E3 is full of surprises every year, and E3 2019 was not an exception. Even though Sony didn't take to the stage as it usually would, Xbox, Bethesda, Ubisoft, Square Enix, and Nintendo all showed up, and each show went big.

And while there were a lot of leaks leading up to E3 2019, a few game announcements and reveals were able to preserve their mystery ahead of time. Here are some of the best surprise game announcements of E3 2019.

8 Banjo Kazooie Coming to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

banjo kazooie smash

Although rumors online suggested that the Microsoft-owned Banjo-Kazooie duo could appear in Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, no one really believed it. That is, until Nintendo showcased Banjo and Kazooie slamming down on the Duck Hunt dog during its E3 Nintendo Direct presentation. Using easily identifiable moves from the franchise and staple items like eggs and gold feathers, Banjo-Kazooie will be a playable pair sometime in fall 2019.

7 Keanu Reeves Starring in Cyberpunk 2077

keanu reeves cyberpunk 2077

When Keanu Reeves appeared at the end of the new Cyberpunk 2077 E3 2019 trailer, it broke the internet. And when Reeves himself stepped out on stage to announce the release date, gamers showed their love for the actor and he graciously reciprocated. Little is known about Reeves's involvement in the game or the story, or how CD Projekt Red managed to keep it such a secret for so long, but we now know that the John Wick star will be playing Johnny Silverhand.

6 Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Sequel Announcement

legend of zelda botw sequel

In a glorious "one more thing" moment during the Nintendo Direct E3 2019, the big N announced the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was in active development. This shouldn't be as surprising as it is, considering the number of Game of the Year awards it received in 2017, but confirmation that it is indeed in the works surprised Zelda fans the world over. Usually, the wait is long between Legend of Zelda mainline reveals, but Nintendo wasted no time confirming its plans for the franchise's future.

5 Major Release Date Announcements

final fantasy 8 squall

Some games are in development so long that it seems like they will never actualize into the real deal. Two games that crossed that threshold this year were Cyberpunk 2077 and the Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Cyberpunk 2077 was first announced in May 2012 and now releases on April 16, 2020. Final Fantasy 7 Remake was announced back at E3 2015, with the first part now set to release on March 3, 2020.

Another major release date announcement that is almost as surprising as the announcement itself belongs to the Final Fantasy 8 remaster. While a remaster of a game is much simpler than the ground-up remake approach of Final Final 7, Final Fantasy 8 Remastered is surprisingly set to launch in fall 2019, meaning players will get the chance to play it before the first part of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

4 Marvel's Avengers DLC Characters and Regions Will Be Free

marvel's avengers ant-man

Developer Crystal Dynamics officially unveiled the first fruits of the Avengers project, Marvel's Avengers, during the Square Enix E3 press conference. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the game is its post-launch plans, where all DLC regions and characters will be free. Hank Pym's Ant-Man is set to be one of the first characters to join the playable roster post-launch, but hopefully, there will be an impressive number of characters joining per this free DLC approach.

3 No Fable 4 Announcement

Rumor: Fable 4 is Being Developed by UK Studio - Fable box art

We have no one to blame but ourselves, yet the rumors that Microsoft was intending to announced Fable 4 at E3 2019 were just so convincing. All the Fable 4 rumors proved to be just rumors, which was surprising for many who genuinely believed it was going to happen. This was one of few moments where the major surprise was that there was no surprise announcement.

2 Shenmue 3 is Epic Games Store Exclusive

shenmue 3 xbox one deconfirmed

The lack of Fable 4 wasn't the only bad surprise, though, as many Shenmue 3 fans and backers learned at the E3 PC Gaming show. There, it was revealed that the game had become an Epic Games Store PC exclusive, despite many backers claiming Steam keys for their support. What's worse is those Shenmue 3 backers were denied refunds that were requested as a result of this change.

1 Watch Dogs Legion Will Let You Play as a Granny

watch dogs legions granny

Leaks had revealed the post-Brexit setting of London and the ability to play as anyone in Watch Dogs Legion prior to the official reveal, but no one was expecting the concept to be as complex as it seems, letting players control everyone from businessmen to grandmas. Helen, the retired assassin seen above, is one recruitee that Deadsec will have and gamers can play in the forthcoming third Watch Dogs game.