E3 2019 Rumor Roundup

With the approach of E3 2019, the rumor mill is abuzz with the possible announcements, trailers, and reveals that will come out of the show. Quite a few aren’t very likely–they’re more pipe dreams than anything really. However, some of the rumors carry some weight to them. Of everything rumored to come out of E3 2019, the reveals listed below are (in our opinion) the most likely to carry some semblance of truth.

Remember, nothing detailed in this article has been confirmed (yet). It’s a collection of speculations based off of small tidbits of information, leaked details, and investigative reports. That said, if our collection of E3 2018 rumors is any indication, some speculations can turn out to be fact. Last year, rumors that E3 2018 would see the announcement of Hitman 2 and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey ultimately turned out to be true. Prior to E3, there was also speculation that CD Projekt Red would show off Cyberpunk 2077 (and boy did they) and that Bethesda would announce something Fallout related (and we got Fallout 76).

More leaks and rumors are bound to pop up the closer we get to E3 2019, so continue to check back on this article as we get closer to June. We’ll continue to update the following list of rumors as they come up (provided there’s weight behind them).

Infinity Ward’s Call Of Duty 2019 Is Revealed To Be Modern Warfare 4

Traditionally, Activision reveals the name of its new Call of Duty games in May, but the month is already almost over and there’s no planned announcement in sight. That hasn’t stopped fan speculation though, and rumors are pointing to the new Call of Duty game being Modern Warfare 4. Whatever the game is, it’s been confirmed to appear at E3 2019, and it’s already playable.

Following the established rotation, Infinity Ward has been confirmed as the developer for Call of Duty 2019. Other than revealing Call of Duty will include a traditional single-player campaign and co-op gameplay in a “huge expansive multiplayer world,” Infinity Ward hasn’t announced any concrete details about the game. However, several teases and tweets from the developer’s staff have hinted towards Infinity Ward working on a game related to its popular Modern Warfare series.

Rumors that Call of Duty 2019 is Modern Warfare 4 began when Infinity Ward senior communication manager Aston Williams dropped a hint pointing back to the series. Those rumors gained traction when five Infinity Ward veterans–all of whom had a major influence in developing Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2, and Modern Warfare 3 before leaving Infinity Ward to go work with Respawn on Titanfall and Titanfall 2–changed their LinkedIn profiles to showcase their return to the Activision studio and crucial roles in Call of Duty 2019’s development.

Microsoft Unveils At Least One Of Its Next-Gen Xbox Consoles

Microsoft is rumored to be working on two next-gen Xbox consoles, and it’s possible at least one is being announced at E3 this year. The first, codenamed Lockhart, is supposedly the budget-oriented, standard edition of the console. Meanwhile, the second, codenamed Anaconda, is the high-powered version–equivalent to Xbox One’s more powerful One S and One X variations.

Microsoft is already expected to discuss its plans for next-gen at E3 2019, but it’s unclear if the company is planning something as big as a full reveal (complete with price points, launch titles, and features) or smaller teases of what’s to come. There’s been speculation that the next-gen Xbox consoles will be geared towards wider audiences with a lower price of entry, and include new technology in line with Microsoft’s focus on selling games as opposed to hardware. This would fall in line with what Phil Spencer told GeekWire in regards to consoles.

“That is not where you make money,” Spencer said. “The business inside of games is really selling games, and selling access to games and content in means like that is the fundamental business. So if you open it up, the more often people can play, the more they’re enjoying the art form. It increases the size of the business.”

Though it’s still speculation, Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox consoles are expected to release no earlier than Fall 2020.

From Software Teases The First Of Its Two Upcoming Games

This theory largely rides on whether A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin is actually working with From Software. The novelist has already confirmed he’s been consulted on some game that’s being made by a Japanese developer but hasn’t revealed which one. Rumors popped up in March that the developer in question is Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice creator From Software. Gematsu has since reported that someone “familiar with ongoings at From Software” has confirmed the rumors to be true, but neither Martin nor From Software have made an official statement.

Regardless, the rumors go on to say that, whatever the game is, it will feature various kingdoms to explore and that killing the rulers of each kingdom will allow you to unlock powerful abilities. Gematsu’s source (which the outlet has stated they have not been able to verify) has added that the game is internally known at From Software as “GR,” has been in development for three years, and contains a world and story that’s a collaborative effort between Martin and Dark Souls III and Bloodborne director Hidetaka Miyazaki. The game is also supposedly scheduled to be revealed at E3 2019 during Microsoft’s press conference.

Even if the source hasn’t been verified, it all sounds fairly plausible. Especially since, back in January 2019, Miyazaki announced From Software was already working on two games, both of which would come out after Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and be similar in scope and tone to From Software’s Soulsborne titles. Both Miyazaki and Martin are known for their intricate dark fantasies, so a partnership between the two is very believable. With Sekiro only a few months old, though, it doesn’t seem likely From Software would announce another new game for 2019 (even if it has been in development for three years). Seeing a trailer at E3 teasing a TBA 2020-2021 release seems a bit more plausible. We’d happily love to be wrong though.

Microsoft Brings Back The Fable Series With A Brand-New Game

Speculations about a fourth Fable game have been circulating the internet for years, but a new rumor published by an alleged industry insider has revealed Microsoft is finally set to tease a new title for the series during the company’s E3 press conference. Between the rumors that Microsoft is revealing a new console, a new From Software game, and now a new Fable, it certainly seems like Xbox boss Phil Spencer is keeping his promise the company would “go big” at E3 this year.

The industry insider, whose whole report can be read on NeoGAF, writes, “Some speculate it’s actually Fable IV, but the reality is that it’s a new beginning for the Fable franchise. This game started development in late 2017 and has been in development now for little over two years now. It is a next-gen game only and you will most likely not see it until 2021 at retail at the earliest. You will see a glimpse of a small teaser trailer most likely at this year’s E3 and in 2020 you will see much more of the game.”

Petri executive editor Brad Sams, who’s well-known for his track record in reliably breaking Microsoft news, has confirmed on Twitter that he’s heard a new Fable game is in the works. He doesn’t know if Microsoft plans on revealing the game during E3 2019, but thinks it’s “highly plausible.”

If the full NeoGAF report is to be believed, we’ll see quite a few other Xbox console exclusives at E3 2019, including previously announced Gears 5 and Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Perhaps more importantly, the report suggests Microsoft is ready to start revealing the games being made by all the studios it acquired in 2018–starting with Ninja Theory, which is supposedly going to announce a sci-fi game scheduled for 2020 called Bleeding Edge.

Nintendo Announces A New Switch Prior To Or Just After The Show

Nintendo has already confirmed it won’t be announcing a new Switch iteration during E3, but that doesn’t mean the company won’t reveal its existence in the weeks prior to the show or immediately after. Sure it’s no longer an E3 announcement at that point, but we’re including it in this list anyway since we imagine the reveal is happening close to the dates of the show.

Unlike Sony’s PS4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One, the Nintendo Switch is still relatively young and nowhere near the end of its lifecycle. That hasn’t quelled the rumors of new iterations of the Switch, consoles that would be similar to the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. Nintendo has a long history of making multiple versions of its hardware. That history is mostly handhelds, like the DS and 3DS, but Nintendo has made multiple iterations of its consoles too.

Seeing as it’s been two years since the Switch’s release, it stands to reason that Nintendo has a new iteration (or two) of its latest console in the works. This past March, The Wall Street Journal reported two new Switch models would release by the end of 2019. The first would be a cheaper, pared-down version while the second would be an enhanced variation aimed at more “avid” players.

In April, Japanese newspaper Nikkei seemingly confirmed the existence of the first Switch, again writing that it would release by the end of 2019. Later that month, Bloomberg lent further weight to the rumor of a new, pared down Switch coming in 2019 (only this time suggesting it could possibly release as soon as June). However, neither source confirmed the existence of a rumored enhanced Switch.

Nintendo has neither confirmed nor denied the rumors. But there’s enough there to believe the pared-down Switch is coming this year, and empty spaces surrounding E3 present the perfect opportunity for an announcement–especially if the console does release in June. Nintendo has already confirmed it’s holding its annual E3 Direct this year. The video presentation will feature quite a few games, but will most likely focus on Pokemon Sword / Shield and Animal Crossing, both scheduled for Switch releases in 2019.