What to expect from PlayStation at E3 2018

A digitized Norman Reedus as Sam in “Death Stranding”. Image: Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment via AFP Relaxnews

Sony’s PlayStation division has promised to focus on four big exclusives at E3 2018. Here are an armful of other games also likely to make the cut.

Setting the stage for his June 11 presentation, Sony Interactive Entertainment president Shawn Layden targeted four PlayStation 4 exclusives: “The Last of Us Part II”, “Marvel’s Spider-Man”, “Ghost of Tsushima” and “Death Stranding”.

“The Last of Us Part II” comes from the same studio behind the “Uncharted” series and both series have a reputation for high-quality action, adventure, audio and visual presentation.

This time, however, orphan Ellie becomes the main character while an E3 2017 clip implied a darker storyline for the undated sequel.

September’s “Spider-Man” doesn’t directly tie in to the movies, its studio says, but instead takes place when the webbed wonder is at the height of his powers. Players can expect to swing, sling and flip their way around New York City, meeting familiar faces and chasing down another superpowered mystery man, Mister Negative.

“Ghost of Tsushima” is a bit more of an unknown quantity, having been revealed at Paris Games Week in November 2017, but promises a fully realized Samurai-era Japan. Will it be ready for release in 2018?

Finally, the foreboding sci-fi title “Death Stranding” is the first new title from ex-“Metal Gear Solid” director Hideo Kojima, so far, as cryptic and cinematic as Kojima’s reputation suggests, with actors Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelsen embodying principal characters.

Outside of the focal quartet, expect to see more of “Dreams”, “Days Gone”, “Blood & Truth”, “Erica” and “Concrete Genie” all of which have featured at previous PlayStation presentations, as well as more on its “Medievil” remake and the recently announced “Tetris Effect”.

Similarly, indie games “Knights and Bikes” and “The Gardens Between” were announced as PS4 console exclusives, as were Square Enix’s “Final Fantasy VII Remake” and “Left Alive”; its acclaimed “Dragon Quest XI” is a PS4 home console exclusive until a Switch version arrives, though Square Enix might cover all this at its own briefing earlier in the day.

Expect to see Activision’s “Destiny 2: Forsaken” expansion and “Call of Duty: Black Ops 4” due September and October respectively, during the PlayStation conference.

And, speaking of October, rumor has it that PlayStation and Rockstar Games are partnering over aspects of what could be 2018’s biggest release of all, Wild West adventure “Red Dead Redemption 2”.

Sony PlayStation
Time: June 11, 6 p.m. PDT
International: 9 p.m. EDT, then June 12 at 1 a.m. UTC, 2 a.m. United Kingdom, 3 a.m. Central Europe and South Africa, 6.30 a.m. India Standard Time, 9 a.m. Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Beijing, China, 10 a.m. Japan and South Korea, and 11 a.m. in Sydney, Australia. Watch or follow live via live.playstation.com, playstation.com/e3, Twitch, YouTube and Facebook. JB

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