With E3 2014 nearly a week away and after re-watching last year’s press conferences (mostly to get them off my DVR), let’s recap the claims that were made by each of the Big Three companies (plus EA and Ubisoft) and see how they did almost one year later! Five conferences will be reviewed for not their content quality, but the truthfulness of the claims that were made, between now and Episode 160 of SMYN. Up next is Sony at E3 2013, after the break!
CLAIM: The following games will be released for Vita in 2013 – Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, Counterspy, Destiny of Spirits, Doki Doki Universe, Killzone Mercenary, Tearaway.
RESULT: Shaky! Destiny of Spirits was released on March 25, 2014 and Counterspy is currently slated to arrive Summer 2014. The rest had 2013 release dates.
CLAIM: God of War Collection, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster, Flower, and Dead Nation will be coming soon for Vita.
RESULT: Shaky! God of War Collection was released on May 6, 2014 and Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD was released on March 18, 2014. Would you call that “coming soon”? Poor choice of words.
CLAIM: The Walking Dead: 400 Days will be coming to Vita in Summer 2013. A Vita bundle with The Walking Dead: Season 1 and 400 Days will be available at this time.
RESULT: True. The game and bundle were released on August 20, 2013.
CLAIM: The Last of Us will be released for PS3 “this Friday,” June 14, 2013.
RESULT: True. The game met this date exactly.
CLAIM: Puppeteer will be released for PS3 at the end of 2013.
RESULT: True. The game was released on September 10, 2013.
CLAIM: Rain will be released for PS3 in Fall 2013.
RESULT: True. The game was released on October 1, 2013.
CLAIM: Beyond: Two Souls will be released for PS3 on October 8, 2013.
RESULT: True. The game met this date exactly.
CLAIM: Gran Turismo 6 will be released for PS3 at the end of 2013.
RESULT: True. The game was released on December 6, 2013.
CLAIM: Batman: Arkham Origins will be released for PS3 worldwide on October 25, 2013. Knightfall and a 1960s TV Batman skin will be released as exclusive DLC.
RESULT: True. The game met this date exactly and the DLC remained exclusive.
CLAIM: Grand Theft Auto V will be included in a PlayStation 3 bundle, coming September 17, 2013 for $299. In addition, a GTAV-branded Pulse Elite headset will be released for PS3.
RESULT: True. Both the bundle and the headset met this date exactly.
CLAIM: A brand new original programming plan is in place for PlayStation 4, headed by Sony Pictures Studios, developed with gamers in mind.
RESULT: To be determined. Nothing has really been heard about this since the conference.
CLAIM: Sony Video and Music Unlimited will be available on Day One of PlayStation 4.
RESULT: True. These were available as promised on November 15, 2014.
CLAIM: Redbox Instant by Verizon will be available in the U.S. very soon on PlayStation platforms. Live Events Viewer app will be available soon on PlayStation platforms. Flixster will be available on PlayStation platforms in Fall 2013.
RESULT: Shaky! Flixster still has yet to be seen on the system.
CLAIM: Killzone: Shadow Fall, Driveclub, and Knack will all be available at the launch of the PlayStation 4.
RESULT: Shaky! Killzone and Knack were indeed launch titles, but Driveclub was delayed until October 7, 2014.
CLAIM: inFAMOUS: Second Son will be released on PS4 in the first quarter of 2014.
RESULT: True. The game was released on March 21, 2014.
CLAIM: Transistor will make its console debut first on PS4 in 2014.
RESULT: True. The game was released on PS4 and PC on May 20, 2014.
CLAIM: The following indie games will make their exclusive console debut in the PlayStation family: Don’t Starve, Mercenary Kings, Octodad: Dadliest Catch, Secret Ponchos, Ray’s the Dead, Outlast, Oddworld: New & Tasty, Galak-Z
RESULT: Shaky! Secret Ponchos, Ray’s the Dead, Oddworld: New & Tasty, and Galak-Z still have yet to be released.
CLAIM: Diablo III will have PlayStation exclusive items for DLC on PS3.
RESULT: True. The PS3 version of the game had five pieces of this kind of DLC.
CLAIM: Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD ReMIX will be released on PS3 on September 10, 2013.
RESULT: True. The game met this date exactly.
CLAIM: Final Fantasy XIV will be released exclusively for consoles on PS4 and PS3.
RESULT: True. The PS4 and PS3 versions were released on April 14, 2014 and August 27, 2013, respectively.
CLAIM: PlayStation owners will get an additional hour of gameplay, plus an outfit, as exclusive DLC when Watch Dogs launches.
RESULT: True. Even though the game was delayed, the exclusive DLC remained intact.
CLAIM: The Elder Scrolls Online will be released on PS4 in Spring 2014. A beta will be exclusive first on PS4.
RESULT: WRONG! The PS4 version (as well as the Xbox One version) of the game has been delayed until the end of 2014.
CLAIM: The “Road Warrior Survival Kit” will be available first on PlayStation for the game Mad Max.
RESULT: To be determined. The game was delayed until 2015.
CLAIM: PS4 won’t impose used game restrictions. There will be no online check-ins for PS4. PlayStation Plus will carry over to PS4, but will be required to play multiplayer on PS4.
RESULT: True. And there was much rejoicing!
CLAIM: Driveclub: PS Plus Edition will be available for free for PlayStation Plus users during the PS4 launch.
RESULT: WRONG! With Driveclub’s delay, this was not available during the launch of the PS4. Then, Sony had issues with explaining how upgrading from the PS Plus version would work.
CLAIM: Destiny will be released in 2014.
RESULT: To be determined. The game is currently slated for a September 9, 2014 release date.
CLAIM: PlayStation’s cloud service for streaming games will be available with PS3 games in 2014.
RESULT: To be determined. A closed beta has been running after the PlayStation Now reveal at CES in January 2014, but the service is slated to be available for everyone in the United States in Summer 2014.
CLAIM: PlayStation 4 will be available for $399 in the U.S. in Holiday 2013.
RESULT: True. The PlayStation 4 launched on November 15, 2014 at $399.
ADDITIONAL TOPICS with no outright claims: The Order: 1886, The Dark Sorcerer, Final Fantasy XV, Kingdom Hearts III, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, NBA 2K14
CONCLUSION:
True: 17
To be determined: 4
Shaky: 5
Wrong: 2
Most people believe that Sony “won” E3 2013. The power-bombing that they did to Microsoft’s policies will be an all-time great E3 moment. For the most part, they did a really good job with sticking to the release dates or months of announced games, especially for the PS3. But some of these shaky or wrong claims? They just leaving you scratching your head. Fortunately, these were not puzzling in a Wonderbook or Big Fest way – yeah, remember Big Fest? But even if you look at some of those additional topics – The Order: 1886 has been delayed, we have heard little about Final Fantasy XV and Kingdom Hearts III, and The Dark Sorcerer was just a tech demo anyway. This year’s show brings questions of games for the Holiday 2014, especially when it comes to first-party productions. And, dare we say it, The Last Guardian? As far as last year’s claim grade, the amount of correct statements gets Sony out of the cellar, but not by much.
CLAIM GRADE: C
What would you give Sony?
