E3 2018 is mere weeks away, which makes this prime time for rumors to take hold. Microsoft and the Xbox are especially rife with rumors, given that the company is keeping its plans so tightly under wraps. Unlike Sony which has already detailed its main focus and Nintendo which is sure to be featuring Smash Bros., we don't actually know much about what Microsoft has in store. This year, the Xbox is a black box.
That leaves plenty of room for rumor and speculation, so we've compiled some of the biggest rumors below. If you want to check out even more scuttlebutt leading up to E3, check out our full list of rumors. Or stay more grounded with our list of every confirmed Xbox game appearing at the show so far.
We'll know which of these rumors pan out once the press conferences debut. Microsoft's is scheduled for Sunday, June 10 at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET. Bookmark our full conference schedule to plan all your viewing parties.
E3 2018 Rumors
Crackdown 3 Delayed
The oft-delayed open-world action game Crackdown 3 had been slated for release sometime in 2018, but it's reportedly been pushed back yet again. As such, it's unclear how prominently it will be featured--if at all--during Microsoft's E3 press conference.
Update: Crackdown 3 is now confirmed to be delayed until 2019.
Hitman 2 Leaked
Publisher WB Games has teased an announcement of some sort is coming on June 7, ahead of E3. It doesn't provide any indication of what that will be for, but a teaser video shows a race car with the brand Hamsun on it--a reference to something from the first season of IO Interactive's Hitman. (IO and WB worked on a re-release of that game not long ago.) If that's not direct enough for you, a Reddit user discovered the source code for WB's website briefly hosted a link to an image file with a logo for something called Hitman 2. That seems pretty clear cut, but we should learn more on Thursday.
Update: Warner Bros. has officially announced Hitman 2.
Overcooked 2, Paladins, And More
While 4chan leaks are not especially reliable, a photo has surfaced that may in fact be real. It shows names for a variety of Nintendo Switch games that will apparently be advertised around the E3 show floor. This includes already-confirmed games like Mario Tennis Aces, but it also shows Fortnite (which, as noted above, looks to be real), Paladins, and Overcooked 2. Whereas Fortnite and Paladins would be ports of existing games, Overcooked 2 has not yet been announced--and it's possible that it could also come to PC, PS4, and Xbox One in addition to Switch, if it is indeed real.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
A new Assassin's Creed was among the games seemingly leaked by Walmart Canada. Although that retailer listing was very non-specific--it didn't include a subtitle or number--we've now heard what could be the title for such a game. According to JeuxVideo, which reportedly received a photo of a collectible keychain, the new game is called Assassin's Creed Odyssey. The keychain itself consists of a helmet resembling one from Ancient Greece, perhaps indicating that will be the setting for the new game.
Update: Ubisoft apparently didn't feel like having the rumors swirl until E3, so it's decided to confirm that Assassin's Creed Odyssey is real. It offered up a very brief, 300-ish clip and stated Odyssey is indeed the name, but beyond that, we'll have to wait for E3 for more details.
Borderlands Getting PS4, Xbox One, PC Re-Release
We know a new Borderlands is eventually coming, whether it's called Borderlands 3 or something else. Gearbox denies it'll be at E3, and publisher 2K recently delayed an unannounced game, which could be that Borderlands title. But it looks as if E3 might not be completely devoid of Borderlands news, as the Korean ratings board has listed Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. While not official by any means, ratings board leaks are often a reliable source. Given the timing, we might just hear about this project at E3.
Gears Of War 5, New Assassin's Creed, Just Cause 4, And More
Many of the expectations for E3 2018 were set in one go. Retailers have been known to leak things from time to time, but Walmart's Canadian website seemed to potentially spoil quite a lot with a single leak. Listings for numerous unannounced games went online in May, including Rage 2, a new Assassin's Creed, Gears of War 5, Dragon Quest 2, and Just Cause 4.
The sheer number, combined with some typos--such as Forza "Horizons" 5, rather than what would be the series' next game, Forza Horizon 4--made it all seem unlikely. However, Bethesda had an unusual response to the whole situation, and soon after we learned that Rage 2 is real (and since then, Lego DC Super-Villains). Two games from this list turning out to be legitimate doesn't mean the others are anything but placeholders or errors, but it does lend some credence to the possibility of them being real.
A New Splinter Cell Will Be Revealed
Another game mentioned in the Walmart Canada leak was something simply titled Splinter Cell. This might also turn out to be nothing but a placeholder, but Ubisoft itself has certainly set fans up to expect some kind of news related to the franchise before long. Following Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot's comments last year, the company released a Splinter Cell-themed update for Ghost Recon Wildlands earlier this year. That not only set up the potential plot for a new Splinter Cell, but it marked the return of beloved Sam Fisher voice Michael Ironside--and it doesn't seem like a stretch to think Ubisoft brought him in for more than just a small cameo.
Fallout News Is Coming
This is less a rumor and more speculation, as fans believe we're nearing an announcement involving the Fallout franchise. Bethesda offered days of teases for Rage 2 before it was revealed, and, as of this writing, it's seemingly begun to do the same for Fallout. The company first tweeted a "please stand by" image similar to a screen we've seen in the series previously. Subsequently, it kicked off a livestream with the same image playing on a screen in the background, but with a Fallout Vault Boy figure in the foreground.
That's sparked speculation that we could see a new Fallout game or--perhaps more likely, given its Skyrim re-releases--a remastered version of Fallout 3 or 4, perhaps for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Switch. Bethesda has said this year's press conference could be its biggest ever; clearly it's got more than just Rage 2 and updates to The Elder Scrolls Online to talk about.
Update: Indeed, Fallout news has arrived. Bethesda Softworks has officially unveiled Fallout 76, a new game developed by Skyrim and Fallout dev Bethesda Game Studios. We don't know a ton at this point about how it will play, but Kotaku reports it will be have online-based survival elements. Bethesda said we'll be hearing more at E3; if that is the form the game takes, Bethesda is sure to provide some indication at E3.
- Bethesda Teases Fallout News With A Livestream, And Tons Of People Are Watching
- Fallout 76 Is Bethesda's New Game; Watch First Trailer Before E3
- What Is Vault 76, And Everything Else We Know About Bethesda's New Game
- Fallout 76: What We Want At E3 2018
- Fallout 76 Pre-Order Guide For The US
Cyberpunk 2077 (Or Another CD Projekt Red Game) Will Be There
We know CD Projekt Red, the developer of the Witcher series and the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, is attending E3. A listing on the official E3 website earlier this year suggested the studio would be there to show off an RPG, although that was later removed. The company has not yet announced its plans for the event--if it has anything to publicly show at all--but fans have their fingers crossed that Cyberpunk (or the studio's other triple-A RPG) will finally be revealed properly.
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