As E3 2015 closes in gamers from around the globe anticipate big news from the giants of gaming, whether that be Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo or any of the other exhibitors. My focus and biggest interest in this year’s expo is not one specific developer or publisher but rather a genre. This year I am keeping a keen eye on sporting games at E3 2015, the bastard son of the gaming world.

In the build up to this year’s E3 we’ve had a look at horror games and betas we’d like to see, but my focus is on the landscape of sports games. The expo will showcase the big names of sport, but I’m hoping for changes in the genre to spark a move away from their current ways.

There are many big sports games franchises, and arguably none bigger than the FIFA series from EA. FIFA 16 will sell millions and millions of copies and will spawn successor after successor, but what will we see at E3? Very little, I’d imagine. Nonetheless millions of fans will look to see what is announced regarding FIFA.

As a fanbase the mass majority will be happy to see the series continue on in its current vain. Rumours that a narrative designer is to be hired to work on a more story based player mode sees an interesting vision for the game. With that said, it seems like the sort of big new feature to be announced at a convention as large as E3.

At best we will see some sort of new and improved physics engine and perhaps an announcement of some new licenses. FIFA have faced stiff competition from Konami in the past couple of years for a number of nation and league licenses. This saw Pro Evolution Soccer land exclusive UEFA licensing, a massive coup for them. The word on the grapevine is that FIFA are eager to win that license off them, and perhaps a stage such as E3 is the perfect platform to announce such a deal.

Another big EA franchise I’d expect to be featured at E3 2015 is the returning golf series, this year dubbed Rory McIlroy PGA Tour 2015. It was shown off last year before Rory McIlroy’s name was attached, so I’d imagine they will have more to show now that the franchise has rebranded the PGA Tour series. With the game out in July we already have a good idea of what the game will feature, and a game so close to being ready for release will please fans.

The official site for the game boasts that you can “Do it all, see it all – seamlessly without waiting” in the upcoming golf game, and E3 might be the place to find out whether that is all talk. The game will also include “The Night Club” which is comprised of 170 challenges, providing a different side to the game. If Rory McIlroy PGA Tour 2015 is showcased this year I don’t expect to see much of gameplay features; the games are known for their beautiful recreations of golf courses around the world and this will probably be used to attract gamers at E3.

Veering off slightly from the massive sports I’ve touched on, E3 2015 could be an explosive one in the world of racing games. Both Forza 6 and the new Need for Speed title could be competing for attention this year. EA have announced the reboot of the Need for Speed franchise with a full trailer announced for this year’s expo, and similar details have been promised from the Turn 10 team for Forza 6.

It remains to be seen what either game will offer us at E3 but I would be surprised if they deviated too much from either of their respective formulas. In reaction to Project CARS development and release it would be a welcomed change if Need for Speed was to take a more simulation oriented approach, but it seems unlikely. Forza 6, on the other hand, could have seen Project CARS and felt the need to raise their game. Replications of previous editions for both these games will still sell incredibly well, so I don’t hold much hope of seeing a change of direction in the racing genre at E3 2015.

Most likely Need for Speed’s reboot will build upon the successful areas of the franchise thus far, held together by narrative elements. The game is to be open world, which could see a similar approach to Ubisoft’s failed racing game The Crew. With the prowess on offer from EA and Ghost Games I wouldn’t be too concerned about Need for Speed flopping.

On the whole there aren’t many more big hitting sports titles to look forward to at E3 2015, but there is one series I secretly hope makes a comeback at the expo this year. SSX, the extreme snow sports game, is long overdue a breath of new life. With the return of the popular skateboarding Tony Hawk series, I could seriously see the snowboarding game follow in the same vain and relaunch with a new game.

A new SSX game would thrive on today’s gaming technologies and I’d even go so far as to look at VR tech for a high adrenaline game like this. Whilst the series last releases have been mobile games, I don’t struggle to picture vast snowy expanses on the Xbox One, PS4 or even perhaps the PC. The last console release, SSX, got great reviews and now is the time for the reboot.

Sports games are very rinse and repeat these days, but with series rebooting and talks of a more story driven FIFA there could yet be interesting developments for the genre at E3 2015 this year. I won’t be keeping my fingers crossed.