The past few months have made it evident that the games industry is changing rapidly. Steam isn't the biggest contender in the digital market anymore; Google is planning its own video game streaming service; and Microsoft and Nintendo might be teaming up for future partnerships and crossovers.

Sony's latest announcement further adds to the year's shakeups. In a first for the company, it announced a livestream presentation called State of Play, a presentation that strongly resembles Nintendo's much-loved — and successful — Nintendo Direct presentations.

Sony's State of Play is set to begin broadcast at 2 p.m. PDT/5p.m. EDT on March 25. Those that are interested can tune in for the broadcast via YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, or Facebook.

It's more than just a one-off too.

Sid Shuman, Sony's social media director, said Monday's presentation is the first episode of a new video showcase effort Sony plans to continue throughout the year.

This first episode will present upcoming PlayStation 4 and PSVR software, which presumably means games already announced, such as new trailers, new game announcements, and new gameplay footage.

What these games will be is a mystery to many. As of now, Sony only has a handful of exclusives announced for the rest of the year: The Last of Us 2, Death Stranding, Dreams, and Ghosts of Tsushima.

Shuman made no comment about how long the episode is expected to be. It could be these games receive all gameplay footage time, or perhaps Sony will take a further leaf from Nintendo's book and include non-exclusive or non-Sony games as well.

It's nothing but speculation at this point. 

Either way, it appears the State of Play is here to stay. In many ways, it's a rather overdue move on Sony's part, since the hallmark of good marketing and advertisement is making a personal connection with audiences, something Nintendo has excelled at for years since it started eschewing traditional means of announcements and advertisements.

Today, during a financial analytics presentation today in Tokyo, Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima told the press that major details about the Nintendo Switch console will be shared in 2017 during a special presentation. The online event will be held for invited media financial analysts, as well as trade partners, in Tokyo on January 12th, 2017. The presentation will include details such as the official launch date of the Nintendo Switch, pricing, as well as the lineup of games currently in development for the console.

Furthermore, Nintendo Switch sampling events for invited media, partners, and consumers are set to take place in the U.S. and Europe soon after the presentation. The exact dates and places for those demo events are currently up in the air; however, opportunities for the public to try the console have been confirmed.

Based purely on patterns in the past, I would assume that these events would be held in shopping malls in rented blocks. It's also possible that the Nintendo Switch consoles will be demoed in major retailers such as Best Buy, much like the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U were back in their early days.

Nintendo's upcoming cartridge-based console will be released in March of 2017, but very few details have been released about the device

The finalized time of Nintendo's Switch Presentation 2017 event will be announced through Nintendo's social media channels in the coming weeks, so hopefully we won't have to wait long to get more details on what and when more Switch info will be coming out.

Nintendo gave their first preview of their upcoming Switch console just last week. While few details were given, the cartridge media console was generally well received by consumers. While only time will tell whether or not the console is as great as the preview made it out to be, we can only hope that the Japan based company has finally landed on a worthwhile concept. 

It's that time of the year again. E3 — one of the largest video game conventions — is right around the corner. Last year, we got to watch the unveiling of exciting console exclusives, the relaunches of numerous IP's, and the big boys of the industry slug it out over whose presentation was best. With the recent leaks, teases, and announcements, the hype is bigger than ever.

There's a lot to look forward to this year, and here's what we're expecting to see:

1. Nintendo's NX unveiling

There's been a ton of commotion over the leak that supposedly revealed the NX's controller, and although it ultimately turned out to be fake, the hype surrounding Nintendo's latest console remains very much real.

Here's what we know about the Nintendo NX:

• The NX's development will be guided by the Integrated Research and Development Division — a merger of Nintendo's handheld and console development teams.
• Satoru Iwata, past president of Nintendo, stated that the NX will be a "dedicated game platform with a brand new concept."
• Reports claim that the Nintendo NX will feature both a console and handheld unit that can be used together or separately.

If there's one thing Nintendo does right, it's capitalizing on an innovative idea. Nintendo first gave us the Wii — a hallmark of gaming innovation that utilized a handheld pointing device. Nintendo later gave us the Wii U, which transformed the signature Wii Remote Controller into an independent acting gamepad.

"It is too early to elaborate on the details of this project, but we hope to share more information with you next year."

Knowing now that the Nintendo NX will feature both a console and a handheld device, It seems likely that the Wii U and its gamepad was a stepping stone towards NX's development. Nintendo said they will reveal more about the NX come E3 2016. 

Well, it's time Nintendo. Please, no more amiibo announcements.

We're expecting bigger things from you this year.

2. Dishonored 2, DOOM, and more Fallout DLC

Bethesda's presentation may have been the highlight of E3 2015.

Fallout 4, one of Bethesda's most highly anticipated games, was announced, and it stole the show. Unfortunately, it also overshadowed some of the other titles that Bethesda had teased — titles that are just now coming to fruition.

We're definitely expecting to see more DOOM. Bethesda gave us a small peek last year, and it looked fantastic. With the release of Fallout 4, we're sure that extra effort was put towards making the game a more presentable piece for this upcoming E3 convention.

And with the recent success of Automatron, we're also expecting to see announcements on future Fallout 4 DLC. More specifically, we want to hear about Far Harbor, the DLC that plans to send players to the ruins of Maine. We got to read up on a bit of its backstory, and we saw its price; now let's see some footage.

From Dishonored 2, to DOOM and the planned Elder Scrolls card game — Bethesda has a lot of titles to show us, and we're expecting to hear about all of them.

3. Mass Effect Andromeda and Bioware's newest IP

During Microsoft's E3 2015 Press Conference, Bioware teased Mass Effect Andromeda, the fourth installment in the Mass Effect series. This one will put an end to Commander Shepherd's story and feature the Mass Effect universe in a very different way.

It's been a year since that announcement, so we're pretty much guaranteed to see an update on the game's progress. But, we're more excited to hear about Bioware's newest IP.

Alistair McNally, Bioware's senior director of creative development, recently tweeted this: 

Funnily enough, now everyone is batting their eyelids. It's pretty much out in the open, so we're expecting some kind of announcement.

We're hoping that Bioware gives us something amazing. We want to see Mass Effect Andromeda, and learn more about this new IP that has critics up-in-arms.

4. Gears of War 4

Enter, Gears of War 4 — Microsoft's golden child.

When we think of Xbox exclusives, Gears of War should be the first thing that comes to mind. It's pretty much guaranteed that Gears of War 4 will make an appearance at this year's E3.

Last year, Microsoft gave us six minutes of raw Gears of War goodness. Recent interviews with The Coalition, the company heading the Gears of War development, has revealed a bit of the story.

• The game will mark the start of a new trilogy.
• Players will follow three characters who have to survive "a night in the woods." The game will continue to follow the theme of the previous titles — survival with a touch of horror.
• Beta is expected to start April this year.

Rumors claim that Microsoft has something big for this year's E3, and if that's the case, you can be damn sure that Gears of War 4 will make an appearance.

5. Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption was a huge success for Rockstar. Well-received by critics and players, it was a shock to many when there was no word or update from Rockstar regarding a possible sequel. Many (myself included) had prayed for an official word from Rockstar at last year's convention, but it didn't come.

"Over the past 6 months ending September 30th 2015, Take Two have generated $400 million from sales of Grand Theft Auto products."

But it makes sense. At the time, Rockstar released Grand Theft Auto V, which turned out to be a huge commercial success. Currently, Grand Theft Auto Online is racking in huge bucks for the company. Rockstar may have wanted to focus all their available resources on updating and maintaining content for Grand Theft Auto Online.

But it's time Rockstar looks elsewhere to increase their longevity — Grand Theft Auto won't last forever. We think it's time Rockstar takes us back to the "wild wild west."

6. PlayStation 4.5

Rumors have been circulating that Sony is working on a bigger and badder PlayStation 4. Reports have stated that Sony's newest development, codenamed PlayStation 4.5, will have a much stronger processing unit and will receive a significant boost in power.

It's no coincidence that rumors are surfacing just as E3 closes in. Sony is definitely announcing something big this year.

And with their entry into the virtual reality market, it only makes sense to have a stronger and upgraded PlayStation unit to handle new gaming demands. 

7. HoloLens Development

The future of gaming is here, and Microsoft is ahead of the pack with their very own HoloLens. Last year, their demo was nothing short of amazing. Augmented with the power of HoloLens, Microsoft was able to place players right into the blocky world of Minecraft.

Crazy, right?

We're expecting to see more improvement of the HoloLens this year. Specifically, we're expecting to see how Microsoft can utilize the HoloLens for certain games.

Developers everywhere are trying their hand at virtual reality. With the success that came with the Kinect, we're expecting something huge from Microsoft. We're expecting to see something that  solidifies their position as one of the leading innovators in the gaming industry.

8. Virtual Reality

The most exciting part about E3 is seeing the future of gaming. E3 is the time for developers to showcase how they've changed the way games are meant to be played. Ultimately, the number one thing we're expecting to see this year is development in virtual reality software

At GDC 2016, we were presented with spectacular virtual reality demos. We got to climb mountains, make smoothies, and fire up our very own lightsabers.

E3 should be no different.  If anything, we're expecting to see more spectacular and immersive demos. 

Conclusion

With the current line-up, E3 2016 is setting the tone for a very exciting year for gamers. We're expecting a lot, but we're confident that developers will continue to surprise us with new innovations and ideas.

Just as they do every year.

Tell us, what are you expecting from E3 2016? Leave a comment below!

Header and other images provided by  the Entertainment Software Association (ESA).

Here is it folks -- the last presentation video dedicated to Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS, hosted by Masahiro Sakurai, the creator of the series and director of Sora Ltd. Who would have thought the winner of the ballot would be Platinum Games' Bayonetta? According to Mr. Sakurai, she was the number one choice in Europe and among the top 5 in North America. 

Announced during the presentation, the lovely lady from the Bayonetta games will join the Smash Bros. roster alongside Corrin from Fire Emblem: Fates in February, while Cloud will be available sooner.

When purchased at £5.39/$5.99, Bayonetta will come with new trophies that will be unlocked automatically and a new stage: The Umbra Clock Tower Stage. 

More information was given regarding Cloud and the Midgard stage as well. On that stage, players will be able to summon iconic Final Fantasy beasts. Cloud and Midgard will be available at the price of £5.39/$5.99.

Photo: SmashWiki

Sakurai also mentioned that all three upcoming characters will be getting amiibos sometime in the future.

Thank you for you hard work Mr. Sakurai!

Here is the full presentation for those who missed it:

As the D23 Expo 2015 rolls around next month, Disney gamer fans can start getting excited, because it's going to be one great show at the Anaheim Convention Center.

On Sunday, August 16th at 11am PT, "never-before-seen gameplay, trailers, new reveals, and surprises from Disney Interactive’s most anticipated games" will be featured at a special presentation in the signature 7,500-seat Hall D23 theater.

Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition, Star Wars: Battlefront, and Kingdom Hearts III will be the stars of the presentation, with new Star Wars characters and Play Sets to be showcased by Disney Interactive, an in-depth look to be given by EA, and new information to be revealed by special guests brought by Square Enix.

Besides the special presentation, the Disney Interactive pavilion on the show floor will provide hands-on demos of Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition and Star Wars: Battlefront, interactive experiences such as the augmented-reality "Only in the Toy Box" Experience and arcade Star Wars: Battle Pod, and limited-edition giveaways of thousands of pre-release Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition figures.

Tickets for the biannual event cost $74 for a one-day adult admission and $54 for children 3 to 12 years old, while a three-day admission from August 14th to 16th costs $216 for adults and $156 for children.

So if you're looking for the best opportunity to celebrate all things Disney, look no further than the D23 Expo 2015; it's going to be the happiest place of the year.