After a long silence regarding some of 2021’s biggest upcoming games, it seems the the curtain is finally being drawn and its showtime for these numerous titles. With theE3 2021 seasonjust around the corner, gamers have been hotly anticipating updates for games likeHalo Infinitewhile also bracing themselves for any surprises this time of year tends to bring. In fact, in a quick turn of events over the last few days, bothHorizon: Forbidden WestandFar Cry 6were confirmed to have digital showcases for today and tomorrow respectively.
Both of these titles rank near the top of the list as some of the most eagerly awaited next generation games so far, withHorizon: Forbidden Westbeing a showcase for PS5andFar Cry 6further expanding the franchise. Most importantly however is the timing in which these showcases were announced. Most players were expecting both Sony and Ubisoft to save these titles as the biggest IP’s in a larger presentation, reserving them as the “one last thing” moment in the usual structure of these presentations. For two heavy hitters to be given individual showcases to shine, this may set a precedent for how the gaming industry will treat its properties going forward.
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Horizon: Forbidden West/Far Cry 6 - Hinting At The Future
To begin with, bothHorizon: Forbidden WestandFar Cry 6were both officially revealed last year without so much as a peep afterwards regarding new information.Horizon: Forbidden Westwas announced nearly an entire year ago at the tail end ofSony’s “Future of Gaming"PS5 reveal event, being positioned as a must own upcoming exclusive.Far Cry 6, meanwhile, was first shown off during a Ubisoft Forward Event last July, with a stunning CG trailer featuring Giancarlo Esposito as the game’s main antagonist.
Beyond these announcements however, both titles have remained silent in terms of divulging any new details about story, gameplay or anything else. With both of these games claiming to have a 2021 release date, and half the year already done, it seemed like there was a chance for these titles to be hit with a slight delay. But as previously stated,individual showcases forHorizon: Forbidden WestandFar Cry 6have been announced, promising to show off several minutes of new gameplay footage. This sudden reversal from absolutely nothing, to an onslaught of new details, may hint at a shift in how gaming news is handled in the future. Developers may want to initially announce a game to build hype, but then hold back as long as possible until completely confident that it is ready to show off, while also being much closer to release.
A Far Cry From The Old Format
Traditionally, the E3 summer season was the biggest opportunity for all developers and studios to present the newest content coming soon. Massive theaters and venues would be rented out to essentially put on a big show, with everyone from Sony to Nintendo,Microsoft and Bethesda, taking advantage of the event to promote its new games. It was a jam packed time of year, with reveal after reveal, with some of the big triple A games usually having to duke it out for the spotlight.
Of course, with theimpact of the COVID-19 pandemiclast year, E3 2020 unfortunately had to be cancelled and new game announcements were made elsewhere. Developers made adjustments to the larger situation at hand, creating smaller online events or simply releasing individual trailers to help promote upcoming video games. While a strange shift from what the world was used to, this modification to the old format has proven to be mostly successful in terms of reaching players and effectively communicating information. Nintendo Direct presentations have been proving this for years, as the company adopted the model long before any of this occurred, and each new digital event has been viewed by millions of excited fans.
The pandemic affecting normal procedures may very well have been a blessing in disguise at the end of the day. Now, video games have more opportunity to stand out in individual presentations rather than being bunched together with dozens of other announcements. Fans will make time to attentively watch the preview from home, and with the quick pace of social media, a conversation can begin incredibly fast. This more focused approach could be the way things are handled from now on, withHorizon: Forbidden WestandFar Cry 6previewsbeing early indicators of things to come.
