E3 2018 has now come to an end but what a year it was. Big announcements, exciting trailers and some outstanding gameplay. If you're looking to catch up on the news from the show, we're got everything right here as well as our hands-on impressions with some of hottest games of the show. TechRadar has the exclusive scoop on some of E3's biggest news: Netflix is bringing a Minecraft: Story Mode to its service. Minecraft: Story Mode on Netflix will be a five-part episodic adventure and will be available to stream later this year. Read more: Dauntless Additionally, TechRadar also broke the news that Telltale Games is developing a game based on Netflix's hugely popular Stranger Things series. Of course, we've played games! Emma Boyle rounded up 10 big things you need to know about Assassin's Creed Odyssey and told us why Cyberpunk 2077 might be the reason she leaves the real world, while Nick Pino went hands on with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (and actually won). Nick also played Spider-Man on PS4, and writes it's the game fans have waited their entire life for. And Emma took Skull and Bones for a sea-worthy spin. One of the most compelling games we played at E3 is called Concrete Genie. It deals with bullying and what it's like to be a creative teenager who'd rather paint than fight. It's a beautiful, moving tale, and one we highly recommend. You can bet we've got opinions about the biggest gaming show on Earth. Our Matt Hanson writes that Microsoft's showcase makes him glad he's a PC gamer, while Emma Boyle notes the PlayStation E3 event was a bad presentation of good games. Joe Osborne writes that Nintendo Switch finally leaned into its multiplayer niche at E3 2018, while Damien McFarren dissects what worked and what didn't at Ubisoft's E3 conference. We also grilled a Microsoft VP about whatever happened to VR on Xbox One X, plus found out from Microsoft that cloud streaming will complement Xbox consoles, not replace them. Cut to the chase What is it? The world’s biggest annual gaming expo in Los Angeles The world’s biggest annual gaming expo in Los Angeles When is it? Show dates are June 12 – 14 The announcements of E3 2018 Nintendo Image 1 of 11 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Image 2 of 11 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Image 3 of 11 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Image 4 of 11 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Image 5 of 11 Fortnite Image 6 of 11 Fortnite Image 7 of 11 Overcooked 2 Image 8 of 11 Super Mario Party Image 9 of 11 Fire Emblems Three Houses Image 10 of 11 Super Mario Party Image 11 of 11 Pokemon Let's Go Nintendo rounded out the press conference portion of E3 2018 with its signature fun and charm. It was rumored long before E3 2018 started, but now it’s been confirmed: Battle Royale hit Fortnite is coming to Nintendo Switch and it’s available on the Nintendo Switch eShop right now. An inordinate amount of time was spent on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but being the biggest SSB game, who can blame 'em? This game includes every single character from the mascot-filled fighting series, including characters that were only available via downloadable content on Wii U, and non-Nintendo characters like Sonic, Pac-Man, and Snake (from Metal Gear Solid). We got a look at this year's Pokemon Let's Go, but Nintendo didn't dive into the 2019 RPG of Pokemon. For an in-depth take on Nintendo's E3 conference, check out Joe Osborne's piece on how Nintendo Switch leaned into its multiplayer niche during its big Direct broadcast. And for a quick look at the coolest things Nintendo announced at E3 2018, then check out our round up of the five most exciting games Nintendo showed off. Sony Image 1 of 23 Death Stranding Image 2 of 23 Death Stranding Image 3 of 23 Death Stranding Image 4 of 23 Death Stranding Image 5 of 23 Death Stranding Image 6 of 23 Death Stranding Image 7 of 23 The Last of Us 2 Image 8 of 23 The Last of Us 2 Image 9 of 23 The Last of Us 2 Image 10 of 23 The Last of Us 2 Image 11 of 23 Control Image 12 of 23 Control Image 13 of 23 Resident Evil 2 Image 14 of 23 Resident Evil 2 Image 15 of 23 Resident Evil 2 Image 16 of 23 Ghost of Tsushima Image 17 of 23 Ghost of Tsushima Image 18 of 23 Ghost of Tsushima Image 19 of 23 Spider-Man Image 20 of 23 Spider-Man Image 21 of 23 Spider-Man Image 22 of 23 Kingdom Hearts 3 Image 23 of 23 Kingdom Hearts 3 Sony did something different with its PlayStation E3 showcase this year, and whether you liked it or not, it still delivered when it came to great games. The Last of Us 2 was treated to a new trailer, one showing Ellie fighting for her life and that perfectly set the tone for the game. There's so much buzz around Death Stranding, it's deafening, and a new trailer unveiled at E3 will only serve to strengthen that buzz. Ghost of Tsushima came out strong with a stunning, artful trailer at E3, showing a huge open world, combat reminiscent of Assassin's Creed and the importance of stealth in the game. And everyone's favorite spider-inspired superhero got a gorgeous trailer of his own. The Marvel's Spider-Man trailer featured a who's who of villains, from Electro to Vulture. Not only does the footage give us a good look at combat, it really showcases the traversal mechanics; Spidey moves fluidly both on foot and through the air. While it will be some time yet before we can play many of Sony's most-talked about games, one thing that might tide us over is the release of Call of Duty Black Ops 3 on PlayStation Plus for free starting today. Hey, it's something, right?<doc-sep>E3, the video game industry’s top annual confab, has all but come and gone, leaving us with a cornucopia of upcoming titles to look forward to across platforms, from PlayStation to Xbox to Switch and everything else. Here’s a look at the seven games revealed or otherwise highlighted at E3 2018 that we can’t wait to play. Cyberpunk 2077 Imagine a Grand Theft Auto game set in a dystopian, Blade Runner-esque futuristic California. That’s pretty much Cyberpunk 2077, as far as we can tell. Players will navigate Night City’s six different regions in an open-world RPG-style adventure, taking various missions and generally trying to survive a gritty-yet-glamorous world. Developer CD Projekt hasn’t put a release date on this one yet, but it’ll be available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC when it’s done. Fallout 76 Speaking of dystopian futures, there’s a new Fallout game on the horizon from Bethesda: Fallout 76. Whereas Fallout games have typically been set several decades after a Cold War-era nuclear apocalypse, Fallout 76 will drop players into the lore just a couple of decades after the bombs fell. The gameplay promises to be different, too — Bethesda is framing this one up as an online-only shared-world survival game. Fallout 76 is slated for release on Nov. 14 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Electronic Arts hasn’t revealed a ton of information about this one just yet, but the plot sounds promising enough: You’re a Jedi Padawan who survived Order 66 and now must carry on as the Jedi are hunted down and slaughtered across the galaxy. We won’t get this one until “Holiday 2019,” says EA. But that dark period in the Star Wars lore is ripe for excellent storytelling opportunities that have so far gone largely untapped since the Extended Universe canon was wiped in 2014. Spider-Man One of the biggest hits of E3 was no doubt Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man, the latest in a long line of web-slinging platformers featuring Peter Parker and co. The game is playable at E3, and the folks who’ve gotten a spin with it are lauding it for its visuals, controls and overall enjoyability. Superhero games are notoriously difficult to pull off, but Spider-Man may just have what it takes to be a hit when the Insomniac Games title arrives for the PlayStation 4 on Sept. 7. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate The Nintendo Switch’s ever-expanding software library is slowly but surely turning it into a can’t-miss system. That’ll be doubly true with the Dec. 7 release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a brand new Smash game built specifically for Nintendo’s latest console. Nintendo says the latest installation of its cross-title brawling franchise will feature every character that’s ever been in the series (but there’s still no Waluigi, to the dismay of some). Oh, and if you’ve still got one hanging around, the game will be compatible with GameCube controllers, a favorite of some hardcore smashers. Last of Us Part II A long-awaited sequel to one of the PlayStation 3’s best-selling games, The Last of Us Part II will be a sequel set five years after the events of the post-apocalyptic original. Characters Ellie and Joel are returning, though both have clearly been affected by several more years of desperate survival. Developer Naughty Dog hasn’t put a release date on this one yet, but legions of fans are eagerly anticipating its arrival nonetheless. Bonus: Fortnite on the Nintendo Switch Fortnite is by no means a new game, with millions of players already competing to be the last person standing. But its arrival on the Nintendo Switch is a big deal both for the game (because it’ll reach even more players) and the console (because it’s another sign Nintendo is targeting older teens and adults, not just younger players). With throngs of kids about to be unleashed upon the world until school starts up again in autumn, the summer of Fortnite is undoubtedly upon us. The Leadership Brief. Conversations with the most influential leaders in business and tech. Please enter a valid email address. * The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. Please attempt to sign up again. Sign Up Now An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Please try again later. Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thank you! For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder. Contact us at letters@time.com.<doc-sep>Most of the games we saw at E3 2018 have current-generation systems attached to them, such as the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, but a few of the games on display during the event looked like they could also serve as great launch titles for the future consoles. Others completely avoided talking about platforms at all, leading us to believe they aren’t going to release on the consoles you currently own. Here are the E3 2018 games that could come to next-generation systems. ‘Death Stranding’ Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding was announced as a PlayStation 4 exclusive two years ago, and since then we’ve seen several cinematic trailers, as well as our first look at gameplay during Sony’s press conference this year. We have no reason to believe Sony or Kojima Productions don’t plan on launching the game for PlayStation 4, but no release date or even window has been provided yet. With a name like Kojima behind a new franchise, Sony has the opportunity to make it a system-seller for the PlayStation 5 at launch, though we anticipate it will release on PlayStation 4, as well, regardless of what comes next. ‘Nioh 2’ Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo released the Souls-like Nioh to rave reviews on PlayStation 4 and PC in 2017, with the game riffing on existing tropes of the genre while adding a substantial amount of variety to combat. The companies announced Nioh 2 as a PlayStation 4 game during Sony’s E3 press conference, but few details were provided on when we can play it. For such a large project, we wouldn’t expect to actually play Nioh 2 for at least two years, and this could line up with the release periods for the next PlayStation system. Given how well Team Ninja’s innovations worked with the Dark Souls formula in the original game, we hope the team takes its time to make the sequel just as impressive. ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ Microsoft showed off the first trailer for CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 at the tail end of its press conference, and a behind-closed-doors demonstration was shown to press afterward. The game has been confirmed for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, but with no hard release date and a ridiculous level of detail and choice, we won’t be surprised if it ends up releasing as a cross-generational game, similar to titles like Battlefield 4 or Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. That being said, the visuals CD Projekt Red was able to achieve on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 with The Witcher III is nothing short of stunning, so we could be pleasantly surprised. ‘Dying Light 2’ Another game that looks like a perfect candidate for a cross-generational release, Techland’s Dying Light 2 blew us away during Microsoft’s E3 conference, with gameplay systems and narrative choices so impressive that we were surprised it’s a sequel to Dying Light at all. The game is being developed with the involvement of legendary role-playing game writer Chris Avellone, and nearly every decision you make will have a lasting impact on the surrounding area and its people. We would love to see this enhanced even further with the power of next-generation consoles, much like Warner Bros. did with the Nemesis system in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. ‘Halo Infinite’ 343 Industries created an entirely new engine — Slipspace — for the development of Halo Infinite, which the studio said was necessary for a game this ambitious. Microsoft didn’t show any gameplay or give any story details during its E3 press conference and later clarified that the trailer was actually an “engine demo” more than a game announcement. Right now, the studio says the game will be coming to the Xbox One and PC, but we seriously doubt it will skip the next Xbox console. We heard rumors that it could be split into two separate releases, with the campaign arriving in 2019 at the very earliest, but if this is pushed into 2020, it could line up with the launch of the Xbox One’s successor. ‘Starfield’ Bethesda Game Studios’ confirmed the existence of its science-fiction game Starfield during Bethesda’s E3 2018 event, but didn’t actually show off the title or give any details on gameplay. Director Todd Howard tossed around the “next-generation” label when describing the game, and he later said it’s actually in a playable state right now. However, as Bethesda isn’t willing to show it off yet, we’re willing to bet it isn’t coming to Xbox One or PlayStation 4 and Howard recently said he isn’t even sure which platforms it’s coming to yet. ‘The Elder Scrolls VI’ After announcing Starfield at the Bethesda E3 2018, Howard announced the next project his team will be working on: The Elder Scrolls VI. Aside from a basic logo and a short shot of some rolling plains, no information was offered on this game, and Howard later told The Game Awards producer Geoff Keighley that the game was still in pre-production. This means it will likely be several years before we have a chance to play it, and as Bethesda likes to take its sweet time before launching a new title, there is almost no chance it comes to PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. In the meantime, you will have to play Skyrim on your Nintendo Switch or Amazon Alexa, or try The Elder Scrolls Blades on your mobile device. ‘Final Fantasy VII’ remake Of all the games on our list, the Final Fantasy VII remake is actually the only one to not appear at E3 2018, despite speculation and fans’ hopes of seeing it in action for the first time in years. The full remake was announced at Sony’s E3 2015 show and was initially being developed by outside studio CyberConnect2, but this plan unraveled in May 2017. Square Enix then began developing the title internally, but with no footage for three straight conferences and few updates on the game’s progress, we think it’s very possible for the game to pull a Last Guardian and skip its announced platform — the PlayStation 4 — completely.<doc-sep>Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard of Fortnite: Battle Royale, the video game that's taken the world by storm. Here's how it works: You and 99 other players are dropped out of a flying bus (not a typo) onto an island. You land with nothing but your wits and a pickax. As the game starts, there's usually space between you and the next person, which gives you time to scrounge up supplies and weapons -- and use your pickax to take apart walls, furniture and anything else you can find nearby. As the game goes on, the landscape effectively shrinks, forcing players closer together and into combat. It's them or you -- so everyone starts to pick each other off, Hunger Games-style, until there's a winner. Fortnite wasn't the first to use this addictive formula called "battle royale" inside the video game industry, but its quirky take helped turn the game into one of the biggest hits in years. On Tuesday, Fortnite maker Epic Games said during the E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles that 125 million people have played Fortnite since it was released for PCs, Macs, the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One and mobile devices beginning nearly a year ago. And though the game is a free download, in the month of April alone Epic rang up nearly $300 million in sales of add-ons such as color schemes for weapons or new outfits for characters, according to industry watcher SuperData Research. Fortnite also sells dance moves for characters, called "emotes," that have become so popular that real-life sports stars including Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield have taken to re-enacting them in real life (and Fortnite, has taken inspiration from stars like the MMA champ Conor McGregor.) So it's probably no surprise that Activision last month said its rival war simulation game, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, will also have a battle royale mode when it comes out later this year. And on Saturday, Electronic Arts said it will offer a battle royale mode for its upcoming WW II-themed Battlefield 5 game, after fans asked it to take on the genre. "The raw gameplay is what draws people into it, which is brilliant," said Patrick Söderlund, EA's head of design. "That's how a game should be." Now playing: Watch this: Fortnite on the Nintendo Switch: This is what it looks... Battle royale is popular for a reason. It's the latest example of how many of the games we play are changing dramatically to focus on people playing together rather than one person playing alone. Thanks to the internet and powerful services such as Xbox Live and PlayStation Plus, game makers are tapping into our primal urges to compete against one another, giving us all manner of new ways to play. The Hunger Games approach caught on thanks to the drama that comes with it. The shrinking circle of play, the defined winner and how everyone's pitted against one another makes the game not just fun to play, but entertaining to watch too. Which is part of the reason why Fortnite is the top game on the streaming service Twitch.TV. (PlayerUnknowns Battlegrounds, its next largest competitor, is currently ranked seventh-most streamed.) Epic is looking to take advantage of that popularity with a big push into esports, announcing Wednesday the first Fortnite World Cup will be held in 2019 with qualifiers taking place later this year. The company said it will drop $100,000,000 to fund prize pools for Fortnite competitions. Frank Azor, head of Dell's Alienware gaming PC division, said his 6- and 8-year-old kids began playing Fortnite after talking about it with friends at school and watching videos of people mimicking the celebratory dances online. Before Fortnite, they'd played the world-building game Roblox and Blizzard's cartoonish superhero shooter Overwatch. But now, it's all about Fortnite. And he doesn't think they're alone. Sales of Alienware's powerful PCs have jumped double digits this year, he says, something he attributes in part to Fortnite. "It's crossing into the mainstream," Azor said of the game. Josh Miller/CNET Me against you Until recently, the top games seemed to be the ones centered on epic stories, like Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild, Ubisoft's alternative-history Assassin's Creed series, Bethesda's post-apocalyptic Fallout and Microsoft's space war Halo saga. Each of them was a visual feast, but it was the engrossing storylines that won fans over. Those games are still among the most popular out there. But purely online titles, in which players battle each other instead of playing on their own through a story, have now become a huge draw. Titles such as Riot Games' League of Legends, Blizzard's Overwatch and Fortnite all find new ways for people to play together rather than relying on the storyline as their main selling point. "The social aspects of video games are becoming more and more important," said Yves Guillemot, CEO of Ubisoft, whose Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege online game, which pits two teams of people against each other, has tallied more than 35 million players since its launch three years ago. Josh Miller/CNET Games aren't just connecting people to play with one another; the communities that spring up around the games are connecting people too. Minecraft, for example, has become an entire subculture filled with its own in-jokes, conventions, books and related games. "As people tend to spend more time in games, it's important we open our eyes to ones in which we can build relationships," Guillemot added. Even Grand Theft Auto 5, the tongue-in-cheek crime title from Rockstar, has maintained its popularity because of its Grand Theft Auto Online feature. That's where up to 30 people can play together and pull off massive heists in the game's parody re-creation of Los Angeles. The raw gameplay is what draws people into it, which is brilliant. That's how a game should be. Patrick Söderlund, EA's head of design<doc-sep>
Bethesda Game Studios E3 2018 is in full swing and there is plenty of gaming news to look through. Trailers and previews have been flying out – and it's nowhere near finished yet. Games like Fallout 76, Cyberpunk 2077 and Anthem have been some of the highlights so far, along with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Devil May Cry 5, Kingdom Hearts 3 and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey being some of the many long awaited sequels now revealed to the public. Then there's the teasers for Halo: Infinite and The Elder Scrolls VI, which hint at the excitement likely coming to the next generation of consoles. There are still plenty of 2018's best games due to be released but even after a year of top quality titles, E3 2018 proves there's plenty to look forward to in 2019 and beyond. These are the highlights. E3 2018 conference reports Sony E3 press conference: Sony showcased Death Stranding, The Last of Us Part II, Spider-Man, and Ghost of Tsushima, but skipped over other announcements Ubisoft E3 press conference: Ubisoft filled its E3 2018 conference with big games, from Assassin's Creed: Odyssey to Elijah Wood's VR project Transference, plus a surprise appearance from Starfox. Microsoft E3 conference: Microsoft revealed a deluge of new games, including Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 4. But its hints about the next-gen of Xbox show the most promise. Nintendo E3 conference: Nintendo didn't deliver any big surprises, but the Switch is still going from strength to strength with Smash Bros, Mario Party and Fire Emblem all confirmed Games and trailers from E3 2018 Fallout 76 After a small spot at Xbox's conference, and more at Bethesda's own, we now know a lot more about what Fallout 76 is. A prequel to the other games, the player is cast as one of the first survivors of the retro-future nuclear apocalypse, setting out into the West Virginian landscape to rebuild society. It is a hybrid of single/multiplayer, and extends Fallout 4's settlement system to allow you to build anywhere in the enormous open world, apparently four times the size of the previous game's map. Take note of the very close release date too: 14 November 2018. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey After being leaked from a picture of a keyring of all things, Ubisoft’s big franchise is sticking to ancient times for now, moving from Egypt to Greece. There are plenty of changes other than that however, with additional RPG elements like a choice of two playable characters, romance options, and a branching storyline. The ship sailing and fighting mechanics, last seen in ACIV: Black Flag, also seem to be making a return. Gears 5 A big surprise from Xbox, there is also a PC strategy and mobile game on the way for a franchise that has been dormant and ignored for a few years. Gears 5 (the 'of War' seems to have gone missing from the titles of the future games) features side character Kait Diaz as its lead, a character familiar to those who played the last game.Find out more in our in-depth report here. Spider-Man Insomniac Games’ take on the web swinging hero features everything you’d want from a Spider-Man game: all the main characters, a wide open NYC, and plenty of powers with which to fight crime. But what’s most exciting is the fact that it’s an original story; still based in the comics, but not linked strongly to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, giving plenty of room for a fresh interpretation. The gameplay trailer above shows Spidey dealing with an enormous prison break, with some of his best known enemies escaping in the process, no doubt to cause you trouble later on in the campaign. Anthem EA’s big new IP has been quiet for a while, likely due to the fallout of Battlefront II’s loot box system. Anthem still looks like a great multiplayer shoot and loot game, in the vein of Bungie’s Destiny. It apparently won't feature romances, despite this being a staple of developer BioWare's work, which may be a surprise to the studio's fans. More pertinently, it got a finalised release date of 22 February 2019. Just Cause 4 After being accidentally leaked thanks to a Steam advert, we now have confirmation that the fourth game in the super explosive action series is coming out on December 4. This time the setting is South America, with a bigger game world and bigger weather, which will become a key game mechanic.