E3 2018 is finally here and EA kicked things off with the first press conference of the show with some highly anticipated titles.

Starting with Battlefield 5, we caught a glimpse of the upcoming World War II shooter with the promise of the “deepest and most immersive Battlefield yet”. Very few details were released, with the promise of more reveals at the Xbox press conference on Sunday, but there was chat of better customization of your character, the ability to dash through windows, and more destruction, with tanks now capable of smashing through buildings (which means it won’t be so easy to hid from the enemy now!), and artillery that can be moved across the battlefield with ease. And no big surprise, EA revealed a they would be adding “royale” to multiplayer after release, with the promise they would add their own twist to the popular game mode, and briefly mentioned the single player War Stories, with more details also expected at the Xbox presser. And Battlefield fans will be very happy to hear, there will be no loot boxes or premium passes. Everyone will have access to the same maps and game modes. As a huge Battlefield fan, I can’t wait to get my hands on this game on October 19th!

FIFA fans will be happy to know that Champions League will be coming to FIFA 19 (released on September 28th). And current players will have access to a free World Cup experience in FIFA 18 across all platforms to coincide with the tournament, and for a limited time, a free trial of the full game will be available on Xbox One, PlayStation4 and PC.

EA introduced an upgrade to it’s PC digital distribution service. Starting this summer, gamers can upgrade to Origin Access Premier at a cost of $14.99/month or $99/year,and be able to play brand new games like Battlefield V, Anthem and Madden (which is making a return to PC after a decade) before launch day, and not just a trial….be able to play the full game for an unlimited amount of time. As well, Premier subscription holders will have the same benefits as the basic Origin Access, with access to numerous titles in the vault and 10% off purchases.

EA and DICE addressed the problems with Star Wars Battlefront II. They admitted that they clearly got it wrong with monetization, and are now working on a significantly improved progression system and using micro transactions for appearance only. And new DLC was announced! The game will add content from the Clone Wars, with massive battles taking place on the planet Geonosis, and General Grievous, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Count Dooku and Anakin Skywalker will be added as playable characters. Fans will also be happy to hear that Respawn’s upcoming game is called Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order with a holiday 2019 release.

Yarny is back!! Unravel Two was announced, and surprise…..it’s available today! This time you don’t have to go it alone, with a blue Yarny to join in the adventure. Play with a friend (local co-op only which is a bit of a disappointment) or play alone and control both characters through breathtaking environments and challenging puzzles.

Sea of Solitude is a new EA Originals title (developed by Jo-Mei Games in Berlin) that looks gorgeous and absolutely terrifying ! Centred on a young girl named Kay, who’s loneliness turns into her into a monster, and she seeks out others like her on her journey at sea. With a release date sometime early next year, definitely looking forward to finding out more about this hauntingly beautiful game.

After some brief chat about Madden and NBA Live 19, and a much too long look at the upcoming mobile game, Command and Conquer Rivals, an RTS that definitely takes inspiration from Clash Royale, we finally got to see a beautiful cinematic trailer to highly anticipated Bioware game, Anthem

We were treated to a few more details about this massive, living, shared world. Players take on the role of a Freelancer, tasked protecting humanity and exploring the vast, every changing world. The freelancer exosuits, also known as Javelins, can be customized with gears and weapons, and can be upgraded as you rank up. Up to four players can team up to explore and complete mission, but that awesome single player storytelling that Bioware is known for is still there as players check into a base (Fort Tarsis)  to continue their story, make decisions, establish relationships, etc. Weather, time of day, everyone in the multiplayer world is experiencing the same thing at the same time. While there is huge influence on online play, there was assurance that Anthem could definitely be played alone. And they were very quick to stress, that yes, there will be microtransactions, they will be cosmetic only. Mark your calendars! Anthem will be released on Feb 22, 2019 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.

With more press conferences and the show floor opening soon, make sure you to check back here daily for more E3 coverage.