Activision is one of the leading publishers going into E3 2013 this year, and with games like Call of Duty: Ghosts, Skylanders and Destiny on the menu, everyone is anticipating big news this year.
Activision spoke briefly about the company’s next-generation plans for this year’s 2013 Electronic Entertainment Expo event, that event is scheduled to take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from June 11 – 13, 2013. On the docket for Activision this year is Call of Duty: Ghosts, Destiny and Skylanders SWAP Force.
“This is obviously a big year – not just for Activision, but for the entire industry,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. “There’s a console transition coming and naturally, everyone wants to see what new possibilities that will unleash in the games. We remain laser focused on delivering the things we know our gamers care about most: great gameplay, immersive worlds, and cool innovations. And that’s what our amazing lineup at E3 this year will deliver.”
Activision does have a lot to be proud of this year. There is Call of Duty: Ghosts, developed by Infinity Ward, the same studio that created the original Call of Duty and the critically-acclaimed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series. The new installment is being hailed the “next generation of Call of Duty” and Activision calls it “a stunning leap forward for the franchise”. The game will consist of an all-new world, setting and cast of characters, all powered by a new, next-generation engine.
Activision has stated that “gamers play as the underdog, fighting as part of a single squad against an enemy that has superior numbers and firepower”. There will be “several new multiplayer features that will be unveiled in the coming months” and the game is expected to release on November 5, 2013 for the Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One and PS4.
Destiny comes with a partnership with Bungie, the creators of Halo, and the publisher will showcase Destiny at E3. The game is a “persistent online world filled with sweeping adventures” according to the publisher. Destiny casts players as Guardians of the last city on Earth, “who will traverse the ancient ruins of our solar system from the red dunes of Mars to the lush jungles of Venus”. Players will be Able to wield incredible power, as gamers must “battle humanity’s enemies and reclaim all that was lost during the collapse of mankind’s Golden Age”. The game takes place in a story-driven universe, Destiny’s saga unfolds through grand tales and epic adventures by immersing players in a bold new universe filled with cooperative, competitive, public, and social activities, all seamlessly connected. (Developed for the PlayStation 4 system, PlayStation 3 system, Xbox One and Xbox 360.)
On the other side of the spectrum is Skylanders SWAP Force, based on the award-winning franchise’s signature gameplay and collectible toy experience, this time “with the introduction of an innovative feature – dynamic swapability”. This will allow kids and gamers to have “unprecedented levels of choice in how they explore Skylands and battle Kaos by swapping the top and bottom halves of the toys to transform 16 SWAP Force characters into more than 250 unique combinations”. The game is set in “a richly detailed world of next generation visual fidelity, Skylanders SWAP Force takes kids on an all-new adventure with 32 never-before-seen heroic characters that each offer unique powers and personalities” according to Activision. The game also features new abilities (such as flying, climbing, and teleporting – which can be used in special areas of Skylands. Additionally, fans can play with their entire collection of 100+, forward-compatible toys from both Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure and Skylanders Giants). Skylanders SWAP Force is set to release in North America on October 13, Australia on October 16 and Europe on October 18. Fans can pre-order Skylanders SWAP Force Starter Packs worldwide beginning on June 7; all games pre-ordered at participating retailers worldwide also will come with a free Skylanders toy. Suggested retail pricing: starter pack, $74.99; individual action figures, $9.99 for core characters, $14.99 for new SWAP Force characters. (Developed by Vicarious Visions for the PlayStation 4 system, PlayStation 3 system, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and the Wii U™ system from Nintendo; the Wii™ from Nintendo version is in development by Beenox; the portable Nintendo 3DS™ version is in development by n-Space; not yet rated by the ESRB.)
