E3 2017 is only a few weeks out, where the entire gaming world falls onto Los Angeles and fans get their first taste of what's to come over the next year. For Sony, it's a simple question: Can it keep the PlayStation on top?
PlayStation 4's Future
A big question surrounding Sony and PlayStation this year is if an answer to Microsoft and Xbox's Project Scorpio is in the works. Last fall saw the release of the PlayStation 4 Pro, which offered fans a beefier-model PS4 that had a bigger hard drive out-of-the-box than the original model and could run games at 4K. And even if someone didn't have a 4K display, the stronger components were able to clean up the graphics, offering a cleaner image one way or another. However, it was still very much a PS4 at its core.
The idea with the Scorpio is that, while it will support Xbox One games and accessories, it is a new iteration of Xbox with specs that would make it the most powerful home console on the market. Sony has never been a company - when it comes to gaming - that rests on its laurels.
While Sony, overall, has seen plenty of ups and downs in other areas, like the TV division, the PlayStation has always been a consistent success, with changes made to address any issues very quickly. With this sort of attitude, it's safe to assume that Sony could have something in the tube to debut at E3 this year.
Games Galore
One area where PlayStation has always had the advantage over Xbox has been its exclusive games, and it has quite a few in the pipe. Add to that the list of content and PS4 first deals that have been signed, like early access to the Call of Duty: WWII and Destiny 2 betas, that only strengthens PlayStation's standing going into the trade show.
First, there's the new God of War, which made its debut last year at E3 2016. The game will see the return of Kratos, now years removed from the events of the original games and living in seclusion with his young son. This time around, Kratos will find himself in the crosshairs of the Norse gods, like Odin and Syf, while teaching his son to tap into his abilities as a demigod. This will also a be a big departure from the original style gameplay, going from a fixed-camera approach to an over-the-shoulder approach, giving the game a more personal feel.
Then there is the other heavy hitter, The Last of Us Part II. The sequel to the 2013 Game of the Year winner, it was announced at PlayStation Experience in December, with a trailer created just for the show. The game will continue the journey of Joel and Ellie in this post-apocalyptic world, with players taking control of an older Ellie who, based on the trailer, is out for blood, but whose is the question.
Next was the surprise announcement at last year's E3, a PS4-exclusive, untitled Spider-Man game from Insomniac. The wall-crawler hasn't had the best outings when it comes to games over the last few years, with the misses outnumbering the hits. However, with Insomniac at the reigns, the same studio behind the Ratchet & Clank and Resistance series, and Activision no longer involved, it gives the game more hope than past games starring the web-slinger.
Those are just three titles in the works, not to mention other exclusives like David Cage's next game Detroit: Become Human or the open-world zombie game Days Gone. PlayStation always seems to outpace Xbox with games, and this E3 is looking no different in that regard.
