A gaming insider recently announced that there would be two major announcements at The Game Awards tonight, and I think I have some ideas of what we will and won’t see. Jason Schreier - author of Play Nice: The Rise, Fall and Future of Blizzard Entertainment - recently appeared on The Kinda Funny Podcast and teased two big reveals coming at the game awards. Schreier has since gone on to give some insight on what fans should and shouldn’t expect from this announcement.

Although I have my personal wishes of what I’d love to see announced at The Game Awards - I’m always on the lookout for a The Game Awards tonight. If not, then I hope I am pleasantly surprised by whatever Schreier was alluding to.

A Potential Half-Life 3 Announcement Would Be "Big"

Half-Life 3 Rumors Have Circulated Again, But They Are Largely Unfounded

Listen, I get it. Half-Life 3 rumors are something of a joke at this point in the gaming community. Rumors of this game have been flying around for years and predictions of its announcement have been about as reliable and as numerous as end-of-the-world predictions like Y2K, 2012, etc. With that said, rumors are once again circulating that Half-Life 3 is about to be announced, and I think this time they might have some merit.

Call me naive, but I feel like the “Half-Life 3 confirmed” joke is such a dead meme at this point that rumors of its announcement somehow feel more credible. While the source of the rumors seems to be a random post on X from someone not connected to the game industry, I’m holding out hope that this time the Half-Life 3 rumors could be true. Maybe I’ll look silly later tonight, but there’s no denying that a Half-Life 3 announcement would, as Schreier put it, make me say “holy sh*t.”

Naughty Dog's Next Game Could Be On The Table

Naughty Dog Has Been Developing A New IP Since 2020

Because these announcements are rumored to be geared toward PlayStation players, it seems possible that the announcement could be related to Naughty Dog’s next game. Some have speculated that it might be related to The Last of Us since several of the Game Awards’ presenters - Laura Bailey and Isabela Merced - are connected to the franchise. Personally, I don’t think that’s conclusive enough proof to say much. Bailey has a ton of video game roles under her belt, and Merced is going to be in the Last of Us TV series but hasn’t been part of the games.

I think it’s more likely that Naughty Dog will be presenting something to do with their new IP which is said to be an open-world sci-fi game. Reportedly, Naughty Dog has been working on it since 2020, so it seems like things could be far enough along for a preview at least. A new IP from one of gaming’s most exciting developers would certainly fit the bill of a big announcement.

Todd Howard Could Show Off The Elder Scrolls 6

Todd Howard Will Be Presenting At The Game Awards

Another Game Awards presenter who has raised some eyebrows is Bethesda’s Todd Howard. Although Howard is simply billed as presenting an award, his presence has created some speculation that he may be pulling double duty during the ceremony. If Howard is indeed there to announce a game as well as an award, it would (hopefully) be The Elder Scrolls 6.

The Elder Scrolls 6 was initially teased all the way back in 2018 during E3. Since then, there has been radio silence about the game. Nothing but a brief teaser showing off some landmarks has been seen of the game, and it feels like fans are overdue for a bit more information on it.

To give Bethesda some slack, 2018 was an awkward time to announce a major title like The Elder Scrolls 6. It was only two years before the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 came out, meaning there was likely a debate on whether to develop the game for two console generations or wait to make it strictly next-gen. Then, COVID-19 shutdowns slowed down game production, likely pushing The Elder Scrolls 6 back even further.

Now that restrictions have been lifted and the current generation of gaming consoles is in full swing, it seems like the perfect time for The Elder Scrolls 6 to pop back up. Bethesda’s last big game, Starfield, has been met with mixed reception from players, so the company might want to swing momentum back in its favor with a big announcement. Full disclosure: this is the rumor I’m most excited about, so I could be a bit biased toward it, but I do think there’s a chance it’s true.

PlayStation Fans Shouldn't Get Their Hopes Up For Bloodborne

Schreier Confirmed He Wasn’t Talking About Bloodborne

When I initially heard about Schreier’s statements, I was excited that he could be talking about Bloodborne. The recent PlayStation Anniversary trailer ended with a clip of Bloodborne and the phrase “it’s about persistence.”

I tried not to get too excited about this potential tease, assuming I - like many Bloodborne fans - was simply slipping my tinfoil hat back on to find any signs that one of my favorite games might be due for a sequel or perhaps a remastered PC port. Schreier’s comments once again got me excited about something Bloodborne-related, but again I was disappointed.

In general, Schreier seems to want players to temper their expectations. Personally, this makes me a little more confident in my predictions for TGA 2024.

Since his initial interview, Schreier has clarified he wasn’t talking about Bloodborne. While disappointing, I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. In of announcement hype, Bloodborne has essentially become the new Half-Life 3. Players hoping to return to Yarnham may need to accept that it isn’t happening any time soon.

In general, Schreier seems to want players to temper their expectations. In a post on a Resetera thread discussing his initial statements, Schreier asked players not to read too much into what he said and clarified that the games in question are years away. Personally, this makes me a little more confident in my predictions for TGA 2024.

Both Naughty Dog’s new IP and The Elder Scrolls 6 likely wouldn’t be coming any time soon even if they are announced tonight. As for Half-Life 3, I’m still not fully convinced it will ever happen, but one can dream. We should find out soon enough, though, since The Game Awards kick off tonight.

Source: GameRant, X, Bethesda/YouTube, Jason Schreier/ResetEra

In the interest of full disclosure and transparency, Screen Rant confirms it is on the judging at The Game Awards 2024. Our editorial process is separate from our contributions to judging, and as such, our inclusion does not compromise our journalistic integrity.