The COMP Magazine E3 2021 - A Virtual Takeaway in Video Games

E3 2021
Online. Interactive. Worldwide. Game On.
June 12-15, 2021
website – https://e3expo.com/

Has E3 been revitalised by the Covid-19 pandemic? Maybe…maybe not…only time will tell. Straddled with few options, this year’s event was fully virtual and this limitation was certainly felt. As we begin the process of opening up, there does appear to be a paradigm shift in how we assemble, communicate, define self/space, and evolve. These items were at the top of mind when viewing the 2021 iteration of E3. There were anticipated reveals. There were gaps in programming. There were delays announced. And, sadly, there was no Nintendo Switch Pro announced. Gaming has not subsided during our isolation, but drew us in further. Here’s some thoughts on a few games that piqued interest and a couple thoughts as we move forward.

FromSoftware’s “Elden Ring” is anticipated to be release January 21, 2022.

Elden Ring
Writers: George R.R. Martin and Hidetaka Miyazaki
Developer: FromSoftware
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox One X/S
Release: January 21, 2022

This is possibly the top most anticipated game on my radar. The Dark Souls trilogy and Game of Thrones are two of the most remarkable works of their respective media (video games and television) in the past decade. Martin and Miyazaki, this is a match one only dreams about. Though the teaser was primarily a CGI rendering, one can sense there are great things under development. One item that continues to draw us back is the secrecy underway. Hush is the word…we will certainly find surprises when this drops in the new year.

Master Chief is back in Microsoft’s flagship title: “Halo Infinite”

Halo Infinite
Director: Joseph Staten
Developer: 343 Industries
Publisher: Xbox Games Studios
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, and Xbox One X/S
Release: Fall 2021

Can “Starfield” live up to the 25 years of development?

Starfield
Developer: Bethesda Games Studio
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, and Xbox One X/S
Release: Date TBA

Team Ninja takes the reigns for “Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins”

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
Directors: Daisuke Inoue, Hiroya Usuda, and Nobumichi Kumabe
Developer: Team Ninja
Publisher: Square Enix
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox One X/S
Release: 2022