Square Enix announced that it will be hosting its first-ever Square Enix Presents event on March 18, where the developer plans to showcase gameplay trailers and announce several new games. Fans have a lot to look forward to- Square Enix's official blog post already hinted at much of what gamers will be able to expect from the event.
The Square Enix showcase will begin at 10 AM PST / 1 PM EST and is scheduled to run for about 40 minutes. That's a lot of time to make some really exciting announcements, and the Square Enix team doesn't appear to be holding back. Many fans are waiting on the announcement of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2- it doesn't look like that's part of the program right now, but the developer has certainly been busy and is bringing a lot of content to gamers very soon.
Official Life is Strange 3 Announcement
The biggest headline for Square Enix Presents is the official announcement of Life is Strange 3. Rumors have been circulating about Life is Strange 3 for a little while now, but this is the first confirmation from Square Enix that the game exists. Fans of the critically acclaimed series will be able to see the first actual trailer and get a glimpse into what the game looks like, but a lot of players already have a pretty good idea of what to expect from this game.
When information first began circulating about Life is Strange 3, it was rumored to focus on an Asian-American woman with telepathic abilities. Some fans were disappointed that Life is Strange 3 won't be about Chloe and Max, but chances are high that it will stick to the traditional themes explored in Life is Strange and its spinoff, Before the Storm. The series has always been about challenging social issues and embracing diversity in an episodic, narrative-driven format that sets it apart from other games in its genre.
Life is Strange 3 is rumored to be called True Colors a title that stems from the main character's abilities. It's been suggested she's able to "read minds," but her power could be deeper and more unique than that. Some of the leaked information revealed that True Colors is in reference to the protagonist's power to not only read minds but also see emotions manifested by auras surrounding other people.
Most details are still just rumors right now, but fans can count on getting the official title and nailing down the truth about the protagonist and her powers during the Square Enix Presents event.
Upcoming Square Enix Mobile Games
Square Enix's program also revealed a number of mobile games that will be showcased during the event. Some will feature gameplay trailers or reveal more details, while some are completely new, unannounced titles. At Sony's recent State of Play event, Square Enix revealed Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis, a mobile game that promises to compile the entire Final Fantasy 7 metaseries timeline, and The First Soldier, a battle royale mobile game that takes place 30 years before Final Fantasy 7. Given that the games were just announced, it's probably too soon to expect an update or more details, but those aren't the only mobile games Square Enix has been working on.
The only mobile game that will definitely be featured in the event is Just Cause Mobile. Just Cause is a popular action-adventure series whose mobile installment was announced at the 2020 Game Awards. The mobile game will have 3D graphics, a dedicated story campaign, a competitive multiplayer mode that can accommodate up to 30 players, and a 4-player co-op mode. It's being made with the Unreal Engine and will also support voice chat features. Just Cause Mobile is launching sometime this year, but no official date has been set and fans have only seen minimal gameplay footage. Square Enix Presents will likely reveal the release date for Just Cause Mobile as well as showcase gameplay.
In addition to the Final Fantasy 7 mobile games and Just Cause Mobile, Square Enix hinted that other mobile games will be announced during the event. Seeing as mobile gaming makes up the largest percentage of the gaming industry, it makes sense why the developer would want to put out some mobile games. What the new mobile games could be is up for speculation, but fans can be certain it'll be a huge focus of the event.
Tomb Raider's 25 Anniversary
The first Tomb Raider game was released on October 25, 1996, making this year Lara Croft's 25th birthday. Square Enix promised a year-long celebration of the iconic franchise, and there are several possibilities for what this announcement could be. Square Enix Presents will definitely feature Tomb Raider and do something to honor the game's 25th Anniversary, but the announcement could be anything from a Nintendo Switch port to a whole new game reveal.
Crystal Dynamics has hinted at a new Tomb Raider game in development that will "unify" the original games with the new trilogy, which serves as Lara's origin story. It's possible that an official announcement for this upcoming game could be scheduled for the event, but it's unlikely. Will Kerslake, the game's director, announced a couple of months back that Crystal Dynamics wasn't planning to make an official announcement anytime soon.
If the announcement is game-related, it will probably involve a special anniversary edition of the games or a Nintendo Switch version. Tomb Raider: Definitive Survivor Trilogy was recently leaked on the Microsoft store, so the announcement could very well be related to that.
A Tomb Raider anime series is also coming to Netflix and a sequel to the 2018 film starring Alicia Vikander is in development, so the announcement could be on a completely different spectrum. It's three months into Tomb Raider's anniversary year and Square Enix has yet to follow through with the year-long celebration other than a dedicated anniversary website, so hopefully, the announcement will be a special one.
Update for Marvel's Avengers
Square Enix Presents will also be showcasing Marvel's Avengers, giving fans an inside look at the new update. The Marvel's Avengers update will be live on March 18, so this announcement will probably give players a more in-depth explanation of all the new features being added rather than reveal something entirely new. It's big news, though, as the March 18 update is supposed to be the biggest one yet.
The 1.5 update will add customizable HARM rooms and finally create an option to replay the campaign from start to finish, which, surprisingly, the original launch did not include. It will also add Hawkeye and Maestro, a Marvel villain that combines Bruce Banner's intelligence with the Hulk's physical strength. The two will face each other in the highly anticipated story chapter, "Hawkeye: Future Imperfect." The new chapter will be available with the rest of the update on March 18.
Players should also be able to upgrade to the next-gen versions of Marvel's Avengers free of charge, with a seamless data transfer process. Next-gen updates were delayed a little bit, but they're finally coming and fans will be able to experience the game in 4K with frame rates of up to 60fps. Square Enix Presents could tease some more future additions to Marvel's Avengers, but the showcase will probably focus on explaining the new update in full so that fans know exactly what to expect when they download.
Outriders, Balan Wonderworld, and TAITO
Outriders is a cooperative third-person shooter coming to PlayStation and Xbox on April 1. Players explore a hostile alien planet and work together to discover the hidden source of a mysterious signal. There's a lot of customization involved as well. Players have the ability to choose between four different classes, each with their own skills and abilities. There is an Outriders demo available so players already know a lot about it, but the Square Enix Presents event will showcase Outriders ahead of its release. Instead of a major reveal, this is probably just a final push to get information about the game out there so it can have the most successful launch possible.
Balan Wonderworld launches for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch in just a couple of weeks on March 26. The trailers and free demo showcase a two-player co-op option and emphasize finding lots of creative "costumes" to get through the wild, zany stages. This colorful platformer inspired by musical theater has had some promising trailers, but many fans found the Balan Wonderworld demo disappointing and lackluster. There were a lot of glitches, and fans were unhappy about most of the controls being limited to one button.
Square Enix promised more information about Balan Wonderworld during the event, so hopefully, it's enough to convince gamers that the game is much more than the demo. Similar to Outriders, the presence of Balan Wonderworld in the showcase is likely a final marketing opportunity to get more players excited about the game.
The final thing Square Enix promised for its showcase is a presentation from its sister developer, TAITO. For those unfamiliar with the developer, TAITO is based in Tokyo and is best known for its library of arcade-style games like Space Invaders. The program doesn't offer much in the way of hinting at what could be announced, but it's clear that TAITO is working on a few new titles that will be announced at the event. Most TAITO games have been released for PC, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox, so fans of classic gaming can look forward to some brand new game reveals for titles coming to their preferred gaming platform.
There's a little bit for everyone in the upcoming Square Enix Presents showcase, and while the developer has announced a lot of things already, events like this usually include a couple of exciting surprises in addition to the expected program. Fans interested in experiencing every reveal and announcement live can subscribe to the Square Enix Twitch or YouTube channel to catch the live stream on March 18.