With E3 2017 right around the corner, I’ve decided to compile my predictions into an article filled with speculation, educated guesses, and anticipation. It should be noted that I’ve only chose to discuss developers that I am educated on or interested in. Apologies if your favorite dev isn’t on here, but feel free to talk about them in the comments section.

Microsoft

With Xbox launching Project Scorpio this year, I’m very interested to see what they show off. Considering that E3’s best moments come from game announcements, will Phil Spencer take note and put the emphasis on graphically intense multiplatform titles and exclusives, or will Scorpio steal the show?

To put it simply, both. I think Xbox will take too much time with Scorpio, however, the games will get spotlight as well. I expect focus to be on Sea of Thieves, Forza, Middle Earth: Shadow of War, and other 3rd party titles. With this said, though, I wouldn’t be surprised if Spencer surprises fans with an exclusive new IP. Oh, and can we finally get a release date for Cuphead? That’s not a game you’d want to show off alongside Scorpio, but it has been in the works for years and fans are losing interest…fast.

Nintendo

2017 is Nintendo’s year to shine at E3. The Switch is off to a hot start, the games are on their way, and the future is bright, However, what games will actually be shown off?

Mario Odyssey will be the focal point of their show, with Splatoon 2, Xenoblade 2, and Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle also getting some attention.

In terms of 3rd party announcements, I fully expect COD: WW2, this year’s Assassin’s Creed game, and some other sports titles to be announced for the system.

Now comes the fun discussion – what games will Nintendo reveal at E3? There are five franchise candidates, in my eyes, and I believe two or three of them will receive announcements: Pokemon, Animal Crossing, Pikmin, Metroid, Super Smash Bros. A deluxe version of SSB4 is a given at this point, but Metroid and Animal Crossing would also make a splash in the current gaming market.

Lastly on the Nintendo side of things, Virtual Console will be detailed, along with the company’s online service. I expect these features to be released at some point in July, to complement Splatoon 2.

Sony

Sony is gearing up for an extremely important E3. The company is winning the “console war” right now, but both competitors are making moves. Sony must keep the focus on games, and not Virtual Reality. If they do this, E3 2017 will be a success for them; however, if the mistake of talking too much about VR is made, this could be a blunder.

Games I expect to see shown off and playable include, but are not limited to, God of War, Days Gone, Spider-Man, and The Last of Us Part 2. Additionally, Death Stranding and Final Fantasy 7’s remake will be shown, but not playable or detailed.

An important aspect of Sony’s 2017 E3 is release dates. The Playstation 4 has a stacked lineup of games that have no release date, and this is the company’s chance to change that.

EA

Sports games, sports games, and more sports games. Fifa, NBA Live, and Madden will all get their annual installments. However, alongside these sports titles will be the titan known as Star Wars Battlefront 2, which is sure to be a controversial topic among gamers at E3.

Rockstar

With Rockstar’s recent delay of Red Dead Redemption 2, I am genuinely confused as to what their E3 plans are. Obviously the game will be there, but what other titles could we see? Only time will tell.

Activision

Activision is all about Destiny 2 this year, and for good reason. The game was announced recently and made a splash on the web almost immediately. The company seemingly fixed mistakes from the first game, ensuring that Destiny’s sequel will be sought out and anticipated among gamers that felt burned by the first title.

Ubisoft

Ubisoft’s show this year will have an emphasis on supporting Switch. The company has stated they want to be the lead 3rd party publisher on the hybrid console, and this will show through their E3 announcements. They’ll likely talk more about Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, but South Park, Assassin’s Creed, and Far Cry 5 will get attention too. Additionally, I have a feeling that the Beyond Good and Evil 2 rumor is true, and will be confirmed at this year’s show.

And the winner is…

This year’s E3 will likely go down as one of the best in years. With all three major companies bringing a slew of announcements, hardware, and other features to the table, who will come out as the winner? Ultimately, I think it’s between Nintendo and Sony. If both companies stick to their software and don’t waste time on other features, it will be a coin flip as to who “won”. However, given Nintendo’s marketing strategy over the last year, I feel that they understand their audience better and will deliver a better performance in 2017.

What predictions do you have for this year’s E3? Be sure to sound off in the comments section below.

E3 2017 takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from June 12-15.