Infendo’s E3 2009 predictions
Friday, May 29th, 2009 at 11:23pm by Jake
Another summer begins thus spawning another E3. For Nintendo fans this event is the super bowl of gaming. Unfortunately our past two E3 experiences have not been quite enjoyable (see “broken wrist”), but as always here at the Infendo headquarters we have faith in a promising press conference that bears some substantial fruit.
Here’s what our staff members predict to see from Nintendo at this year’s E3 2009.
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Jake
1. Pikmin 3 is officially announced for the Wii. Includes Wifi multiplayer and is the best looking title on the Wii.
2. Retro Studios reveals their megaton project. Rocks the house. Could be the rumored Metroid Dread.
3. Wii Sports Resort is fully unveiled. Used to promote the summer games line-up.
4. Towards the middle/end of the conference a huge title is teased for the Wii. It is either Zelda (please!), Mario, or Kid Icarus. One of these is utilizing MotionPlus.
5. Portable Virtual Console is announced for late 2009/early 2010. Enables you to download GB, GBC, GBA, and even Game Gear titles straight to your DSi.
6. Red Steel 2 is presented at the show in full MotionPlus glory.
7. Cammie Dunaway jokes at her performance at E3 2008, but digs a larger grave by embarrassing herself as well as the Nintendo community. Breaks her own wrist to create conversation.
8. Major Wiiware titles announced.
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Jack
1. Wii Sports Resort full reveal — all games, modes, some special features, etc
2. Keynote features “core” games like Conduit; also, demos of Tiger Woods and the tennis titles (bonus prediction: Tiger Woods himself is involved somehow)
3. Wii Fit Plus revealed in full
4. Game Boy line added to DSiWare store
5. Major reach: Franchise game(s) (zelda) revealed in teaser form. This is a reach because Nintendo is notorious for not revealing major games like this at E3.
6. Wii MotionPlus is going to be everywhere
7. At least three new games that feature MotionPlus or are entirely dependent on the tech (and will be bundles for $50-$60)
8. Cammie Dunaway will be awkward in some way. Will then joke about how awkward she is, thereby taking the whole thing to an entirely new level of awkward
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Derek
I think Michael Pachter is wrong—Nintendo doesn’t “have to do” anything at E3 this year. In fact, the company could trot its highest-profile executives out on stage one at a time to flip-off the crowd, and despite the venomous criticism we’d levy, they would still sell a billion games, consoles and stupid peripherals from now until Christmas.
Nintendo isn’t dumb. They’re well aware of how little they have to do to make a profit these days, and they’re even more aware of the wide canyon that exists between industry logic and what works for them.
Translation? Don’t get too excited about E3.
Expect plenty of casual fare for the Wii Fit crowd—it’s difficult to imagine a Wii Fit sequel and Wii Sports Resort not having starring roles in Nintendo’s E3 presser. Along with Cammie Dunaway.
The Nintendo of five years ago, which would blow the lid off E3 with epic announcements and plenty of traditional software, is gone. That said, I do expect more hardcore-focused titles this year—Pikmin 3 is likely, and while I doubt we’ll see both Mario and Zelda show up so soon after their last outings, a trailer for one could be possible.
Or Nintendo could shock the world. We’ll know soon enough.
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Will
1. Reggie Turns into the Hulk and smashes Sony’s Booth
2. They announce Mother Compilation for the Nintendo DS
3. Stafy is the New Kirby.
4. The Legend of Zelda for the Wii
5. Pikmin 3 incorporates the DSi
6. Cammy Falls off stage while talking about her pets
7. Punch Out for the DS is announced by Little Mac
8. Smash Bros DS with Wifi
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David
1. Peripheral add-on to the Wii that allows streaming video a la Apple TV or Roku for on demand entertainment. Plug it into your Wii and a new channel appears on your Wii menu.
2. OR plug your Wii into it. The device has new outputs to your TV (component? HDMI?) and does a 720p upscale conversion. Call it Wii HD Lite.
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While fighting at the Infendo HQ over what exactly Nintendo will announce next week we came to one agreed prediction. One way or another Miyamoto WILL ride out onto the stage in a train along with a cosplay Link conducting the locomotive. Jack then speculates Miyamoto will shout “Canceled! HAHAHA. Here’s a real Zelda title, with nary a train in sight!” Sadly we are introduced to The Legend of Zelda: Wii Music Edition in which as Will put it “USE THE Wii MOTE AS THE VIOLIN AND THE NUNCHUCK AS THE VIOLIN’S BOW!” We are to then shout “Wow! That’s Intuitive and clever! Here’s my money!”
That’s what we think…how about you? What do you expect to be announced? Will Nintendo make up for their two year casual market streak by revealing a diverse software line-up, or will we see another three days of soccer mom’s greatest hits? Comment below!
May 29th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
I agree with Jake and Will. I also hope new franchises are revealed, and old ones that haven’t appeared yet will be revived.
May 30th, 2009 at 1:34 am
1. Pikmin 3 is officially announced for the Wii. Includes Wifi multiplayer and is the best looking title on the Wii.
2. They announce Mother Compilation for the Nintendo DS
Haha. You guys sure are funny!
Now, what I think will happen? Nintendo will showcase more support for VC, VCA, WiiWAre, and DSiWare (maybe even lift the Wiiware size limit) and announce some killer new DL titles.
EBA 2 (It’s been hinted at by the IGN crew. A nerdy title that isn’t huge but will make some fans happy)
A “Core support” section showcasing S&P2, TvC, HVS games, a surprise Sega title, maybe MH3
More Wii Fit Plus, motion plus, etc.
New Mario or Zelda with release later this year (shelf space-savers). Nintendo doesn’t like to tease for too long anymore
Now what would I LIKE to see? F-Zero Wii
May 30th, 2009 at 1:43 am
Oh and you know what? Maybe having DK and the Blue Falcon make cameo apperances in games is more than just a polite nod to those franchises. Maybe a new DK game and a new F-Zero game aren’t too far-fetched?
May 30th, 2009 at 10:06 am
I’m gonna back will on this one for a few reasons, most importantly: REGGIE SMASH!!! RAAAAAAAAAAWR
lol but also, I’m an optimist, new Wii Zelda and Smash Bros. DS
One thing though, Kirby will always come before Stafy.. sorry.
May 30th, 2009 at 11:05 am
For the most part, the predictions were good, but seriously, stop bringing up Kid Icarus. that game has been rumored for such a long time. I have lost all faith that it will happen and you know what. I could care less at the moment. If they do show it great, if not, I won’t be disappointed. however, I will be dissappointed if they don’t reveal something along the lines of Zelda Wii using motion+.
May 30th, 2009 at 11:41 am
I really hope they do some English Footage of Mario and Luigi RPG 3 along with an English Name and a Date.
I’m also hoping we’ll see WarioWare: Myself there With Footage and Date.
For the DSi, I’m VERY MUCH HOPING that they’ll announce VC for it.
Although I doubt they’ll do it, I’d like to see Mother Compilation as well.
I’m expect more likely they’ll give more info on Pikmin 3. I’m also expecting them to announce a new Console Zelda or Mario (Probably Zelda though). They’ll probably do some more Info on Spirit Tracks too.
May 30th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
I like it a lot when videogame universes collide, a la Smash Bros, and I wonder whether we would ever seen anything like that in a different form?
Like a co-op bounty hunting game with Samus Aran & Captain Falcon?
and throw some Fox McCloud in there?
Who knows. I just feel like if a game was made like this it could honestly be some great fun. And there’s no need to make it cheesy… just give the characters some real personality and let them interact. Why not push the boundaries beyond fanservice and into real creativity with the franchises? Videogames are supposed to be fun, aren’t they?
May 30th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
I’m going to go with basically what Derek said. He seems to be the only realist in the group.
Prepare for disappointment guys. That way if we get anything out of E3 it will be a bonus.
May 30th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
I’m going to say Derek is sadly probably the closest to being right. It doesn’t matter really what Nintendo does, they will win. They could each come out one at a time and stand there, pick their nose, fart, then moon the audience. Miyamoto himself could come out and tell everyone that it doesn’t matter what they show, that everyone knows it, and then take a dump in a box and then say “Here’s your new hardcore exclusive a-holes!” and then announce the new controllers and add-ons: The Wii Butt Scratcher attacment, the Wii Invisibile Board, which is actually nothing but they’ll convince everyone it’s an invisible balance board, and the Wii Headband, which is just actually a headband. And as for new games, they’ll just say ‘Oh….we’re just going to keep re-releasing GameCube games, that seems to make you guys boner anyway!”
And after all that, there will still be many fanboys that defend it as a great E3 for Nintendo.
On second thought…I think I would actually like to see Nintendo do all that.
May 31st, 2009 at 3:41 pm
a year later i still want kid icarus.
May 31st, 2009 at 5:23 pm
How trustworthy is this?
http://www.thehdroom.com/news/Japan_Report_New_Wii_Fit_and_Mario_This_Year/4892
June 1st, 2009 at 7:02 am
@ Dustin
well IGN has the same article (http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/988/988444p1.html) so i presume it’s quite likely
June 1st, 2009 at 12:19 pm
tee hee i’m as giddy as a kid guessing what’s in his presents the night before christmas. let’s hope it’s not lame tube socks with blue and yellow stripes and it’s an awesome E3 for us infendites (did we decide what we are yet?)
June 2nd, 2009 at 8:26 am
I am hoping for the Soccer Dads greatest hits that you promised. It is what I like.
What is a ‘Ikarius’? Sounds ‘kiddie’.
Considering what Microsoft is offering with the camera I would hope for some more inovation from Big N.
What was Steven Speilberg doing on stage for Microsoft? I thought he was a Nintendo exclusive. I’ll Bash Party him!