The annual Electronic Entertainment Expo is coming up in less than a month and not even the swine flu is going to be able to stop us from attending this year.

So what kinds of rumors are we hearing through the game-vine?

Blizzard will be a no-show

First off, all you Blizzard fans that were hoping for an update on Starcraft 2 or eager to see what they have in store for World of Warcraft can forget it. Although Activision Blizzard was confirmed to be attending the expo after taking last year off, it seems like only the Activision half of the company will be making an appearance. Sorry…but hey! There’s always BlizzCon, right?

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Metal Gear creator announcing a new title, new addition to MGS series?

Also, Kojima Productions fans will be excited to know that the legendary Metal Gear creator will be announcing a new title this year. While many were expecting him to make the announcement at GDC this year, Kojima himself has confirmed that the new game will be revealed at E3.

However, there are no details yet as to what this game can be and rumors have started floating around that it might be the next Metal Gear Solid game. An ambiguous comment about the franchise at the Mac Store following Kojima’s keynote at GDC has people wondering whether the game designer will grace fans with another installment of the legendary franchise.

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Mass Effect 2 demo at E3

BioWare’s RPG sequel, Mass Effect 2 has already been given a teaser trailer for those that can’t wait for more space adventuring, alien loving action. Fans now have more to look forward to since BioWare has confirmed that Mass Effect 2 will indeed be demonstrated at E3.

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Capcom demos Lost Planet 2 and announces two new titles

With Capcom having recently released footage of their upcoming Lost Planet 2, the company has gone on record stating that a demo is not far behind. With Lost Planet 2 confirmed as playable at E3, Capcom is also pushing to release the demo on Xbox Live Marketplace at some point during the expo. They will also be announcing two new titles.

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Three new games for PS3

On the PS3 front, three new games are rumored to be in production and might be unveiled at this year’s expo. First off, there’s Heavy Rain, Quantic Dream’s psychological thriller. While unveiled at E3 before, the game is rumored that the game will be released year, with the announcement coming at E3.

Also on the cards is a new Shadow of the Colossus and TimeSplitters 4. While there are no details about Colossus, it appears to be a next generation title, either for the PS3 or PSP. Finally, TimeSplitters 4, meanwhile in development hell due to the fall of Free Radical, may finally see the light if another developer has taken over control of the project. If these games are to be showcased at E3, Sony might have a great presentation on its hands.

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Motion sensing device for PS3?

On the hardware front, an old rumor has begun popping up again, with an old Sony patent from 2007 being pushed back into the limelight. Sources claim that Sony has been working on a motion sensing device for the PS3, with plans to unveil it at E3. Unlike the SIXAXIS and Dual Shock 3, which have limited motion sensing capabilities, the new device would be on par with Nintendo’s Wiimote, though reportedly even more accurate, capable of tracking precise movements.

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Microsoft ditches controllers altogether?

Motion sensor technology seems to be becoming the “in thing” with rumors also suggesting that Microsoft is in development of a controllerless motion sensor device for the 360. This sensor bar would be able to detect full body movements, even slight movements like pinching and allow for in-game video conferencing thanks to a built-in camera and microphone. While it may just be a wild rumor, with the Wii and the PS3 utilizing motion sensors in their games, it’s not too unlikely that a 360 motion sensor would be in the works and, if its true, we could very well see an unveiling of the new tech at E3.

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PSP2 unveiling?

Finally, Sony’s new PSP system might be unveiled at E3 as well. Rumors about touch screens, no UMD drive, and second analog nub have been making news for a while. Now sources are claiming that the new PSP, the PSP Go!, will be unveiled at E3, sporting no UMD drive, a touch screen and a built-in hard-drive, though the second analog nub has apparently been disproven. As usual, however, Sony has given the usual “We refuse to comment on rumors and speculation” comment when asked about the Go! But just because they refuse to comment doesn’t make it any less true.

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Oh, and we can’t forget about the endless hotness possibilities of the booth babes. If we’re lucky, maybe we’ll be able to see some of the ones from the Russian Gaming Expo.

E3 2009 is definitely shaping up to be a good show. The Expo starts June 2, less than a month away. We’ll bring you more news about the show as it becomes available.