As the list of highly anticipated next-gen games releasing in 2014 continues to shrink (with more and more AAA titles being delayed), the spotlight has begun to inch towards Electronic Arts - a publisher promising to have no fewer than half a dozen brand new franchises in the works. Many of the properties have been teased or confirmed in one way or another, but two less concrete offerings will be taking the stage at E3 2014: whatever DICE is up to with Mirror's Edge 2, and a new project from Criterion Games.
Now that Game Trailers has released their full schedule for Spike TV coverage of the press events, a few more details have surfaced. Specifically, that EA's media briefing won't just feature high profile releases like Dragon Age: Inquisition and Battlefield Hardline, but "nearly a half-dozen" new games. Included among them is "a new project from Criterion Games," along with "updates on Mirror's Edge."
The confirmation is welcome news to fans, since the surprise reveal trailer for Mirror's Edge 2 (the title is tentative, since it seems the game will tell an origin story of the main character, Faith) arrived with little follow-up or further announcements from developer DICE. The silence was easy to understand when the studio's juggernaut, Battlefield 4 encountered serious problems upon its launch, turning all studio resources to righting one ship before setting sail on another.
We would advise caution, since the claim that EA will offer only an "update" on the project isn't exactly promising. Although it seems that the original game's writer Rhianna Pratchett (Tomb Raider) won't be returning for Faith's next adventure, DICE has been making their hopes for the game evident. Claiming, for instance, that they were merely waiting for hardware that could make their vision a reality, and had story that was just as strong. Given DICE's last year, it would seem even an update is a good sign.
As for Criterion Games, the studio's future has been somewhat of a mystery since seeing senior executives leave, and the Need For Speed series handed over to Ghost Games. With no such racing title in store for 2014, EA seems poised to reveal exactly what the experienced studio has been up to. Could the previous rumors of Burnout Paradise 2 be true after all? We'll know before long.
What are your hopes for these two teams and games? Are you hoping for a significant announcement, or is it the other franchises that EA is likely to feature that have your interest? Sound off in the comments, and stay tuned for all the official announcements from this media briefing and more.
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Mirror’s Edge 2 is currently in development for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
Follow Andrew on Twitter @andrew_dyce.
Source: Game Trailers