one really cares that much about (Yes I will get it), Only a 71 and I was going to say people didn't care about it but it's one of the best selling games of the year and anyone that has played seems to like it, maybe like 0.25 points
7. Guerrilla shows of the other game (not HZD2) which will likely be part of the PS5 showcase, Nope 0 points
8. Only one of the Big Three comes out in 2019 with Death Stranding to be the most likely, Yep the only one to come out 1 point
9. Death Stranding to be really divisive on Metacritic so either critic's give it 90+ but Users 3's or the other way around with things like you love Kojima or you don't get Kojima, I reckon this will still happen, Now it's met score is 81 that the critics are mixed but the user score especially with the recent news I was right about 0.5 points
10. PS4 passes 100m sold and may even pass the Wii & PS1, Yep 1 point

Total 3.75/10

Microsoft
1. Scarlett is announced at E3, Yep 1 point
2. Scarlett to have two SKU's, Nope 0 points
3. MS will have some sort of Japanese team, Nope 0 points
4. MS will buy at least two studios, Just Double Fine 0.5 points
5. Gears 5 to launch in October, Nope I was a month out 0 points
6. RARE allows someone to use an IP (like with Battletoads), Nope 0 points
7. Fable is announced from Playground, Nope 0 points
8. Less than three games from the new studios come out (Doesn't count things like Outer Worlds), No games from the new studios came out this year 1 point
9. Some sort of Japanese exclusive announced, PSO2 is a timed exclusive and got Crossfire X 1 point
10. Some sort of partnership with Nintendo likely Banjo in SMASH, Yep and put Cuphead & Ori on Switch 1 point

Total 4.5/10

Other
1. Final Fantasy XVI announced, Nope 0 points
2. Watch Dogs 3 to be the big Ubisoft end of the year game, Got the game but not the year unless we're talking fiscal year 0.5 points
3. Epic Games store to get a big timed exclusive, A few have happened 1 point
4. Shenmue III is bad, Nope from Meta it's not bad 0 points
5. Cyberpunk 2077 to be confirmed for PS5 and Scarlett, Nope and CDPR have also sort of said this 0 points
6. THQ buys some random IP, They bought Kingdom Come Deliverance and have like 80 games in development now 1 point as I'm not going over them all
7. Google releases its streaming box thing, Stadia isn't a box but is the gaming platform from Google 0.75 points
8. Red Dead Redemption 2 comes to PC, Yep 1 point
9. Marvel game announced, Iron Man VR also maybe MUA3 was announced this year 1 point
10. Rocksteady announce their new game, Nope also what is WB doing? 0 points

Total 5.25/10

Overall 19/40 points

Ha!  This.  Oh, this.  Not a good year for the ol' Balla, I don't think, and that'll be the most accurate prediction you see from me I reckon!

Balladeer wrote:

Nintendo

1. The Smash Bros. Ultimate season pass contains at least one more character who's never seen the light of day properly on a Nintendo platform.  Balladeer turns puce just thinking about it.  Also, it contains an indie character of some sort.  They're fun to play as.  I don't think so.  Fatal Fury was a Nintendoffering, wasn't it?  I could give myself a quarter of a point for the Sans costume, but won't.
   
2. One of the SSBU characters' games is brought to Switch.  No more than one, mind.  If I ignore the retro efforts, and I do, then we got Dragon Quest XI.  I'm claiming this as a rare win.
   
3. Daemon x Machina is good, but not quite as good as I'm hoping.  Measured 'objectively' by a score in the 80s on Metacritic.  68 mate.  In retrospect this was a hopeful, not a realistic, view.
   
4. Yoshi's Crafty World doesn't manage to hit the same heights.  Measured 'objectively' by a 65-79 score on Metacritic.  79!  It scrapes in, and wins me the point, but it absolutely shat on DxM.
   
5. We finally see Metroid Prime 4.  It has disappointing voice-acted NPCs in it.  It's also delayed until 2020.  AAAAAAHAHAHAHA
   
6. Pokémon Gen. 8 links into Let's Go! in a big way.  Trumpets the connectivity on the box or something.  It introduces new Megas.  Balladeer turns puce again.  Neither of these.
   
7. One and only one of the following announced at E3: Star Fox, F-Zero, 2D Mario, Paper Mario, Waluigi's Great Adventure.  I don't think we got a single one.  That'll teach me to bet my house on Waluigi.
   
8. Switch redesign announced.  It's smaller, but has no power drop: more a redesign than a new version.  Switch Lite.  Bang on.
   
9. SNES games announced for Switch Online.  N64 games are not.  Also bang on.  Am I having a late surge?
   
10. Nintendo finally stop pretending to support the 3DS.  No first or second-party games in the last three months of the year, or a formal notice.  I bloody am as well!  I think the last one was Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn in March.

Nontendo

1. Continues to fade into irrelevance against the GLORIOUS SWITCH.  Well duh.

5/10. That was surprisingly non-awful - meaning that my prediction at the beginning of the post was off!

I don't know who the guy I've quoted is, but he sounds like a prick.

Jimbob wrote:

Oh shit, I dunno, er...

Nintendooooooo

• Animal Crossing is released and is so wonderful (this can't be quantified, so this is an automatic victory) Ah well - this for next year
  
• The NES games dry up in quality - we get Zelda II, but then Clu-Clu Land, and then one random game a month Well I was sort of right. Sure enough, Clu Clu Land fucking turned up...
  
• But it's OK because the Free SNES Games happens ...Yeah! *guitars and airhorns*
  
• Skyward Sword HD is announced - everyone's excited because they forgot they didn't enjoy it that much Ah well. SAID NO-ONE
  
• We see a cutscene, but no gameplay, of Metroid Prime 4 Ah. No. Nintendo have a good track record of making people wait for things, but...
  
• Yoshi is an 8/10-er (from last time) Not even
  

Just, like... everyone else

• Psychonauts 2 is disappointing - I am in denial about this for a few months, but it ends up being a 7/10-er STILL WAITING TIM
  
• But they announce a direct sequel to Maniac Mansion!!!!! Pleeease? STILL WAITING TIM
  
• (carried over from 2017 and 2018) The Final Fantasy VII Remake is cancelled this year. I reckon this could still fall on its arse at this late stage
  
• (carried over from 2017 and 2018) Dreams is an unplayable mess. I'd like to claim I was correct. I hear people talking about making games, but no-one playing them. And even then, only through official Sony sources.
  
• (carried over from 2018)The Last of Us 2 is not going to be as well-received as the first; Naughty Dog are accused of "going too far" Still reckon
  
• (carried over from 2018)Tunic to be a surprise hit. It's an isometric Zelda-like with a widdle fox in it! Still reckon
  

Things that aren't even games

• I actually get a demo out for my next game idea, and never touch it again, even though it's barely functioning. Nope. I have some ideas though.
  
• Western civilisation will collapse Partial credit - we're on the way, motherfuckers.