It’s been a crazy year so far for PSU. Not only does it feel like it was a matter of days ago that we stepped back off the plane from E3, but we also launched our new-look site for PlayStation gamers this month. However, we’re not about to put our feet up just yet as Gamescom begins next week, kicking off with the hottest ticket in town, Sony’s Gamescom 2014 press conference.
Without further ado, here’s our predictions for what could happen during the show:
1. The indie bandwagon rolls into Cologne
Sony will undoubtedly use the platform of Gamescom to showcase the talent of indie studios once again and we predict a selection of titles showcased via a montage trailer for PS3, PS4 and Vita, including Everybody’s Gone To Rapture, No Man’s Sky and Abzu. Like last year’s Gamescom, a handful of new titles are likely to be revealed by PlayStation Europe’s Shahid Ahmad.
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2. The Witness gets a release date
The Witness blog was kept regularly up-to-date by designer Jonathan Blow throughout 2014, right up until July 10 when the posts stopped. Could it be that he’s been working hard on the final touches of his 3D puzzle game in anticipation of announcing a firm upcoming release date for later this year?
With Sony Computer Entertainment Europe publishing the game, we’d expect at least mention of The Witness and word on how development is going. We may see it for the first time in all its 1080p/60fps glory, but we also wouldn’t be surprised to hear about its launch date. Expect an extended demo from its E3 showing on the show floor.
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3. Until Dawn scares abound
It’s pretty much guaranteed that Supermassive Games’ Until Dawn will feature at Gamescom in some form or another. The fact that Sony has teased it now in not one, but two trailers suggests that the horror adventures is one of its big announcements this year. Until Dawn was first announced at Gamescom 2012, but this year we’re expecting a surprise or two.
The serial-killing slasher will cut a chunk of its audience out if it decides to be a PS Move exclusive game, so expect news of DualShock 4 support, but more impressively Project Morpheus compatibility. We wouldn’t be surprised at all to see a working sample of Until Dawn using Project Morpheus on the show floor utilising the headset and Move as a VR input device.
Want to know more about Until Dawn, check out 7 facts you should know about PlayStation’s serial-killing exclusive.
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4. VR thrills with Project Morpheus
Project Morpheus is in the running in the Gamescom award category of BEST HARDWARE as momentum continues to build for Sony’s virtual reality headset. Gamescom is likely to feature the headset more prominently than E3. We don’t expect a release date or price announced at this stage, but we may hear about a few games to get people excited about and some working demos on the show floor, including Until Dawn.
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Continued overleaf…
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5. New IPs take centre stage
We’re expecting to see a couple of new trailers, including the reveal of Guerilla Games’ mysterious RPG, which didn’t appear at E3. However, we’ve got an inkling that it will be Media Molecule who takes to the stage to reveal its latest project. Media Molecule has been sending out teasers of its new game, most recently in a glitch video last month. We have absolutely no idea what the game could be, but we can’t wait to see.
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6. Emphasis on first-party exclusives
No doubt Sony will use the Gamescom platform to willy-wave about some of its first-party exclusives. Expect new trailers during the conference for The Order: 1886, Bloodborne, inFamous: First Light and LittleBigPlanet 3.
7. Driveclub Beta
The October release date for Driveclub is looming and Evolution Studio’s racer is a major title for Sony on PS4. We can expect a new trailer, but what we’re guessing might happen is a release date for the beta phase is confirmed. We’ll go even further than that by predicting that the beta phase will begin during Gamescom for PlayStation Plus subscribers, only with an open beta phase shortly after.
8. Going out with a bang by stepping into Uncharted territory
We remember sitting in the audience at Sony’s Gamescom 2012 press conference when it revealed the dramatic cargo plane scene from Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. The reaction from the audience and around the world was incredible. Wouldn’t it be great if the conference concluded with a trailer of similar impact?
Continued overleaf…
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9. PlayStation Now Beta European details
The beta of PlayStation Now is currently in full swing in the U.S., though lips have so far been tightly-sealed about its European debut. We predict a video walkthrough of the service along with announcement of the European beta release date window. Our prediction is that PlayStation Now beta will launch in Europe in November with a release date planned for Q1 2015.
10. PS Vita – DS4 Remote Play compatibility and new accessory
One of the worst things about Vita Remote Play is having to adapt to the control changes forced upon you. In June, Sony sent out a very in-depth survey to users via email specifically focusing on Vita and Remote Play. Sony is definitely aware of the demand from Vita owners to let us pair the DualShock 4 with PS Vita when playing away from home. Couple this announcement with the reveal of an accessory allowing you to mount Vita onto the DS4 and Sony is onto a winner – PS Vita becomes a portable PS4.
11. PS4 and PS Vita Minecraft bundle
Minecraft has been a phenomenon since its release on PC back in 2009. The PlayStation 3 version of Minecraft has already been released, while the Vita version has been delayed, but was expected to launch this month. There’s probably a good reason for the delay. Vita is flagging and what better franchise to give it a pick-me-up then a multi-million selling franchise such as Minecraft. Expect news of an attractive Vita/Minecraft bundle with a release date of September. How about a PS4 bundle too?
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12. Destiny information explosion
The incredibly popular Destiny beta may have ended by the hype bandwagon will continue to roll throughout Gamescom with Titans, Warlocks, Hunters and others confirmed to be roaming the show floor. A host of new details about Destiny are likely to land, including the showcase of new multiplayer game modes.
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We’re predicting to see either a new multiplayer mode or Raid gameplay showcased live on stage, possibly featuring the previously-announced The Vault of Glass. And we’re predicting that Bungie will announce further Raid-based content.
You can win a copy of Destiny Limited Edition and a brand spanking new PS4 with PSU right now.
13. Wishful thinking? A PS4 price cut
We’re not entirely convinced that Sony will reduce the price of the PS4 so early in its life cycle, but rumour has it that Microsoft may introduce a 50 EURO price drop for Xbox One, making it cheaper than Sony’s console. The Spanish Xbox team are claiming this was a mistake, but was it? Will Sony follow suit in order to compete with its competitor? Personally, we don’t think they need to at this point, but you never know.
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PSU will be covering Gamescom in-depth throughout the week, kicking off with the live stream of the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare multiplayer reveal on Monday, and then the Sony Press Conference on Tuesday.