Now that the press conferences, surprise announcements, and behind-closed-doors sessions of E3 have come and gone, it's time to revisit the predictions made by the Bitmob staff and community before the show started.
Who was right? Who was wrong? Who was so eerily prescient they could have a future career as a late-night informercial psychic? Let's find out!
Dan "Shoe" Hsu, Co-Founder
Prediction: I’m sure I’ll be way off on this, but hey...I’ll look brilliant if this comes true: a new, slimmed-down, more modern Xbox 360 console.
Post-E3 Analysis: Right.
Shoe hit it on the head: Microsoft unveiled the ultra-sleek slim Xbox 360 at the end of their press conference. To celebrate his lucky guess, he'll be giving away the console Microsoft sent to him and all of the other press members at the event. Stay tuned to Bitmob to find out how to win it!
Demian Linn, Co-Founder
Prediction: Bungie will debut its multiplatform game at the Sony press conference.
Post-E3 Analysis: Wrong.
Sorry, Demian. Aside from Halo: Reach, Bungie's presence at E3 was minimal. Next year's E3 may be another story, though.
Jason Wilson, Managing Editor
Prediction: Good Old Games will announce the acquisition of the Strategic Simulations, Inc., Dungeons & Dragons catalog -- aka the "Gold Box games." The first planned for release is Pool of Radiance. And Jason will leave E3 with mixed feelings, as while he endorses the return of the Gold Box games, he laments that no new RPG will be announced that features a six-character party system.
Post-E3 Analysis: Right and wrong.
Poor Jason. He missed the mark about Gold Old Games acquiring Strategic Simulations, and his correct prediction -- that no new RPGs with six-character parties would be announced -- is a bittersweet victory.
Aaron Thomas, Editor
Prediction: Browser-based Zelda MMO. If this doesn't come true, I'll eat my hat live on the Mobcast. [Ed. note: Aaron is currently on vacation, so I volunteered a guess for him. -Brett]
Post-E3 Analysis: Wrong.
Break out the salt and pepper, Aaron, because you'll be munching on your hat the next time we record the Mobcast!
Brett Bates, Editor
Prediction: Insomniac will debut their new series at the Microsoft press conference.
Post-E3 Analysis: Wrong.
Boo. I really thought that we'd see this happen -- to counter the Bungie announcement I was also sure we'd witness at Sony's conference. Maybe next year.
James DeRosa, Editor
Prediction: I'm not sure how far out there this is, but my bet is that Square will confirm a Xbox 360 release for Final Fantasy 14. Last year, they went on record and said they were "considering all options at this time," and I think expanding the potential user base for any MMO is the savviest move you can make.
Post-E3 Analysis: Wrong.
No word on Final Fantasy 14 coming to the Xbox 360 yet. But it's likely only a matter of time...
Rob Savillo, Editor
Prediction: I'll put my money on a Portal Wii port. Newell already stated that Valve's E3 surprise will be Portal themed, and he's previously mentioned that Nintendo's system "represents big opportunities" and is a "hole" in Valve's strategy.
Post-E3 Anaylsis: Wrong.
Even though he was wrong, I have to give Rob props for his creative guess. And we did get an announcement of a Portal game on a new platform: Gabe Newell came onstage during the Sony conference to announce Portal 2 for the PS3.
Jay Henningsen, Editor
Prediction: Fresh on the heels of the iPad, Microsoft will finally reveal its long-rumored handheld entertainment device.
Post-E3 Analysis: Wrong.
Keep dreaming, Jay.
Andrew Hiscock, Community Manager
Prediction: The Arcade 360 unit is abandoned and all future Xbox will have hard drives, with each SKU moving down one price point; Natal Enabled Viva Piñata (which I would play the fuck out of); and a Wii-side Pokemon add-on for Black and White that will not only allow for online play, but very basic MMO elements.
Post-E3 Analysis: 1/3 right.
One of the more interesting implications of the slim Xbox 360 replacing the old 360 models in stores: The Arcade unit is dead! For the time being, Microsoft is only selling one model of hardware -- one with a sizable 250-gigabyte hard drive. Of course, Microsoft couldn't leave things so uncomplicated for long: There are already hints of new 360 models on the horizon.
Alejandro Quan-Madrid, Writer
Prediction: Nintendo shows off a new big-budget, non-game franchise and a new Kid Icarus game for Wii. Oh, and Sega shows off a retooled version of their previously announced portable media player device...or they announce their re-entry into the console market with Sega Saturn 2 -- which goes on sale during E3, taking everyone, including retailers, by surprise.
Post-E3 Analysis: Almost right.
Nintendo did finally appease the clamoring fanboys by announcing a new Kid Icarus, although he'll be gracing the 3DS, not the Wii. I don't think the fanboys will be complaining about this: The trailer looked amazing in 3D.
Jasmine Rea, Writer
Prediction: Square announces a re-imagining of Final Fantasy 7, making it darker, edgier, and voiced entirely by former and current Disney stars. Although to be fair, Lance Bass was pretty good as Sephiroth in Kingdom Hearts...
Post-E3 Analysis: Wrong.
Square was pretty quiet at E3 this year. But hey, if Nintendo can announce a new Kid Icarus, then maybe a Final Fantasy 7 remake isn't that crazy a guess for fall's Toyko Game Show...
Omar Yusuf, Writer
Prediction: I don't have any evidence to back this up, but my gut tells me that Peter Molyneux's "Milo" might turn out to be a bloody, action-packed, third-person shooter. Think Gears of War, only with an innocent, freckled English kid. Oh, and if Valve knows what's good for them, they'll announce some Half-Life-related news. *Shakes fist*
Post-E3 Analysis: Wrong.
Too bad, Omar. Valve was too busy kissing up to Sony to announce anything related to Half-Life.
Mike Minotti, Writer
Prediction: The new Legend of Zelda game will use the Wii Vitality Sensor, and it will be called The Legend of Zelda: The Pulse of Eternity.
Post-E3 Analysis: Wrong.
Did anyone else notice that the Vitality Sensor was conspicuously absent from Nintendo's booth this year?
Omri Petitte, Writer
Prediction: I'm holding out for Eidos to change its mind and provide some tantalizing info on Thief 4, but that's probably wishful thinking at best.
Post-E3 Analysis: Wrong.
Keep wishing, Omar.
Selected Community Predictions
Alejandro Moreno: A 2D Metroid game for DS! If they can make good Mario RPG games that use both screens, imagine what a Metroid game would be!
Post-E3 Analysis: Wrong. No new 2D Metroid at this E3, but I really hope Nintendo announces a new "2D" Metroid for the 3DS soon...
Chase Koeneke: Still holding my breath for a Star Fox on Wii. Sadly, Nintendo will most likely butcher it with heavy motion control and ground segments.
Post-E3 Analysis: Wrong. But cheer up, Chase. Nintendo showed off a playable Star Fox game on the 3DS.
Chris Davidson: I'm fairly certain Nintendo is going to announce that Pikmin 2 will be given the Wiiplus treatment, alongside a Pikmin 3 announcement.
Post-E3 Analysis: Wrong. No new Pikmin announcements this year, but Pikmin creator Shigeru Miyamoto did confirm that a new Pikmin is still in development.
Be sure to check out our original E3 2010 prediction story to see all of the community's guesses -- and find out whether they were right or wrong!
