PC Gaming Show E3 2016 Recap

Published: June 13, 2016 9:05 PM /

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E3 2016 PC Gamer Preview Image

PC Gamer and AMD started the show with the host Day9 introducing the audience to the conference and that for the next 100 minutes they will be focusing on PC Gaming. A buzz reel was played showing off some of this years biggest titles including ARK, Rocket League, The Witcher 3 and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdxiACB6AWQ

Phillip Boulle and Brent Disbrow are the first two on the stage to talk about the upcoming Dawn of War 3. The first thing that we get to see after a brief conversation is a new game play trailer of Dawn of War 3. The footage shows a lone warrior charging into battle showing off powerful attacks such as hammer drops. Among all the ground troops we also see airships and giant mechs successfully turning the tide of battle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wHHSxt5I4s

Shortly after that Jessie and Forest Rapczak took to the stage from Studio Wildcard to talk about ARK Survival Evolved. Mods that have been created and included in the game were discussed as well as the next update that is coming to ARK. It will include the Redwood biome including trees that can't be cut down so you can build bases among them, and the Titanosaurus that you will be able to build a base on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzbFHT1JLY8

Following on from large dinosaurs we have Giant Cop. The trailer shows you playing as a giant cop in a VR world. The trailer paints you as both a hero to some and villain to others. This game is being developed by Other Ocean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nvr25q0Kkc

Mount and Blade 2: Banner Born from TaleWorlds got to show off a brand new trailer too with battering rams moving up to a castle to lay siege. Frank Elliot, community manager from TaleWorlds, explains that Mount and Blade is a sandbox simulation of medieval warfare. Siege game play is a new mode coming to the game where you get to invade or defend a castle. There will be single and multiplayer sieges with up to 300 computer controlled characters. TaleWorlds will give all players the same tools that they use so that they can create mods from launch day.

Lords of the Fallen creators show off a new game The Surge, a futuristic game with similar gameplay to Dark Souls. This game will be coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coQJo1dmBMQ

Boss Key Studio show off a new map for LawBreakers complete with a new trailer. They also announced that you can now sign up for their alpha via their website. Cliff Bleszinski talked about the game play of LawBreakers and how important fast and fluid movement are in this style of classic arena shooters. This map is a re-imagining of what Santa Barbara and Los Angeles would be. You can go to PCGamer.com to see whether you can get into the alpha.

In addition to game developers, technology is also an important part of PC Gaming. Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, took to the stage to talk about what AMD has to offer starting off with Polaris. To go with the new hardware, AMD has also been focusing on software updates to have support for all kinds of games. We get to see Doom running in Vulkan and Polaris in high quality. 

Just like last year, Su produced another box showing off the entire Polaris lineup. Radeon RX480, which gets premium VR that will release on June 27th, and the RX470 and the RX460. The 470 has 2.8x over the previous generation and the 460 has focus on esports. Portable VR is also discussed as an Alienware VR backpack is shown off. Using the RX480, players are able to achieve state of the art VR.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvJhfM2mXJ8

From the makers of Life is Strange we have a new trailer for Vampyr. Unlike the leaked trailer earlier this week, we get to see combat as your character uses his powers to dodge before coming in for the kill, even piercing right through some enemies. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_TsegjIrHU

Killing Floor 2's John Gibson, president of Tripwire Interactive, took to the stage to talk about what's coming out next. There are 4 major content packs coming up, the first of which being called "bullseye", allowing you to play as the Zeds. Being in Early Access, Gibson sung praises of the system allowing him to better improve his game for the players. Some new game play was then shown of the new content pack with expanded Player vs Zed mode, Sharpshooter perk, Rae Higgins, and multiple community maps. Next down the line for Killing Floor 2 will be the full release in the Fall, and this content pack is now live. Killing Floor 2 will have a free weekend on Steam and Anna Sweet from Oculus takes to the stage to announce their new game Killing Floor Incursion with Oculus Touch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLLVFm4QzdY

During the trailer for Incursion we get to see weapons like swords and handguns being used to take on the usual Zeds. Oculus also announced that Superhot will also be coming to Oculus Touch in the future. The trailer shows not only gunplay, but also hand to hand combat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR0K3yEtmo8

Obsidian games asks the questions next "What if evil had already won?" with their new title Tyranny. Their trailer shows isometric combat, and narrative where you will be the one to decide how the world goes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYuUVPVELpM

Observer, made by the same developers of Layers of Fear, gets a trailer next. Rafal Bajaj from Bloober Team takes to the stage to ask the question "What would you do if your enemy could hack your fears?" The Observers are a group of people who hack peoples minds and so you have to experience other peoples fears. Some game play is shown for Observers as you walk through a strange building with disco rooms and dark, creepy rooms until you find a girl plugged into a machine as she sleeps.

Jason Coleman, from Sparklypants, takes the spotlight next to announce their new RTS Dropzones. Each player has three pilots with full customization and tries to mix RTS and MOBA together. The trailer shows top down gameplay as you command a variety of troops and use your abilities. Each game will be 1v1 and will last for around 15 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_0jwV6nu6E

Arma III devs Bohemia Interactive arrive to talk about Arma III Apex. Following from last year when they showed off their tropical island terrain they want to show up the Co-op campaign and how players will be exploring the terrain. From deep forests to rural towns Apex will drop July 11th and if you pre-order the game then you will get a sneak preview. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfLw8knUsAQ

The Turing Test is a new game that is a first person puzzler set on Jupiter. You play as a robot that is working on a space station. The developers aim with this game, was to have any gamer be able to start playing and understand what to do. There will be a linear story as well as more information that the player can learn, that will change the way that gamers will experience the story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiIq-GU8w10

From Finji Heather Penn takes to the stage to talk about their game Overland where you get to drive across a world of procedural generation, seeing what kinds of things you encounter. This might include problems with your car, animals, and more. June 13th will kick off the third round of first access.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZvsazWNOq4

Dual Universe showed a new trailer of pre-alpha footage. In this game you get to create space ships that you can fly not only around the world but from planet to planet. Nova Core's Jean-Cristophe Baillie talks about some of the different features of this Sci-fi MMO. You will get to harvest minerals from the ground, to build a ship where everyone else is playing at the same time in what they call a Single Shard Universe. Dual Universe tries to put together a lot of the features of other space sim games like No Man's Sky, and Eve Online. Everyone will start in the ark ship and as you develop your technology you will be able to travel further and further away. Their current aims are for an alpha in 2017. 

Dan Ayoub talks about Halo Wars 2 and how it's coming to PC. Game play is shown of the UNSC establishing themselves on the Ark. The game has been built for fun and action while appealing to a large crowd. Classic multiplayer modes can be expected on top of some new ones, though these will be announced closer to launch. As well as controller support because this isn't just a port Halo Wars 2 will also have full keyboard and mouse support. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0aA2ImyH2Y

Andrew Spearin from New Worlds Interactive, developers of Insurgency, talk about their new game launching next month on early access called Day of Infamy. A brief trailer is shown but doesn't give too much of the game away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO9RkDgAl4g

Steve Piggott from Torn Banner Studios have taken their game Chivalry and made a new game with magic involved. Much like Chivalry Mirage will be first person and will rely of you not only attacking but watching your enemies attacks to be able to successfully fight and defeat them. The trailer shows that you'll be able to block any attack, and create all kinds of attacks. Coming Fall 2016 with a beta in the Summer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3m_4ZX2WIE

The next title Mages of Mystralia, allows you to play as a mage and create all your own spells. It's your goal as a mage to take on the darkness in order to reclaim your heritage. This game will be coming to steam in 2017.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcMHmC-y8Wc

Warframe will be getting a new update called Lunaro. In this instead of taking to the field of battle you play a new sport where it's your aim to carry a ball and put it through your opponents hoop. If you go to the Warframe redeem code website and use "pcgamingshow2016" you get a new exclusive Sark Split-Sword Dulus weapon skin.

The final game to be talked about at the PC Gaming Show of 2016 is Eidos to talk about Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and the first level set in Dubai. This level will bridge the gap between this and the last game. Jensen goes into his mission realizing that the world has become a darker place. In this gameplay reveal, features like the cover system, and that you can play with stealth avoiding any lethal encounters, are shown off. Even environmental factors might come into play with how you approach each level, the example given is an approaching sandstorm that you can finish the level with, or without, to help you stay out of sight.

Warren Spector, creator of Deus Ex, arrived to give closing comments to thank PC Gamer and to talk about PC Gaming; it's past, present, and future. Discussing his own experience with the industry and how now anyone can make a game, the types of games that work better on PC such as RTS and MOBA, and how the PC is growing stronger and stronger.

For this and more E3 news be sure to check out our E3 2016 Coverage Hub.

What did you think of the PC Gaming Show this year? Were there any announcements that you were really looking forward to? or did you see something new that you didn't expect?

Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net


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| Senior Content Manager

Andrew has written Video Game and Entertainment news, reviews, and guides for 10+ years. As Senior Content Manager, he assists in creating and editing… More about Andrew