Most Recent: Xbox 360

Do you smell that? The air is filled with the scent of trademark applications and secret meetings and teasing hints. That’s the smell of speculation… and an imminent E3 Expo.

Sony and Microsoft have been busy little beavers over the last few weeks, trademarking five new game titles between them. As with all issues regarding trademarks, it’s important to remember that these applications do not represent confirmation of a game in development, merely a title that Sony or Microsoft may turn into a game someday. That said, let’s get to speculating.

Back in March, Microsoft registered a trademark application with the US Patent and Trademark Office for “Secrets and Treasure.” No additional information was revealed in the filing, but “Secrets and Treasure” has the feel of an Xbox Live Arcade game, doesn’t it? More recently, the consolemaker filed applications for “Screamride” and “Eden Falls.” If I had to guess, I would peg “Screamride” as some kind of racing game and “Eden Falls” as a horror title.

Over at Sony Computer Entertainment, the publisher has filed trademark applications for “Entwined” and “Kill Strain.” While “Kill Strain” sounds like the type of shoot ’em up that people typically equate with Microsoft, “Entwined” definitely has that artsy-but-not-too-artsy vibe of a game published by Sony.

Hopefully we’ll learn more about all of these games at this year’s E3 Expo. And, one more time, it’s important to remember that these applications do not represent confirmation of a game in development, merely a title that Sony or Microsoft may turn into a game someday. And my speculation should just be viewed as guesswork, and does not represent how these games may develop in the future.