PlayStation 3 at E3: Sony Surprises?

With Nintendo set to introduce its Wii U line-up next week, and Microsoft possibly hinting at the next generation of gaming with its own press conference, all eyes are on Sony to see what they have planned.  After all, last year they introduced the PlayStation Vita, the next level of handheld entertainment for the company, along with a vast number of new games for PlayStation 3 that helped the company get back in contention with Microsoft.  So…what’s next?

Well, if you’re looking for a PlayStation 4 announcement this year, we’ve got some bad news.  Sony probably won’t even mention the slightest hint about what’s to come from their next piece of hardware.  They’ll save that for sometime in 2013, when it’s good and ready and they’re also able to see where it stands with its current PlayStation 3 sales.  Sorry, future, you’re gonna have to wait a little while.

Don’t count Sony out, though.  While it’s lacking on the hardware front this year, that leaves it free and clear to dominate in a completely different area – games.  For its E3 2012 press conference, Sony will go all out introducing several confirmed releases that will make the next 12 months quite interesting for PS3 owners, as well as a few new surprises to keep everyone on their toes.

But let me just say this first – we need to bring Kevin Butler back.  When he was introduced at the E3 2010 Sony press conference, the crowd went bonkers, especially when he delivered his opening speech that drove gamers into a frenzy.  2012 almost seems like an ideal time to bring him back, especially since he’s rumored to be making an appearance in PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale, Sony’s answer to Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. series.  (Hey, maybe he’ll even be a playable character, yes?)

All Stars will definitely have a presence at the event, and for good measure, Sony will confirm that a PS Vita version is in the works, and will introduce yet another way players can team up for crossplay between the PS3 and Vita platforms, competing without any sort of limitations getting in the way.  (Hey, it worked for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, so why not?)  New characters will also be unveiled, including possible ones like Nathan Drake, Solid Snake (from Metal Gear Solid) and Infamous 2’s own Cole McGrath.

That’s just one of the games Sony will feature on the PS3 retail front.  Ratchet and Clank HD Collection, Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time, The Last of Us (Naughty Dog’s follow-up to the sensational Uncharted series), The Last Guardian (which will, at last, get the release date it so deserves), Quantic Dream’s rumored new project (following on its popular Heavy Rain game), LittleBigPlanet Karting, DUST 514, and, of course, God of War: Ascension.  Killzone 4 is also rumored, since Guerrilla Games has been working steadily on something since the release of Killzone 3 last year.

As for downloadable games, Sony will once again make a frenetic push for independent games, including stuff like Dyad, Papo & Yo and The Unfinished Swan, and will not only introduce a number of new games, but also a development competition where the finalists could see their games published on PSN.  It sure beats roaming around an unseen Indie Games channel on that “other” service, right?  Expect a few PSN-exclusive announcements as well, including the just-confirmed Ratchet and Clank: Full Frontal Assault (from a returning Insomniac Games), and more PS2 titles, possibly with HD updates.

The PlayStation Plus service will also see a reintroduction with more huge retail releases as part of the free content you can earn with the service, along with the announcement of a DUST 514 beta set to go live sooner than expected (like during the show) and some other exclusive content.

Lastly, PS3 hardware will get a push, with new PS3 color models introduced for the American market, including a new red system and a deluxe Assassins Creed 3 model bundled with the game.  They could possibly come with 500 GB hard drives, a huge increase in space.  You can expect the Sony 3D TV to also drop to $199, with a newer, bigger screen model in the works.

As for the Vita, it’ll get its own fair shake with a few announcements.  Several downloadable games will be revealed, including various PS One and PlayStation 2 classics.  More original games will also be announced, including the upcoming LittleBigPlanet, a possible port of Ratchet and Clank HD Collection, and the previously announced Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time.  In addition,  All Stars will be confirmed, and may even come with a few extra characters for good measure.

Sony will also presumably announce a price drop for the Vita, bringing the core Wi-Fi model to $200 and the 3G system down $50.  There’s also a possible bundling of Gravity Rush with a downloadable movie and a 32 GB memory card for $300.

But of course, the Vita wouldn’t be anything without the games, and Sony will push it like crazy with various new title announcements.  The rumored Killzone project will be unveiled, likely to be a sequel to the PSP’s Liberation chapter (but in first person); a new God of War game will be confirmed, possibly set to tie in with Ascension; Activision will reveal a possible (yet modified) port of Call of Duty: Black Ops II, complete with Vita-exclusive maps; Ubisoft will unveil an exclusive Assassins Creed game for the system; and a new Grand Theft Auto may surface as well.  Also, don’t be surprised if various HD collections get announced for the system, including Ratchet and Clank and Jak and Daxter.

These are all guesses, but they sound about right when it comes to Sony really pushing the PlayStation 3 and Vita as hard as they can with current generation software, price drops and new hardware modifications.  We’ll be watching at the same time as you this Monday night when Sony unveils its next slate of E3 goodness.  Can’t wait!