The E3 video game season sadly had to cancel last year due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, which ultimately prompted companies like Sony and Ubisoft to opt for independent digital showcases as a replacement. Updates and announcements for gaming have been a slow to be released to the public, but that looks to change this summer with E3 2021 bringing back all the excitement fans can expect, but in the form of a completely virtual event.
Many of the usual suspects have already confirmed attendance, with the aforementioned Ubisoft, as well as Nintendo and Xbox, announcing a presence at the show. As anticipation ramps up, and rumors begin to make the rounds, gamers and media alike begin to ponder exactly what will be shown at E3 2021. While Xbox revealing more gameplay for Halo Infinite, or PlayStation delivering a glimpse at Horizon: Forbidden West seem like a safe bet, there are many titles that have an unfortunate chance of being absent from the event. Although already confirmed to be in development, the following projects have a chance of upsetting fans patiently awaiting.
Bethesda's Indiana Jones Game
Naughty Dog's Uncharted franchise has filled the position of being the closest thing to a proper game based on the many adventures of Dr. Jones, but that may be about to change. There have been efforts in past console generations, with Indiana Jones and The Infernal Machine on the Nintendo 64 for example, but none on the same level of production as Bethesda's project. Bethesda and Machine Games (Wolfenstein) have been tapped to allow players to pick up a fedora and really feel like the whip cracking archaeologist. All that said, there is only a brief teaser as of now, with the game in very early development, so its unlikely it will have an appearance at this year's E3.
Ubisoft's Star Wars Game
From one Lucasfilm property to the next, Star Wars needs no introduction as one of the most popular IP's in the entire entertainment medium. After the recent Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was met with positive reviews, games inspired by the series seem to be making a comeback. A trend which looks to continue with the recently announced open-world game from Ubisoft. Not much information is available for the project as of yet, aside from it being developed by the same creative team behind The Division 2. With Ubisoft's release schedule already jam packed for the remainder of the year, its likely it will want to keep focus on games soon to be released.
Project 007
Yet another video game based on an established film franchise, James Bond is no stranger to the medium, with success dating all the way back to Goldeneye on the N64. Similar to the prior two games, extremely little information is available for this title, other than it being confirmed alongside a short teaser trailer. The most compelling aspect of its production is that the development team are the same minds behind recent Hitman titles, which is a perfect fit considering the stealth elements in both franchises. Even so, principal work on the game is likely not too far along, so agent 007's latest mission may be undercover for a while.
The Elder Scrolls 6
With The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim having already been ported to nearly every gaming device imaginable, its time for the next mainline installment in the series. Even though a decade will have already passed since Skyrim, there likely remains much work to be done on the upcoming sixth game. Revealed at E3 2018, then completely absent from the following year's presentation, all fans have to cling to is Todd Howard confirmed that Elder Scrolls 6 is still "years away". What kind of timetable that implies is anyone's guess, but players should brace themselves in case the game is once again nowhere to be seen.
Metroid Prime 4
Metroid Prime 4 was quick to become one of the most anticipated Nintendo Switch games after its tease at E3 2017. That moment is nearly four years old, with the only proper update being that Metroid Prime 4 had to completely restart development at the beginning of 2019. Even though a year and half will have passed since this announcement, the lack of any concrete information at all, aside from rumors and leaks, doesn't bode well for it making an appearance this year. Nintendo also likes to play things close to the chest, showing off projects closer to release, which may result in the spotlight being on other upcoming games.