Master of Orion
Of course, one of the biggest talking points for Wargaming at E3 was Master of Orion, the iconic 4X strategy game revived by the company. A favorite of CEO Victor Kislyi, Wargaming secured Master of Orion when Atari began selling its IPs in 2012. He attributes his success in business to the game, being able to manage resources wisely and taking a gamble when you need to.
Three years later, we were able to share a glimpse of the game with the world, marking another big step forward for the company. Master of Orion will switch up the recent formula by being a standalone game and not free-to-play. This came as a bit of a shock to some users, but the game is Wargaming’s opportunity to share a classic with people and show them just how it inspired the 4X genre.
So why not just make Master of Orion 4? Totally reinventing the game instead was definitely the right step. It allowed Wargaming to collaborate with an up-and-coming studio, NGD Studios, to take the helm. From this, WG Labs was created, Wargaming’s new innovation hub.
At E3, we let people check out some snippets from the game. They saw one of the team take one of the ten playable races out for an intergalactic spin, choosing the Alkari, a bird-like race featured in the previous games. Through the demo, we were able show the streamlined interface, making it easy for veterans and newer players to become familiar with their vast and layered universe.
The devs showed how you can start with basic options in your development tree, eventually building towards something like “Doom Stars”, which allow you to obliterate an entire planet with a single click of the mouse. You can also research “Advanced Fusion”, allowing your ships to go faster, or diversify into “Fusion Bombs” to wreak havoc on the Mrrshan (cat-like race), who you eventually run into.
There are also random events that you’ll encounter. The Galactic News Network (GNN) from previous entries appears and tells you that a planet is about to go supernova—not great for our little colony. Again, we have to leave it up to RNG, which means it could be you or your enemy that suffers.
In addition to the “Best Open World Game” from Game World Navigator, Master of Orion scooped up three additional nominations and one award:
- Game Informer—“2015 Best in Show”
- Hardcore Gamer—“Best of E3 2015”
- Game Headquarters—“Best PC Game of E3”
- PC World—awarded “Top 10 PC Games at E3”
For more info, check out the website: http://masteroforion.com/
World of Tanks on Xbox One
For all the console-lovers out there, you’d already heard that World of Tanks was coming to the Xbox One. However, at E3, Wargaming was able to give people another look through the hatch to see what is in store for console tankers.
World of Tanks on Xbox One will be rolling out on July 28—not far away at all. Tankers can pre-download the game from July 10, with Beta Weekend from July 11–12. This means that players on Xbox One and Xbox 360 will be able to start battling it out to see which console boasts the greatest tankers.
Devs showed press the updated training area for World of Tanks on Xbox One, which helps players get to grips with the game. Here they can take out the Sherman Jumbo for a ride across a cliffy area, replete with destructible environments and various terrain to seek cover behind. You can learn the basics of the game, from tracking enemy tanks to finding the best vantage point.
The Xbox One’s hardware has allowed the devs to add a lot of awesome enhancements from HD graphics running at 1080p and 60fps. There is also more social features including integrated Twitch streaming and the ability to capture and share video.
For more console tank fun, check out the website: http://xbox.worldoftanks.com/
E3 Impressions
At the E3 this year, we heard a lot of companies pledging to listen more to their player communities and use this as the foundation to create better experiences. Also, the way we interact and distribute content is still changing, with Twitch streaming and YouTube increasing even more.
We are also seeing how consoles are looking to capitalize on popular PC trends. There were a number of F2P games displayed, with the emphasis on multiplayer. The huge success of MOBA games caught consoles’ attentions, with each company displaying their offerings. The notion of making gaming short, collaborative efforts between groups has never been as prominent as it today. Currently, PC is leading the heard in multiplayer gaming experiences and that dynamic isn’t set to change any time soon.