6 Games We Want To See At E3 2016

As people take stock of everything we've learned from E3, there are those who are already looking towards next year's event and wondering what new surprises could be revealed in 12 months' time. 

Although everyone knew beforehand that Fallout 4 would be shown this year, its grand reveal at the event was still met with much opened-mouthed gasping. The best part of these Electronic Entertainment Expos is the excitement that comes with the big game announcements: what will we see? Will it be any good? Why the hell have they not talked about the game we've been waiting 5 years for?

But, as everyone knows, there are those 'upcoming' titles that feel like a mirage in the dessert: you can see them on the horizon, but you're not sure if they're real. Every time another E3 comes round, you're hoping to discover the oasis wasn't just an illusion. 

Out of all the games on this list, some have a good chance of actually making an appearance in 2016, while others may be more wishful thinking than anything else.

So, in 365 days' time, here are the six games we hope to be talking about - and how amazing they looked at E3 2016.

6. Team Fortress 3

Out of all the games on this list, Team Fortress 3 is the one we're least likely to see at E3 2016. Why? Because even though the second entry in the series was released all the way back in 2007, it's still the third most popular game on Steam - getting around 75,000 players every day.

The community surrounding Team Fortress 2 is a huge and passionately dedicated one. Developers Valve realize that right now, there simply isn't any need for a sequel, as so many people are still in love with TF2.

The big question is whether we'll ever see a new iteration of the Team Fortress franchise. Personally, I think we will, but it will vastly differ from the games that have come before. And it's very, very unlikely to be revealed at next year's E3, no matter how cool that would be.

5. Dawn Of War 3

"In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war", or so the cheery prophecy from the Warhammer 40K universe goes. It seems the grimmest thing about our future is its lack of a Dawn of War 3 game - someone hurry up and make it!

The Dawn of War series contained some of the best RTS titles ever created - particularly for fans of the tabletop games that the digital versions are based on. But it was Dawn Of War 2's revolutionary mixture of real-time strategy and role-playing elements that made fans so eager to get their hands on DoW3.

Sadly, after several years of financial struggles and an increasing amount of debt, Dawn of War publishers THQ declared bankruptcy in December 2012. All was not lost, however, as the game's developer Relic, who had been acquired by THQ in 2004, was sold to SEGA as part of the bankruptcy asset auction.

It's rumored that since Relic completed Company of Heroes 2 and its expansion packs, the company has been hiring staff for a new, large project - could it be Dawn of War 3?

With the upcoming release of Total War: Warhammer, the gaming world is about to see a resurgence in popularity for the Games Workshop universe. When E3 2016 gets here, the timing will be perfect to reveal the next iteration of this fantastic series.

4. Max Payne 4

There are two issues surrounding a new Max Payne game: after everything he's been through, where is there for the character to go? Has the linear style of gameplay from the previous games now had its day? 

Well, Rockstar is a master of re-invention. Should a new Max Payne ever see the light of day, expect it to be a massive move away from games of old. With the open-world style of gaming now more popular than its ever been, don't be surprised to see Max move into more of a GTA-type universe (his last incarnation did have a bit of Michael De Santa about him). As for what new personal horror and tale of redemption our hero could face - maybe being forced into some kind of suicide mission is something to consider? I'm sure if the game is does get made, Rockstar will think up something suitably grim and dark - but one that always concludes on a positive message, naturally.

Out of all the franchises Rockstar owns, Max Payne is likely to be quite low down on the list of ones to reintroduce. A reinvention of the series would be something to look forward to, especially for fans of the previous games, but seeing it at next year's E3 would be a surprise, albeit a nice one.

3. Red Dead Redemption 2

For a great many people, myself included, the mere mention of the words Red Dead Redemption stirs up levels of adulation that a mere video game shouldn't be able to produce. 

Red Dead Redemption was, quite simply, brilliant. And you didn't even have to be a fan of cowboys to love it (though that probably helped). This open-world game dragged you into its story, giving you a real connection to reformed bad-guy protagonist John Marston. This was more than just a wild west version of Grand Theft Auto, it was something totally different; and, many will argue, a better game than Rockstar's other open-world epic. For those lucky enough to have seen its story through to completion, the game had an incredibly emotional ending - one that will stay fresh in the memory of those who experienced it for many years to come.

So where is the next installment? If the rumor mill is to believed, we won't even have to wait until E3 2016 to see Red Dead Redemption 2 (or Red Dead Rebellion, as some think it will be called), as the game will be announced later on this year.

Whether that is the case or not remains to be seen, but if it turns out that 2015 isn't RDR2's time, then chances are good for an E3 2016 reveal.

2. LA Noire 2

LA Noire was released in 2011 to almost universal critical acclaim. The open-world, neo-noir detective game was praised for its use of of MotionScan technology, whereby actors' facial expressions could be captured and replicated with total fidelity (allegedly). This allowed for what was the most talked about element of the game: the interrogations. It was apparently possible to tell if a character was being dishonest just from the change in their features. 

LA Noire also gained fame for a development phase that could be the storyline for a Hollywood movie. The game was created by Australian developers Team Bondi and published by Rockstar. Once it hit the shelves, many former Team Bondi employees came forward to speak of the horrific working conditions the company forced upon on them: 100 hour work weeks, abusive management, having to come in every weekend. Rockstar also had a strained relationship with Bondi, and the pair split not long after the game's release, with the GTA creators saying they would never work together again.

After the pair parted company, Rockstar retained the rights to the LA Noire franchise. While the company does have a lot of potential projects it could work on, the series seems like one of their higher priorities. Back in 2012, a Rockstar spokesperson said:

"Don't count out the possibility of a new game in the L.A. Noire franchise in the future. We simply have not decided anything. We're all very pleased with how that game turned out and are considering what the future may hold for L.A. Noire as a series. We don't always rush to make sequels, but that does not mean we won't get to them eventually..."

The possibility of bringing a new LA Noire game into this eighth generation of consoles and 4K PCs is an exciting one. The revolutionary technology the last game brought us could be improved even more, perhaps to the point of Tron: Legacy-style digital facial reproduction (just without the dead eyes). The game could even be set in a different era; the seventies and eighties would certainly give plenty of potential for dark crimes and cynical detectives.

So will we see LA Noire 2 at E3 2016? There's a good chance, if only as a teaser trailer to show that Rockstar is currently working on it.

1. Half-Life 3

Picture the scene: it's E3 2016 and Valve is wrapping up its conference. Gabe Newell's been jabbering away about Steam Machines, virtual reality, the future of gaming and DOTA 2. He makes to walk off stage, only to theatrically return to the microphone and announce there was one more thing he forgot to talk about. Everything goes dark, nothing comes on the screen, then a familiar voice booms out of the speakers - it's instantly recognised as the G-Man

"Welcome back... Mr. Freeman"

His face slowly appears out the darkness, more detailed than we've ever seen before. Cue much delirium from the gathered crowd and the Internet actually melting into a puddle.

In reality, the hype and expectation surrounding Half-Life 3 has reached almost comical levels. The worry is that it will never be made, as it would be impossible for it to live up to expectations. Anything other than the greatest game ever made would be seen as a disappointment. 

So, does it at least exist in a very early form, located somewhere on Valve's hard drives? Supposedly, it does. Counter Strike co-creator Minh Lee said:

"I think it's kind of public knowledge that people know that it is being worked on. And so if I were to say that, yeah, I've seen some images, like some concept art of it, that wouldn't be big news to be honest. I guess I could say that I did see something that looked kinda like in the Half-Life universe."

And I mean it wouldn't surprise anyone if I said they're doing it, they're working on it, yeah. So to go out on a limb I'd say I did some concept art for Half-Life 3."

Remember, a lot of people didn't think Fallout 4 existed before that first trailer went online - and it had been in development for years. I believe the day will come when we will see Half-Life 3, and E3 2016 is when it'll be confirmed.

By the time the event comes round again, the timing will be perfect for Valve to make the announcement, especially as they'll be pushing its usage on Steam machines and their VR systems. Whether it'll get a release in 2016 is less likely, perhaps aiming for a 2017 slot. But as long as we know there really is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, we won't mind chasing it a bit longer.

What games do you want to see at E3 2016. Let us know in the comments below!