12 big predictions for Gamescom 2013

So, Microsoft has pretty much confirmed that it’s going to be announcing a new, exclusive title for Xbox One. What will it be? There were several notable rumours circling before E3. Many expected a Fable to make an appearance, but it’s likely that Microsoft held back to give the Elder Scrolls Online announcement time to sink in. That still probably stays true. But don't forget that Fable III was revealed at Gamescom 2009...

What Microsoft needs is a killer exclusive to lure back gamers left in the cold after their DRM and Kinect policies caused a stir. Even if it’s just target footage, expect something significant like a next-gen Gears of War or something classic from the Rare back catalogue. There were whispers of a new Banjo before E3…

There’s something brewing at Blizzard. While any major new announcements will undoubtedly be saved for 2013’s Blizzcon, expect the PC giant to confirm something at Gamescom. We’re betting it’ll be a new expansion and update for World of Warcraft, or—something that has been long rumoured—it could be the confirmation of WoW for next-gen consoles.

We’d be disappointed if this was Microsoft’s ‘big exclusive’ but it would be a significant ace up Xbox One’s sleeve. Subscriber numbers have fallen since WoW’s 11+ million heyday, but a console port along with a major visual update could lure them back. Fast.

A couple of weeks ago we suggested a number of ways that PS4 could save Vita. Well, one way is for Sony to create a PS4+Vita bundle, and to sell it this Christmas. Gamescom has traditionally been the time for Sony to make second-tier hardware announcements (like slim consoles, and new versions of PSP), making a PS4 / Vita combo hugely likely.

Sony is in a great position to reverse the fortunes of its handheld. It’s currently under-cutting the price of the Xbox One by £80 / $100, which could be the magic number when it comes to selling Vita as a perfect next-gen accessory. In other words, we’re calling it now: £429 / $499 for a PS4 and a Vita, this Christmas.

While we’re on the subject of hardware… Now that Microsoft has pulled another U-turn by removing the need for Kinect to operate Xbox One, the company has paved the way for a cut-price ‘console only’ offering. Again, Gamescom would be the perfect time to confirm something like this.

Now that Kinect is a ‘nice to have’ rather than an integral part of the Xbox One experience, Microsoft can remove it from the cost of some machines. We reckon they could save roughly, hmmm, £80 / $100 per console. Which would mean they could offer a £350 / $399 Xbox One without Kinect. This means they can compete on an even footing with Sony, while offering a full-price Kinect bundle for the Xbox faithful. Hey, if we were Microsoft, it’s what we’d do…

Nintendo continues to merrily separate itself from not only traditional gaming events (it hosted a painfully flat Nintendo Direct at E3 instead of hosting a press conference), but also from the traditional console cycle. Nintendo will have several playable games on the show floor, but you already know about them, and there are no plans for a Gamescom-themed Direct.

Right now it feels like Nintendo is playing the role of the mad old sea captain, boldly steering the troubled ship ‘Wii U’ towards a terrifying cluster of rocks. Maybe Captain Ninty is a genius. He’s carefully piloting a course through the rocks to avoid running aground in shallow water. Or maybe he’s genuinely gone brain-wrong from too much rum, and he’s simply steering towards the rocks…

Vita will be getting some new game announcements at GamesCom. That’s 99.9% certain. However, whether they’ll be proper, AAA games, companion titles, or just more indie games remains to be seen. If Sony is going all-in with a PS4 and Vita bundle, it makes sense that we’ll see spin-off games for some of PS4’s big titles like Driveclub, Infamous, and something like Watch Dogs or Assassin's Creed.

Failing that, expect a barrage of Indie hits, as Sony looks to bulk out Vita’s pre-Christmas release list. Hey, we love indie games, and Assassin's Creed III: Liberation was fine and dandy, but what we’re really hoping for is a couple of mega-reveals. Gran Turismo Vita? GT’s kind of dull these days, but the IP's huge so an announcement would still turn heads. A proper Last of Us game on Vita? We can dream, can’t we…

Two things. Firstly, Tearaway is almost finished. It’s releasing this winter. Secondly, Media Molecule is one of Sony’s premier first-party studios, and one that is yet to play its hand on PS4. Perhaps that’s why we’re taking rumours about MM prepping some kind of reveal with a little less salt than usual.

The logical conclusion would be to assume the studio is working on a LittleBigPlanet for PS4. Perhaps, although MM has regularly, publically distanced itself from the LBP series since number two. Tearaway demonstrates that the studio is willing to throw new games into the mix (although both LBP and Tearaway have certain ‘craft-heavy’ themes going on), so we could see something brand new—and inevitably awesome—from the team.

Get excited: the third Batman game (of the current series) will be at Gamescom. You’ll see people playing it, and chances are it’ll be awesome. The series has moved away from original devs, Rocksteady, but the template will stay very much the same. Can we expect anything new and radical from it? Unlikely, but we’re so ready for another 20 hours of the Dark Knight.

Will there be any news on a next-gen Batman? No. Warner is looking to keep focus on Arkham Origins for the rest of the year, and Rocksteady is very much on lock-down at the moment. If we had to guess, we’d tell you to expect a new Batman at E3 2014, running on both Xbox One and PS4.

So there are our current clairvoyant considerations for Gamescom 2013. Reckon we're accurate with any, or indeed, all of them? And what are your predictions? Well-reasoned, sober musings or wild, feverish dream-thoughts; we'll take them all.

And while you're here, have a look at some of related stuff. If you haven't already read it, then Dave's editorial on why you will love Gamescom 2013 is a good place to start. And then why not refresh yourself on the 'prequel' to this year's GC with our fictionalised version of LA's events in E3 2013: The Movie?