It’s that time of the year again.

Here at Goomba Stomp we absolutely love E3. Each and every June, E3 rocks up and slaps us across the chops with more news than we can possibly cover, a bunch of trailers for games to be excited about that’ll probably end up getting delayed, and plenty of laughs – intentional and otherwise – along the way. Over the last three or four years, the E3 gods have been smiling upon those of us who spend our time writing about video games, delivering a veritable banquet of blockbuster surprises and relatively few of the on-stage gaffes and groan-inducing celebrity cameos that the convention was famed for a decade or so ago.

Who could forget Sony’s Jack Tretton giggling as he hammered nails into the proverbial coffin of the Xbox One by pulling apart Microsoft’s entire console strategy on stage back in 2013? What about Nintendo turning up with puppets a couple of years ago before breaking our hearts with footage of Star Fox Zero apparently pulled out of a time capsule from the Gamecube era? Microsoft surprising everybody and announcing backwards compatibility for the Xbox One? The year that Sony lost the plot and had The Last Guardian, Shenmue III, and the Final Fantasy VII Remake on stage? That incredible Zelda trailer last year?

The last few years have followed a similar pattern with Nintendo announcing very little of any worth, and Microsoft doing a really good job that was almost instantaneously forgotten about because Sony just did it all so much better. Sony’s 2016 conference consisted of little more than one kick-ass trailer after another, without any of the usual cast of characters boring us with facts and figures, and it seems like it’s going to be a tough one to top.

But could there be a change in the wind in 2017? Microsoft has a brand new console to shill which could be a game changer, and Nintendo is currently riding a wave of positive vibes thanks to the successful launch of the Switch, with all conventional logic saying that they must have some big games to announce considering the relatively sparse line-up of impending titles for the fledgling system. Surely Sony don’t have any more aces up their sleeves? Or do they?

We asked our writers to weigh in with some predictions on what to expect from E3 2017, a few of their hopes and dreams, and plenty of unfettered, wild speculation to get mad about in the comments.

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What you hope to see at the Microsoft conference?

Matt De Azevedo: Handing the Scorpio over to Digital Foundry back in April was a genius idea for several reasons: it showed Microsoft’s extreme confidence in their product, it gave the most respected tech guys in the biz a chance to examine the hardware and share the results with the public, and most importantly, it assured that Microsoft isn’t going to spend their entire E3 conference going over spreadsheets detailing RAM and teraflops. The new console is the biggest shadow looming over the conference, and Microsoft would be wise to open their showcase with it but only spend a few short minutes on the hardware itself; hopefully they’ll reveal the final design along with the release date and price, then promptly move on to software. With that said, due to Microsoft’s new strategy of publishing all titles on both PC and Xbox—thus eliminating the console brand’s ability to tout any truly exclusive games—how exactly do they use software to sell the new machine? There’s only one answer: put its raw power on display.

RICKY D: I purchased my Xbox One back in December of 2015 and I’ve barely used the console. In fact, I haven’t turned it on in almost a year due to a lack of first party exclusives that interest me. I have nothing against Microsoft and I love the Xbox 360 but I’ve been sorely disappointed with the lineup for the Xbox One and given that I own a PlayStation 4, I prefer to play most third-party games on my Sony console. That said, I’m really hoping to see more of Cuphead along with a firm release date. It’s the number one reason I bought the console two years ago and I’ve been impatiently waiting for its release ever since. Finally, for all of the success of its established franchises, we are at the point where a new Halo, Forza, and Crackdown is just not enough to convince people they should buy a Microsoft console over a Sony PlayStation. Microsoft desperately needs a new IP, only I’m hoping it isn’t a first-person shooter or a racing game, rather something the company isn’t usually known to make such as an open world fantasy adventure in the vein of Witcher 3.

Mike Worby: Honestly, what I would really like to see from Microsoft is something of note. I’ll happily grab myself an Xbox One if you can give me a must-play that Sony doesn’t have.

John Cal McCormick: Games, games, games. Part of the problem with Xbox One right now is that there’s barely any point buying one unless you really love Forza, Gears, and Halo. The PS4 has had a more entertaining line-up of exclusive games in the first five months of 2017 than the Xbox One has since launch, and that’s not good enough. I’m hoping that Microsoft has some new IP at E3 2017 – first party, brand new ideas, unavailable on PS4. I’d also like to see Scorpio be competitively priced, and for them to avoid throwing money at a third party developer to buy exclusivity of an upcoming title like they did with Rise of the Tomb Raider – that deal was a massive misfire for all concerned. They need to talk about Scorpio, but it’s the games that matter most. Talk hardware, give us a price, and then wow us with games.

Marty Allen: What I hope to see from Microsoft is Cuphead and Below getting firm release dates in the not-too-distant future, but that’s rather selfish of me, as they’re the only games on the platform that currently interest me. Despite the fact that I don’t have an Xbox of my own, I’m always pulling for every console to make fun games, so I hope that they bring some big surprises to the table that not only excite their fan-base but also welcome new gamers as well. Sony and Nintendo are coasting on their own steam right now, it’s Microsoft’s conference to win or lose, but a win would grant them some much-needed press and momentum.

Brent Middleton: There’s a lot of doubt surrounding Microsoft’s first party lineup right now, but there’s some great potential. Hopefully, we’ll see more Sea of Thieves gameplay and get a firm release date for that as well as Cuphead. Aside from the exclusives we already know about, we also need to see new IPs taking advantage of the Scorpio hardware. Microsoft should treat the Scorpio as a new console generation and launch it with at least one new, memorable franchise. I also hope that we’ll see a Sunset Overdrive sequel.

What do you expect from the Microsoft conference?

Matt De Azevedo: Despite what some may be hoping, Microsoft doesn’t have any shocking console-exclusive announcements to make. Halo 6 and Gears 5 will not be shown or teased. Crackdown 3 will undoubtedly rear its head, but given the game’s known development issues there are too many doubts sewn into its fabric to wow anyone in the know. Cuphead and Sea of Thieves will get release dates, and while both games look interesting, neither has the power to cause massive rumblings at an event like E3. With Microsoft’s conference taking place a full day ahead of Sony and Nintendo’s, I expect them to send reverberations throughout the event by debuting a ton of 3rd party games and showing what they look like on the world’s most powerful console. Assassin’s Creed Origins will makes its official debut on Microsoft’s show floor, 2K Games will have a huge presence at the conference as they announce sequels for both Borderlands and BioShock, Call of Duty WWII will have a prominent showcase, and Microsoft will receive massive bonus points if they somehow convince Bethesda to let them be the first ones to show off Wolfenstein: The New Colossus. Microsoft’s goal won’t be to show games that can be only played on their console, but they’ll undoubtedly push their platform as the best place to play these games, and they’re gonna win over a fair share of people by officially debuting these titles alongside the Scorpio.

RICKY D: This is a huge E3 for the future of Xbox. The primary goal for Microsoft is first and foremost, to sell Project Scorpio. I expect a good chunk of the press conference to focus on the console itself with a lot of third party games being announced for the system and a heavy focus on virtual reality. One of Project Scorpio’s selling points has been how it will accommodate full VR experiences and now is the time for them to show fans exactly how. Apart from that, I expect the press conference to include a lot more gameplay footage of Crackdown 3 since we haven’t seen much from the game since it was revealed in 2014 and end with a big title that nobody has ever heard of. Phil Spencer usually puts the emphasis on games at E3 so even with though they’ll need to set aside a lot of time to showcase Project Scorpio, I expect to see a whole lot of games on display. Microsoft will be extremely keen to showcase the power of Scorpio, and to do this Redmond will enlist the help of both first and third-party titles for the job.

Mike Worby: Cynic that I am, I expect more focus on Forza, Gears, Halo and the like. I wish Recore had taken off for them so they could have a new killer app. Maybe Sea of Thieves will do it for them.

John Cal McCormick: I think that their conference is going to disappoint. I’m expecting the hundredth Forza game on Xbox One, Crackdown 3 to be shown again (probably looking nothing like it did the first time around, and with little talk of the once much-ballyhooed cloud processing we’ve all now forgotten about), and a lot of talk about the power of Scorpio. I desperately hope they have something more compelling than that. On the Scorpio front I’m expecting a lot of people to be pretty miffed with it because it seems like many are expecting this console to be a game changer, and it probably isn’t going to be. I’m expecting a more powerful Xbox One – a slightly better twist on Sony’s PS4 Pro – and that’s about it. No exclusive Scorpio games, no new generation, and a fairly high ($499?) price point. Microsoft needs exclusives to give people a reason to care, and I just don’t see where they’re going to come from with them throwing money at third party developers.

Marty Allen: What I expect from Microsoft is for them to produce a well-put-together showcase that doesn’t address the Microsoft-sized elephant in the room – what happened to all of their first party games? Yes, we’ll see more Crackdown 3 and Sea of Thieves and Forza; probably some more looks at Halo and Gears. And yes, even a new IP, but who knows what or how interesting it will be? They’ll talk Scorpio, but probably not as much as we think. They’ll try to make a splash, they’ll do ok, but they need that shiny new IP that sells itself.

Brent Middleton: I honestly expect Microsoft to go all out this year. Phil Spencer has to know how vital this year’s conference is to the future of the brand. They’ll probably have an extensive hardware overview of the Scorpio followed by both live demonstrations and trailers of games running on it. They’ll emphasize the power of the console and unveil its price and launch titles.

What you hope to see at the Sony conference?

Matt De Azevedo: Sony has set an unreasonably high bar for themselves with their two previous E3 outings being near perfection. They’re in a groove right now when it comes to these showings, and I expect a spectacular presentation as they somehow attempt to one-up the live orchestra they had last year. They’ll stick to a similar format: back-to-back trailers, give Shawn Layden some time to speak, then more trailers—and it’ll be a good show—but I just hope they don’t rely too much and what we already see coming.

Ricky D: Dare I even say Kingdom Hearts 3? Chances are, even if this game won’t be released anytime soon, Square Enix likes to remind their fans that the series does, in fact, exist. But seriously, it’s been over a decade since the second installment in the franchise was released, and fans are growing restless. I think fans are long overdue a first glimpse of the game. Let’s just hope they give us more than just a logo.

Mike Worby: Bloodborne 2 better be coming, baby. There have been rumblings, and I hope for my part that those rumblings are correct.

John Cal McCormick: Sony has been absolutely killing it since the launch of the PS4 when it comes to selling units and getting quality exclusive games onto the system, but their handling of some other aspects of the PlayStation brand has left a little to be desired. Nobody cares about PlayStation Now so I’d like to see it overhauled to allow the downloading of games, and also be incorporated into a new PlayStation Plus tier to be a little more cost effective. I want to be given a reason to buy PlayStation VR – the tech looks cooler than the other side of the pillow, but I’m not throwing £400 at a system to play Fruit Ninja VR. I’d love to see them announce PSOne Classics on PS4 with trophies etc. too. Other than that I just want them to do what they’ve been doing for the last few years – showing off more exciting games than everybody else, and giving us a few surprises along the way.

Marty Allen: Sony is the company to beat, so I hope to see them continue to kick butt and not rest on their shiny laurels. More than anything else, I hope to see a strong and convincing IP in place to make the case for VR. As a bit more of a long-shot, I hope to at least see what Sucker Punch has been up to, with an additional sidebar hope of some new action surrounding Sly Cooper. Moreover, I hope to see some noise from the new Red Dead, but I fear for it. Extra long long-shot: Kingdom Hearts announcement.

Ben Thompson: Since Sony has been dominating the first party exclusives over Microsoft, I would hope to see a continued focus on the games over hardware. Their conference last year showed game after game in quick succession, and I’d like to see this conference follow suit.  In terms of new game announcements, I would like to see Sony address the publishers and game franchises that have been dormant for quite some time. These games could, therefore, include a possible inFamous sequel from Sucker Punch, a follow-up to Supermassive Game’s Until Dawn or even a sequel to The Order 1886 from Ready at Dawn. Furthermore, since the advantages that come from owning a PS4 Pro has left me a little underwhelmed, I would love to see games take full advantage and push the hardware to its limit. These include games such as Insomniac’s Spider-Man and Quantic Dream’s Detroit: Become Human which would follow the trend started by Horizon: Zero Dawn in giving people a reason to go out and buy a PS4 Pro. Finally, even though I would prefer the conference to focus on the games over the hardware; for the past few years I have been holding out for a new PS Vita console. I know it’s a long shot, but at the very least I’d like to see the Vita get some attention in some way amidst all the PS4 announcements.

Brent Middleton: Sony has done a good job of keeping expectations low. Following a solid PlayStation Experience in December, the company is essentially victory-lapping this year. It’d be great if we saw more of the new God of War entry and how it’ll reinvigorate the franchise. I’d also like to see Sony nail down a release date for the Final Fantasy VII remake and Kingdom Hearts 3, but that’s really just wishful thinking at this point. But you know what I’d really love to see? A new IP that’s more in the vein of Ratchet and Clank or Jak and Daxter. I’d love to see something funny, colorful and clever from their internal studios.

What do you expect from the Sony conference?

Matt De Azevedo: Sony should NOT show Kingdom Hearts 3, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Shenmue 3, Death Stranding or The Last of Us Part II, but their showcase will include at least 2 of them. We all know they’re in development, but none of the aforementioned titles will see the light of day in 2018, and there’s no point in dragging them out onto the show floor again without any substantial updates. PS4 Pro and PSVR will be mentioned but only in passing as Sony’s event will rely on exclusives; they’ll announce at least 3 never before seen first/second party titles (including FromSoft’s next project), while the brunt of the load will be lifted by Spider-Man, God of War, Detroit: Become Human, and Days Gone, all of which will get firm release dates. Sony’s showing will be excellent from a representational standpoint, and above average from a content perspective, but compared to their own previous shows it won’t be as explosive, unless of course they can use their partnership with Rockstar to debut a Red Dead Redemption 2 trailer, which wouldn’t only be the talk of the show, but would also steal the 3rd party thunder right out from under the Scorpio’s feet.

Ricky D: Sony has developed a bulletproof plan for showstopping E3 presentations in recent years and it isn’t really a big secret how – it’s all about showing games, games and more games. Two years ago it stole the show and left longtime fans nearly in tears by announcing a long-anticipated remake of Final Fantasy 7 alongside Shenmue 3, and last year it crammed as many games as possible into the event, including the then highly anticipated Horizon: Zero Dawn and the soon-to-be-released God of War. This year will be no different. The Japanese giant will look to continue its fan-pleasing streak and keep the PS4 out in front of its rivals with a strong lineup of, wait for it — games. Games, games, and nothing but games. With both the PS4 Pro and PSVR released last year, I don’t expect them to waste much time on their hardware, so it will be a case of Sony mopping the competition with the biggest, baddest, and frankly, best library of games. I expect first-party titles, exclusives, multi-platform crowd-pleasers, lots of indies and virtual reality. I mean we are already guaranteed to see The Last of Us: Part Two, the new God of War, Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding, Detroit: Become Human, Days Gone and Insomniac’s Spider-Man and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. All that said, I expect nothing less than to see Rockstar Games on Sony’s stage at E3. Red Dead Redemption 2 will no doubt steal the show and honestly, if that was all they showed, it would already be enough.

Mike Worby: There will almost certainly be expansions on last year’s bombshells like The Last of Us 2 and God of War. I also expect to see a bit of that FFVII Remake in action, even if Square-Enix isn’t going to give it to us until 2020.

John Cal McCormick: I’m not sure what to expect from Sony. Last year I doubted they could continue their trend of great conferences and they gave us one of the best E3 shows of all time. I’m feeling doubtful – I mean, how many more games can they possibly have up their sleeves? – but again, I thought that last year and they nailed it. I’m going to lean towards disappointment for this one, and I think we’ll see more of the games we already know are coming – God of War, Death Stranding, Days Gone, Detroit – and the third party games they’ll have exclusive content for – Call of Duty, Destiny – and not much else. I’m also expecting a Crash Bandicoot style resurrection of another classic PlayStation game since resurrecting old franchises seems to be working out for Sony. I think we’ll probably see a new game from Sucker Punch since they’re known to be working on something, and we might even see a sequel to The Order. I don’t think we’ll see The Last of Us Part II, since that’s probably a way off, and I wouldn’t be expecting anything from Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy VII. We’re going to see Emma Stone announced as being in Death Stranding. Oh, and Bloodborne 2 is coming. I can feel it in my bones.

Marty Allen: I expect Sony’s conference to look much like last years, and that’s no bad thing. If it ain’t broke, show another long-form demo reel of games, games, games. We will see God of War and Last of Us 2, DLC for strong new IPs like Horizon and perhaps Nier. We’ll see a bit more of what Kojima’s been up to with Death Stranding. With recent re-masters like PaRappa and Patapon, they seem pretty keen to push nostalgia for old IPs, so perhaps a bit more of that? Shenmue remasters of 1 & 2 would go well with the upcoming release of 3. I expect some surprises, but I’m really not sure what. Bloodborne 2? Playstation All-stars 2? And I do expect a big push for VR, perhaps something with Battlefront? An all new Batman? They need something big there, and they are at least going to try before letting VR go the way of the Vita. Overall, I expect them to do another great job and keep their fans excited. Oh, and more Spider-Man, please.

Ben Thompson: The main goal for Sony is to make sure people get behind their previously announced exclusives; particularly the new IPs. I would, therefore, expect the conference to focus on the games already announced that we have only seen brief glimpses of. Games such as Sony Bend’s Days Gone and Insomniac’s Spider-Man need to impress to get people onboard. Although the latter will still sell well due to the existing fan base, people are still itching to see what this game looks like in motion. In contrast, Days Gone is a brand new IP and so it makes sense to reveal some more details surrounding its story and characters to get people sold. I would expect a release window to be given to both these games, likely around spring 2018. Naughty Dog doesn’t like to spoil their stories, so it’s unlikely that we’ll see more gameplay for Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, but rather a final trailer for the Uncharted spin-off. Lastly, given the huge success of Horizon: Zero Dawn, Sony will probably announce some upcoming story DLC along with a release date around set for October this year.

Brent Middleton: Sony doesn’t have to have a stellar conference this year, and they know that. Instead, because expectations are so low, they’ll likely have two or three exciting surprise announcements that completely blindside fans. Aside from that, they’ll just elaborate on games we know exist and announce more timed exclusivity deals with third parties. They’ll also probably show off more games that specifically take advantage of the PS Pro.

What you hope to see at the Nintendo Direct?

Matt De Azevedo: What I hope for from Nintendo is that they show some semblance of comprehension when it comes to modern day standards within the industry, but they won’t. I hope that they don’t make me question their grip on reality, but they will. For every Super Mario Odyssey there’ll be 10 Metroid Prime: Federation Forces, but fortunately for Nintendo the former will outweigh the latter, and at the end of the day the masses will walk away thinking about how good Mario looks.

Ricky D: Games and a lot of games. I want not one but two Metroid games, one 2D, and one 3D. I hope to see a new Donkey Kong Country, a new Animal Crossing for the Switch and a sequel to something like Luigi’s Mansion or The Wonderful 101. I’m also hoping to see Bayonetta make an appearance and a late 2016 release day for the Super Smash Wii U port. But what I really hope to see is a new IP from the Big N.

Mike Worby: All this talk about “no 3D Metroid being in the works” better be a confirmation that we’ve got an old-school Metroid in the pipeline. It’s been on my wishlist for 6 years Nintendo, please give us a new Metroid.

John Cal McCormick: I’d like to see a lot more of Super Mario Odyssey, but I’d also like for there to be a lot of other games announced because a Mario game in six months just isn’t enough. I want a new Pokémon, a new Mario Golf, and a new Metroid, as well as system-wide achievements being introduced, and news on the virtual store which hopefully won’t suck this time. After buying the Wii and the Wii U and never really feeling like I got much out of those consoles, I want reasons to be confident in picking up a Switch, knowing that I’ll actually play it, and it won’t just sit gathering dust next to my Vita. I want Nintendo to prove that they’re not archaic and backwards thinking, and that they’re not arrogant enough to believe that they don’t need to catch up to the competition in terms of features, online functionality, and their store. Selling Nintendo games to Nintendo fans is easy. They’d buy anything. Nintendo needs to sell their wares to lapsed fans and casual gamers to keep Switch going, and that means exciting new first party games, and something from third parties that doesn’t just feel like a rubbish version of what they’d get on PS4 – I’m looking at you, FIFA.

Marty Allen: Nintendo is where my hopes go wild, because they have a lot of potential energy right now, and I’m loving what the Switch has been delivering. On the one hand, Nintendo has been playing it pretty safe with their E3 presence over the last few years. On the other, their marketing over the last two years has improved enormously, so perhaps they’ll take this opportunity and really run with it? A boy can hope. My biggest dream is an all-new Animal Crossing for the Switch that works seamlessly with the iOs iteration. I’ll shoot for the stars and dream for a look at a new Metroid in the ilk of Prime, too. Beyond that, I hope to see a clearer vision of the Virtual Console that builds towards including Gamecube titles. And I hope to see a real solution to voice chat that doesn’t involve non-Euclidean geometry. More than anything, I hope Nintendo hits us with at least one big surprise reveal…

James Baker: Metroid Prime has long been due a reboot but it seems unlikely as Nintendo ignore one of their oldest franchises. The momentum is with Nintendo to revitalize some of its classics and to lose confidence now would be a huge blow. If Metroid doesn’t receive a new game, then a new Pikmin or Luigi’s Mansion would be great additions to the Nintendo Switch. Mario Party would be a welcomed as it’s perfect for the Switch’s motion controls, plus will be excellent at promoting the new online features. As for the Nintendo 3DS, I’m hoping for the final generation seven Pokémon game, rumored to be named Pokémon Stars. This will complete the Sun and Moon generation and lead into generation eight which I expect to be on the Switch in 2019.

Patrick Murphy: I want to know what Retro is working on. Whether it’s a new Metroid (doubtful), Donkey Kong (even more doubtful), or something completely new (please), Nintendo would be wise to clue gamers in on what one of their most respected first-party developers is doing. Though it’s likely that any Retro title would not be coming this year, their track record of quality is enough to lend some additional excitement to the already positive aura surrounding the Switch. 2017 has been pretty much mapped out for the new console, so hinting at things owners have to look forward to beyond this year is crucial. Otherwise, I obviously want to see more Mario Odyssey, I desperately want a slew of indie games showcased to tide me over in between the sparse AAA releases, and I’d love for a deal to be announced that sees a couple of third-party exclusives, like Bayonetta 3 or Beyond Good & Evil 2. Pie in the sky perhaps, but I can dream.

Brent Middleton: Nintendo has a lot riding on their E3 conference this year. The Switch is off to a strong start, but there are several things that need to happen at their Spotlight event. An update to the Switch’s UI would be welcome, especially if it included the ability to add more themes. Personally, I’d love to see Animal Crossing, but a new entry in the Metroid franchise wouldn’t be too shabby either. It’d be great to see another new IP shown off, but one delving into the RPG realm. And–though they might not be announced during the Nintendo Spotlight–more third party partnerships would also be welcome.

What do you expect from the Nintendo Direct?

Matt De Azevedo: Ports, re-releases, Splatoon 2, ARMS, and Super Mario Odyssey. Breath of the Wild will get way more time than needed, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 will get delayed (to the surprise of no one), and a few of the classic franchises that fans are dying to see more of will be shown but not in the way that anyone wants or expects. Those waiting for Odyssey before picking up the Switch will continue to wait, and those currently unconvinced on the console will remain so. Mario will be one of the best looking games at the show, but fans will walk away from this event feeling no different about Nintendo, and while that’s fine for some, it’s certainly disappointing to me.

Ricky D: Last year was an odd year for Nintendo. The Big N focused their E3 digital event on only one game: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and yet somehow they stole the show. This year, things will be somewhat different but I do expect a good portion of the digital event to once again focus on one game, that being Super Mario Odyssey. According to Nintendo, their E3 Spotlight Event plans to focus primarily on Switch titles coming our way in 2017. The problem is, there aren’t many first party games being released this year that we don’t already know about. Or do we? Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime promises the company will deliver a huge E3 this year, and contrary to what I said on the NXpress podcast, I’m starting to think that maybe he isn’t lying. That’s why I actually expect Nintendo to surprise everyone and come out hitting hard. Despite their recent press release, I do think they will premiere a few yet unannounced games that will leave fans of Nintendo extremely happy. That said, I don’t expect much outside of a few seconds of footage of any of these surprise titles simply because nowadays, Nintendo relies more on the Nintendo Directs to promote their games. Apart from that, I expect to see a lot of games from Square Enix, Ubisoft, and yes, more amiibo.

Mike Worby: Like Mulder, I want to believe, but my fear is that we’ll see more spin-offs no one asked for and more gimmicky 1-2 Switch style games. Please, prove me wrong Nintendo.

John Cal McCormick: Nothing. This is the one I’m most worried about, because Nintendo needs to prove they’ve got big games coming following complaints about the sparse library on Wii U, and I don’t believe they’ve got them. I don’t think Metroid is coming. I think the next Pokémon is just going to be a riff on Sun/Moon as per usual. There’ll be more ports from Wii U like Smash. I think people are going to go into this one with high expectations and wind up disappointed.

Marty Allen: However… I expect Nintendo to play it pretty safe. Last year, they focused almost entirely on Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and it worked. They had a remarkable new game from a classic IP to present a clear vision for, and they did. I expect to see much the same surrounding Mario Odyssey, with few big announcements to cloud that vision. The new Mario will look and play like a dream, and we’ll all forget that we ever wanted anything else. We’ll also see a lot of Splatoon 2, a little of ARMS, and we won’t see a Smash Bros. re-master (we won’t see it YET – it can’t make sense to their marketing people to push that iconic fighter around the same time as ARMS). They’ll detail the second set of Zelda DLC, and I suspect they might make the current pack available as they do the Direct. I think they’ll give us a little treat – there’s a pretty good chance of getting a most-welcome Pikmin 3 re-master announcement. Maybe a Pokemon-shaped surprise, or deep cut around the Wonderful 101? Perhaps a little noise surrounding upcoming iOs entries? I think we’ll also see another strong highlight of their commitment to indies, with a few cool surprises and dates in that mix. Mostly, they’ll play it safe and keep their focus on Mario and the Switch’s momentum, but they’ll do a good job of it, capitalizing on a legendary IP and a lot of goodwill for a fun new platform.

James Baker: More footage of Super Mario Odyssey is likely to be shown, hopefully revealing more variation in the worlds. However, this is as good as it will probably get. I don’t expect the unveiling of any huge games. I hope Nintendo shock and surprise me and send an earthquake down the middle of E3. But what we will get is more footage of games already revealed, and probably more details on the DLC for Breath of the Wild.

Patrick Murphy: Plenty of Mario Odyssey and Splatoon 2, probably some more ports of Wii U games, additional footage from titles already announced, like Fire Emblem Warriors and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, a pledge to for some reason keep supporting the 3DS, new amiibo that I won’t care about, and an indie game highlight reel for stuff that released on other consoles six months ago. I’ve conditioned myself not to expect big excitement from Nintendo with these presentations, but something does feel a little bit different this year. The whole launch of the Switch feels special, and Nintendo wants to do everything they can to keep the good vibes going. I expect to hear Reggie to appear at the end with a knowing grin and a “just one more thing…”

Brent Middleton: We’ll see Super Mario Odyssey in much more depth and probably hear more about Splatoon 2 as well. I’m expecting a highlight reel of upcoming indies (including some new exclusives) and the formal reveal of Mario+Rabbids Kingdom Battle. Will we see any new IPs? Maybe one. Will we hear more about virtual console? Probably not.

What would be your dream announcement?

Matt De Azevedo: With the announcement earlier this year that the Deus Ex franchise has been put on hiatus, the chances of it showing up at E3 are literally 0.0%, and that’s a crying shame. Mankind Divided isn’t a good game, it’s a fantastic game, and I need a conclusion to Adam Jensen’s story. Please Square… I can’t take a wait like the one between Invisible War and Human Revolution. (Oh, and FromSoft: you guys are the best in the business and you know what to do. Fear the old blood.)

Ricky D: A new Earthbound/Mother game. And I don’t mean having Mother 3 released in the west. I mean the fourth entry in the series.

Mike Worby: If Nintendo finally premiered an achievement system, particularly for their classic games, I would lose my mind.

John Cal McCormick: PSOne games on PS4 with trophies. All the big games I want are already announced or too far off (Persona 6?!) to mention. Give me Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy IX and Silent Hill with trophies and I’ll be your best friend. Scout’s honour.

Marty Allen: Animal Crossing Switch: a massively multiplayer online, world-building dream of bug-catching wonders for me to retire to.

James Baker: Nintendo to reveal something we don’t already know about. Metroid Prime, Pokémon Stadium, Luigi’s Mansion – I’d even be happy for a new Harvest Moon. Just anything.

Patrick Murphy: A new ActRaiser, because I want one. C’mon, Square! Barring that, a Retro Studios-developed Metroid Prime 4 would have me thinking of little else until its release.

Ben Thompson: The Elder Scrolls VI or a new PS Vita console.

Brent Middleton: A new Animal Crossing game. One that greatly expands the player’s role as a mayor and adds enough new mechanics to make it feel like far more than a New Leaf expansion.

Who will “win” E3?

Matt De Azevedo: Microsoft has the most powerful horse in the race, but their jockey is questionable. Mario will stir the hearts of the masses, but Nintendo’s previous E3 showing proved that one fantastic looking game isn’t enough to win the event. While it’s still up in the air, realistically speaking if two or more of Spider-Man, God of War, Detroit: Become Human, or Days Gone get 2017 release dates then Sony automatically wins and people will be prematurely touting 2017 as one of gaming’s best years. And even if all four of those games are 2018 or beyond, Sony’s lineup still makes them the front runner. It’ll be tough to dethrone the reigning king.

Ricky D: Sony simply because Nintendo said they are only focusing on games being released in the upcoming twelve months and in my eyes, Microsoft just can’t compete with Sony’s library of games.

Mike Worby: Despite my snark, I feel like Nintendo could take it this year. It would be a welcome change to see someone really give Sony a challenge, and I fear that Microsoft isn’t up to the task at the moment.

John Cal McCormick: Sony. Even though they’re bound to disappoint at one of these shows sooner or later, betting against them given their recent record seems foolish. They’ve got so much third party support and an incredible array of first party studios – I don’t see how Microsoft or Nintendo will be able to compete.

Marty Allen: I think the very idea of winning E3 is a bit over-simplified, but I’m going to go out on a limb for the long-shot bet. I think Microsoft is going to swing for the fences and hit a home run. The real question is whether or not they’ll see the momentum through properly to bring their console back to a state of relevance.

James Baker: Sony will win, but strangely, it’s Nintendo’s to lose. If Nintendo doesn’t reveal anything spectacular, which they should after the successful release of the Switch, then Sony will walk it. Microsoft seems to have already accepted defeat, so who knows, they might strike back like a cornered snake.

Patrick Murphy: Doesn’t Sony always win these things? They have plenty of games, lots of sales numbers to report, and just the right street cred to make their rivals look silly. I’m not sure what Microsoft could do to make up ground in the cool department besides announcing an impossible number of exclusives, but as the wild card, I do think Nintendo has the ability to make a memorable splash with the right-sized cannonball. They can’t “win” (I’m not even sure they’re playing the same game), but they can earn a lot of positive buzz, which is a victory in itself these days.

Ben Thompson: Sony

Brent Middleton: I think most people will say Sony, but Sony actually doesn’t have to do much to “win” in the eyes of most gamers this year. If Microsoft or Nintendo far exceed expectations, it’ll be more of a “win” for them in my eyes.

Well, that’s it for our predictions for E3 2017, what about yours? Sound off in the comments below.