SonicKitsune

Just using good old trend projection to figure this one out early, provided this happens at all.

• The show has been "optimized" to fill 4 hours instead of 3 and a half by introducing a hard 5 second limit for acceptance speeches to allow more trailers and anti-vape ads.
• All awards except Game of the Year will be given in the quick list format for further "optimization".
• The middle of the show will be two randomly selected episodes of The Muppets which will differ per viewer by using the latest in ad tracking technology.
• All present are forbidden to mention the World War III going on outside.
• Armed guards are present outside of and throughout the theater to prevent any attempts at making the show more interesting.
• There is now a "best use of AI" category.
• All "best indie game" nominees are published by Nexon or Annapurna.
• GTA VI wins "most anticipated".
• The Last of Us still wins an award even if they didn't release anything that year.

I had to take care of things that ran late but I saw most of it. It was an okay showing on average. Here's what I got for highlights:

• Somehow Pony Island, Thumper, and World of Goo are all getting sequels, specifically Thumper 2 or whatever its actual name is exclusive to VR, and at least not just Cockulus or PlayStation this time like some VR games, it'll be on PC too, but not sure if simultaneous.
• Sega announced both new Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi games and that's about all that's needed to be known there, but I would like to know more and hope there's not some crazy monkey paw catch here. I also feel like there being at least two JSR-looking games this year (Hi-Fi Rush and Bomb Rush Cyberfunk which does more than look the part) was part of the summoning ritual. Also what if this game also has "Rush" in the title.
• Kojima is doing another weird game thing called OD, probably looking to make Silent Hills but for real this time, and Jordan Peele is also there.
• There's a new No Man's Sky game from the No Man's Sky studio that has "No" in another three-word title that takes place on one planet instead of infinity I think. It has giant birdies but I expect many doubts.
• There's a new mecha game I'll probably forget the name of, but "Mecha" is in the name so that'll probably help.
• Epic is all but confirmed only making one game now at this point, literally every game they're coming up with at this point is just a game inside of that one game.
• New Monster Hunter. It's Monster Hunter.
• Baldur's Gate 3 mostly swept.
• Hi-Fi Rush got an award.
• Pizza Tower didn't get an award.
• Nexon didn't win best indie game.
• FromSoft won an award with a game that's not a Souls game.
• Dreamsettler wasn't on the most anticipated game list but it's pretty much the big one on mine for next year (if it's releasing next year).
• There are some real big-ass woodwind type instruments out there.
• I don't think anyone mentioned Gaza or Palestine unless that was in the first hour I missed or it was another time I was AFK but I'd kinda doubt it.
• It was literally impossible to attempt to win a Steam Deck or Steam Deck-like because they tried holding the giveaway through a site that cannot handle any traffic.

No idea how well the industry is going to fare over the next couple years but I don't anticipate it going well. I've been anticipating a crash for a while now, recession or not. I guess we'll see if we make it to GTA VI or even Elder Scrolls VI. But I really wanna see the indie stuff thrive while not also ending up a repeat of the current AAA thing.

• Tinykin was snubbed at this show.
• A bunch of sequels got announced.
• Death Stranding 2 will probably be twice as weird.
• Bill Clinton somehow won Game of the Year.
• I don't think I won a Steam Deck.