E3: My Thoughts So Far

So today was the day that saw both Nintendo and Sony try to put their own stamps on E3 2008, following yesterday's pretty solid Microsoft press conferance. There's no question about it: Microsoft dropped THE bomb of E3 with its Final Fantasy announcement. Sure, now that the dust has settled a bit, it's a bit easier to put in perspective and to see that, while this is a blow to Sony, it's not necessarilly the end-all, be-all - the key difference between this and Square's defection from Nintendo in the 90's is that Sony will still be getting Final Fantasy - it's just that, this time, it will also be on XBOX. That being said, this is the type of game-changer that really does kind of signal the end of an era. Because the Playstation brand was built on the fact that Sony took all of Nintendo's old standbys - the likes of Square, Konami, Capcom, and the other big Japanese third parties - and quickly established the Playstation as THE true successor to Nintendo, as the dominant player in the console wars. The symbolism here is that Sony, who grew to completely monopolize the market with the PS2, no longer has that same cache. And while the PS3 could still potentially even things up with XBOX, it is most definitely a situation where the once-mighty Sony finds itself playing catch-up.

But there are a few things people often overlook about Sony. The first is - people (like me ...), well, we like Sony. The Playstation-dominated years were good ones for gamers, with some of the best and most innovative games ever released made available on the PS1 and PS2. Sony platforms introduced us to the likes of Resident Evil, Tekken, Soul Caliber, and Metal Gear Solid. They debuted Grand Theft Auto, Guitar Hero, Tomb Raider, and Kingdom Hearts. Sony itself evolved into a powerhouse publisher, and put out such classics as Ratchet and Clank, God of War, Parappa the Rapper, Twisted Metal, Crash Bandicoot, Syphon Filter, and Jak and Daxter. Sony helped make RPG's like Final Fantasy, Xenogears, and Suikoden mainstream - with Japanese translations at an all-time high and nich publishers like Atlus thriving alongside Playstation. And Sony helped usher in the age of DVD with the PS2.

I imagine a console world dominated by XBOX, and I don't like what I see. I see ultra-violent, ultra-realistic shooters like Halo and Gears of War supplanting games that are about imagination and wonder. I see a Western-dominated gaming world with little room for innovative Japanese publishers. Overall, the XBOX to me simply lacks style. It's design, it's aesthetic - it all feels created by committee. And in turn, the XBOX often seems to cater to lowest common denominator gamers. It's a console for people who love drab, soulless, PC-style games; not for those of us who grew up with the bright colors and fantastic worlds of Ninendo, Capcom, and Konami. That's why I root for Sony - I appreciate what they did with their position as leader of the console battle over the last 12 years, and more than any of the Big 3, I feel like they are still waving the flag of the true console gamers. Metal Gear Solid 4, God of War 3, Little Big Planet, Infamous, Uncharted, and Ratchet and Clank are proof of that.

What about Nintendo, you say? Well, today Nintendo had their chance to show that somewhere inside the halls of the nu-Nintendo, there still beat the heart of the Nintendo of old. They could have proven that the company that captivated a generation with the NES and Super NES, with an unprecendented pedigree of A-list games ... they could have proven that that company still exists. But I'm sorry to say, I am doubtful. At their press conference today, Nintendo did not show a single new blockbuster gaming IP. The big announcements all consisted of the same kind of gimmicky, peripheral-driven software that has thus far come to define the Wii. Wii Music, Wii Sports Resort. Big. Freakin'. Deal. Nintendo's sole announcement that seemed to show they remembered the third parties out there was that a version of Grand Theft Auto would be hitting the DS. And hey, I guess it's official - the DS is Nintendo's primary platform of this generation. The Wii is apparently just going to coast on its Apple-like manufactured cool, as legions of yuppies, grandmas, and non-gamers rush out to buy Wii Fit, so they can play with it for a few weeks and then stuff it in the closet next to the Beanie Babies and Tamgotchis.

So yeah, can't say Nintendo had a very impressive press conference. When Animal Crossing is your most A-list title on display ... well, not a good sign.

As for Sony, I thought they had a decent showing. A lot of their best stuff is still pretty far out. God of War III is reserved for sometime in '09. Infamous looks cool but I believe that's a ways off as well. That Massive Action Game title looked impressive, though not really my thing. DC Universe Online could potentially be awesome, but also, a bit too early to really tell. However, I am psyched for Little Big Planet - that could really be something special and it will see the light of day in '08. I think we all just want all the old-school Sony franchises to hurry up and come out on the PS3 already - but the truth is some of those are still a long way off.

That being said, the reality is Microsoft and Sony both only have a handful of exclusive killer apps at this point. The majority of the big games that most of us will play in '08 will be multiplatform and third party, so with that in mind it's hard to judge the success of either XBOX or Sony just on each company's own presser. In the meantime, there are TONS of huge titles on the way that will be on both systems in '08 or early '09 - Tomb Raider: Underworld, Sonic Unleashed, Bionic Commando, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Ghostbusters, Mirror's Edge, Soul Caliber, Street Fighter 4, Gutar Hero: World Tour, Rock Band 2, Fallout 3, and Resident Evil 5 - just to name a few.

Sony also launched it's Video Store - active as of right now. I browsed through it and was fairly impressed - clean, easy to navigate, already containing a decent selection of movies and TV shows, many in HD. As good as the XBOX Live Video Marketplace? Not yet. XBOX is still the clear leader when it comes to digital distribution and online community. Then again, PS3 has built-in wi-fi and free online play ... Also, still no clear launch date from Sony on Home - that is certainly one interesting wild card for Sony.

Meanwhile, the PSP is still getting some nice support from Sony. The new Resistance PSP game looked spectacular, and the fact that one can download a movie from the Playstation Store and then watch it on a TV OR PSP ... that's pretty cool. Since I got God of War: Chains of Olympus and Final Fantasy: Crisis Core, I've been loving the little Sony wondermachine. I was also happy to see Sony announce a Greatest Hits line for the PS3 - it's about time older games became available at a lowered price point.

The bottom line?

Sony had a pretty solid E3 showing, though its biggest guns like God of War are still a ways away. They are playing catch-up in many ways, and yet they have potential to be in great position in the next year or two. And in the meantime, a great lineup of third-party games will keep them competetive.

Nintendo had a poor E3. No "real" games of any kind announced, and it looks to be a looong wait for a new Mario, Zelda, or any other blockbuster franchise to finally surface on the Wii. It upsets me to think of what the Big N has become, and I have to wonder whether Wii sales will begin to taper off as consumers look to the horizon and don't see any true system-sellers on the way.

Microsoft though - I have to admit - they probably "won" E3. Securing Final Fantasy on XBOX was huge, and creates very few gaps in the XBOX software library. Microsoft's online announcements - from the deal with Netflix to its new UI and PrimeTime interactive gameshow lineup - showed some ideas with real, interesting potential. And though it probably isn't my particular cup of tea, I did think that Gears of War 2 looked spectacularly badass.

Of course, E3 is still ongoing and there may yet be a surprise or two still in the can. But that's where things stand as of now. It's exciting stuff - in what other industry is there this level of heated competition, and one upsmanship?

Alright - back tomorrow with more DARK KNIGHT.