Fri, Mar 20, 2009 | 16:22 GMT
E3 rumour extravaganza – Trico, Blizzard-Microsoft megaton and more dissected using Top Gun quotes
GDC’s next week. It’s nice and all, and there’s heavyweight talent in the house, but are you going to see the big game guns? Will you see the megaton flash? Will the internet crack in fear? You may not, and it probably won’t. E3 in June will be a different matter, however.
We’re already hearing a ton of rumour about plans for the Sony and Microsoft E3 keynotes, as if everyone else “in the industry”. Not so much with Nintendo, though. You know how it is.
Let’s go through it all, using Top Gun quotes as an indicator of how likely each is to happen. Don’t look at us like that. We like Top Gun.
Key:
- Watch the mountains! – Goose says this to Maverick during flight training. What does it mean? It means this is comin’ at you, baby. Like a fucking freight-mountain. Don’t bet against it.
- That’s right, Ice Man: I am dangerous. – We’ve heard it, but don’t be surprised if it’s just talk. There’s a lot of it about, you know.
- Slider? You stink. – Seriously? It’s not happening.
What we’re hearing for the E3 keynotes:
- Trico announcement – Like, dur. Verdict – Watch the mountains!
- Slimline PS3 – Our source was sketchy on this, but there has been talk. It’s three years old and it’s the size of a house, we were told. But then, everyone thought Microsoft was going to do the same thing last year. Verdict – That’s right, Ice Man: I am dangerous.
- Blu-ray-less PS3 – Of course not. Verdict – Slider? You stink.
- Blizzard-Microsoft announcement – This could be fucking hot. We’ve seen it mentioned literally once online (thanks Blerk), but it could make for an absolutely incendiary 360 conference if it’s true. We stress the “if”. We can but dream – we’re talking in a news sense, before you start – but this is almost certainly bollocks. Verdict – Slider? You stink.
- PSP-4000 – Slide-screen and all. It’s happening, OK? Verdict – Watch the mountains!
- PS3 price cut – It may happen at the show, or it may be announced in the autumn, but it’s coming this year, Ringo. Scouts’ honour. PS3’s Q4 will be greatly “accelerated,” according to solid sources. Verdict – Watch the mountains!
- Pre-E3 PS3 price cut – Just because a shop-keeper says it’s happening doesn’t necessarily make it fucking so. Verdict – Slider? You stink.
- Forza 3 – We’re reliably informed it’s a Q4 biggie. Don’t be shocked when the wagons roll. This may get announced at a separate Microsoft event before E3, however. Verdict – Watch the mountains!
- Gran Turismo PSP – The other massive brand the Americans said would hit PSP this year? It’s got Kazunori stamped all over it. Verdict – Watch the mountains!
- Gran Turismo 5 – We’re not sure. It’s been mentioned to us in a “GT5 and GT PSP could both be out this year” way. Might. Might not. Verdict – That’s right, Ice Man: I am dangerous.
- Crackdown 1.5 – Unless we’re being spectacularly lied to by several people, you can bet on this appearing either before E3 or at the show. Verdict – Watch the mountains!
Is there more? Sure there is. But you know what happened to the kid who ate all the pie, right? Let’s get GDC out of the way first, eh?
37 comments
#1
deftangel
20/03/09, 3:39 pm
I had to Google Trico before realising the reason I’d never heard of them was because it’s referring to ICO 3
#2
Psychotext
20/03/09, 3:39 pm
Good stuff.
#3
Blerk
20/03/09, 3:42 pm
You can be my wing-man any time, Pat.
#4
wz
20/03/09, 3:43 pm
PSP-4000 ftw. I’m only watching movies on that thing anyway.
#5
Patrick Garratt
20/03/09, 3:46 pm
Bullshit. You can be mine.
I love that film
#6
Robo_1
20/03/09, 3:52 pm
Nice article
A slim line PS3 with a good price cut would be cool. Be a complete megaton if they combined that announcement with PSP400.
We’re owed a big E3 anyway, the last 3 have been pretty tragic.
#7
trav
20/03/09, 3:52 pm
HIGHWAY TO THE DANGER ZONE!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8rZWw9HE7o
#8
Shatner
20/03/09, 3:56 pm
woahyoucouldntmakehalfthatshitup.ohwait.youjustdidlol
GDCisdeveloperfocused.publicfocusedmegatonswillbesavedforE3lol
#9
tenthousandgothsonacid
20/03/09, 3:59 pm
Sadly I don’t think we’ll get much more than a ‘no comment’ about Trico at GDC. E3 for that one I feel.
I’d love to be wrong though
#10
Dean
20/03/09, 4:03 pm
Friday lunch in the pub, Pat?
#11
Patrick Garratt
20/03/09, 4:05 pm
I just had to get it all off my chest before I forgot any of it
#12
The Benny
20/03/09, 4:07 pm
I was initially excited about Crackdown 1.5 but the more rumours I hear the less interested I am. Didn’t the most recent rumours have it as multiplayer only or something?
Anyway, as Robo_1 says a big E3 with lots of announcements/reveals would be nice. It would be good to have Sony show some things off and not seem underwhelming again, I’d like to see a few more things that interest me in the 360′s line-up, and for Nintendo… Well, I’ll take Pikmin 3 and be reasonably pleased.
#13
Blerk
20/03/09, 4:12 pm
The Blizzard/Microsoft rumour comes from the guy who’s been leaking all the XBLA videos/screenies from Partnernet, btw.
#14
Johnny Cullen
20/03/09, 4:13 pm
Patrick Garratt, you big fucking tease!
And thats why I love you! XD =D
#15
Syrok
20/03/09, 4:14 pm
What does that Blizzard/Microsoft say?
#16
SERAPHEMZ
20/03/09, 4:14 pm
TEAM ICO !!! PLEASE !!!!!! I WANT YOUR NEW GAME TEAM ICO !!
#17
Audio Radar
20/03/09, 4:30 pm
It’s about time for a Digital Delivery service for all the Xbox 360 games, and a bigger Hard Disk. Could be at this E3?
#18
G1GAHURTZ
20/03/09, 4:31 pm
Oh yeah!
World of Warcraft on the 360!
You heard it here first!!
#19
Robo_1
20/03/09, 4:40 pm
I can see that to be honest. It would be a smart move on MS’s part, but I’d love to know how they would handle the subs.
#20
Lee
20/03/09, 4:42 pm
I’m just going to say this once, I don’t care what it is, but it really doesn’t matter. If MS and Blizzard pull off any announcement for content on the 360 and no other console version it will be the biggest megaton this generation. It will make FFXIII multi look like a fart in the wind and don’t doubt for a minute the heads at Activision and Blizzard have not contemplated for a second. This rumor however is not new as OXM had an article on this very happening a long, long time ago. It involved MS backing truckloads of money to Blizzards doorsteps.
Good day.
#21
Johnny Cullen
20/03/09, 4:45 pm
Wow on the consoles, let alone the 360, will happen… when I am dead, buried and six feet under
#22
Monk
20/03/09, 4:53 pm
wow in 360, it`s hard i think, unless they confirmed
?
Keyboard and Mouse for 360, u now why
#23
Shatner
20/03/09, 4:56 pm
MSwoulddothatatalossifonlytoshiftalltheiroverpricedHDDslol
#24
Mike
20/03/09, 4:59 pm
Wicked article.
#25
Withnail
20/03/09, 6:50 pm
I think GT5 is a safe bet for a Japanese release this year. GTPSP, not so much.
#26
Gekidami
20/03/09, 7:43 pm
VG247: The only website in the world that think Crackdown related news is ‘big’.
#27
No_PUDding
20/03/09, 9:08 pm
IS THIS FO REALZ??!!
Seriously though, I like that the TRICO name has stuck, means we can refer to it, other than ICO 3, and is more in line with NICO.
Anyway, believe it, becuase well it’s been waiting toooo long now, and it has to be ready to happen.
#28
Gekidami
20/03/09, 9:11 pm
Japanese games from Sony tend to be for TGS, unless ICO and SotC debuted at E3.
#29
Shatner
20/03/09, 9:14 pm
gekidontknockcrackdownthatgamerockslol
#30
No_PUDding
20/03/09, 11:02 pm
I am pissed off Pat didn’t email me back.
But anywho no one can be sure it’s at E3, anymore than GDC. But ofcourse if I had any money I’d bet it on E3.
It was mentioned last E3 on the big stage, next to the God of War franchise. Take that as you will.
#31
Cort
20/03/09, 11:07 pm
A slimline 80GB PS3 with a price cut? That might tempt me to replace by backwards-compatible 60gb SKU……
Hell, do a crimson red one (like that Canadian extremely limited edition one in laet 2007) and I’ll give The Wife away into prostitution for it.
#32
Panipal2005
21/03/09, 6:49 am
@ Geki
If they don’t have Trico @ E3, they’ll be taking the piss. They already failed to show it last TGS, why should they be allowed to make us wait even more until this year’s TGS?
#33
Syrok
21/03/09, 8:51 am
“why should they be allowed to make us wait even more until this year’s TGS?”
Because it’s not done yet or they have nothing to show that is good enough.
#34
Panipal2005
21/03/09, 4:48 pm
They’ve been showing it internally and to the press so they can’t use that as an excuse. Plus Ueda said it was almost at TGS last year, so again, there’s no reason why he can’t take the material for TGS to show at E3.
#35
absolutezero
21/03/09, 8:17 pm
Is this Rock Paper Shotgun? Cos I think this is Rock Paper Shotgun.
#36
No_PUDding
31/05/09, 9:58 pm
Hey bitches… You guys are close.
Lets see how much you get wrong. PS3 price-drop is the only one that looks dodgy, when put beside the slimline talk.
Unless they drop the price, to get rid of stock, and then introduce a cheaper Slimline.
#37
Psychotext
31/05/09, 11:16 pm
“Unless they drop the price, to get rid of stock, and then introduce a cheaper Slimline.”
That’s what they did for the PS2… and it makes sense to do it for the PS3.