One thing I've always wanted to do: attend E3. For years, since I was a kid, I've always breathlessly followed all the news and happenings from the annual gaming summit, ingesting all the latest info on the big games that would rock the industry and have fandom salivating over the next several months. Now, E3 is kind of a shell of its old self. Sure, there's still plenty of big announcements that come out of the show each year, and there are still plenty of big, blockbuster games shown. But the show, from all accounts, has lost a lot of the glitz and glamour of its heyday - no more monstrous booths, bigtime movie stars, or theme=park like attractions that are open not just to industry insiders, but to the public as well. E3 now is pretty closed-door, more bare-bones, and a bit more low-key. But still, you can bet that when it comes to being THE place to hear the bigtime announcements about new games - E3 is still where it's at.
So while I didn't get an actual show-pass for this year's E3, through work I DID get to go to Microsoft's huge XBOX press conference. Traditionally, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo each hold huge press events during the show - and this is where they drop all the big bombs and showcase their new products.
---- Of course, the reason we are now in-like-Flynn with Microsoft is that, as of RIGHT NOW, you can turn on your XBOX and download all the best NBC, SciFi, and USA TV shows, as well as a ton of movies from Universal Pictures. The Office, Heroes, 30 Rock, Battlestar Galactica, Monk, The Big Lebowski, and The Bourn Ultimatum. On XBOX Live. Right now, baby. We even had a big announcement at Microsoft's press conference, complete with slickly-produced sizzle-reel. Not bad. So again, if you own an XBOX, log on ASAP and get to downloadin'. ----
But wow, even if the glitz and glamor of the old E3 is apparently a thing of the past, you wouldn't know it from the press conference. Microsoft pulled out all the stops - they started things off with demos of some of the biggest games for 08 and 09 - Fable 2, Fallout 3, RESIDENT EVIL 5, and of course Gears of War 2. They then talked about some of the more family-oriented stuff - a new movie-maker game, Rare's long-awated Banjo-Kazooie sequel, the latest versions of Guitar Hero and Rock Band, and a new kareoke game, Lips, that will allow you to sing along to any song you sync up with an iPod (or Zune, of course). There was also a whole new UI upgrade that has Mii-like Avatars, a new game-show live channel that allows you to log on and compete live in Deal or No Deal, 1 vs. 100, etc against other players for real prizes, and a ton of new XBLA games. Of course there was our NBCU announcement, a new deal with Netflix ...
... and oh yeah, to demonstrate that karaeoke game, Lips, pop singer Duffy came on stage and sang that hit song of hers. You know the one: "You got me begging you for mercy. Yeah ... yeah ... yeah." Pretty cool! It was also interesting to see how well she scored by singing her own song - she did do pretty darn well but missed a note or two! So yeah, a little rock n' roll was a fun addition to the show ...
... but then, the BIG gun was unleashed. I knew SOMETHING was up when Square Enix came on stage to close out the event - why save them for last unless something big was a-brewin'? Square went through the list of its upcoming titles for XBOX, mostly cool-looking but still somewhat second-tier titles that had been previously announced ... Star Ocean, Infinite Undiscovery, etc ...
... So, that's it right? Press conference over? Wait, the Square-Enix guy had one more thing to say, and oh man, it was announcement that would send shockwaves through fandom ...
... Amazing CGI footage begins to play set to a majestic soundtrack. Wait, could it be? More eye-melting footage - epic battles, amazing character-design, and that sweeping orchestral music ... and then, even before the familiar logo appeared, it was clear ...
FINAL FANTASY XIII - no longer exclusive to Sony - it would be released day-and-date on XBOX 360!
Wow.
That's a big one. That's like if NBC suddenly announced it had just snagged LOST from ABC. That is a twist that will change the face of the console wars. That's freaking huge. And yes, the Sony fanboy in me died a little when I saw that trailer. I still remember reading about how Final Fantasy 7 was switching from Nintendo to Sony consoles back in the day - and it was at that moment that I became a Playstation devotee. Sure, this time the game isn't so much jumping ship as much as it will be on TWO platforms instead of one. But wow, still, the Sony execs must be silently weeping right now. They had better have some bigtime reveals at their press conference tomorrow. I'm talking God of War 3-level huge. In any case, I think it's clear that the age of third party games being exclusive to one console are pretty much over. The first party games are what will differentiate the systems, and I think Sony can still feel pretty happy that it has the likes of Uncharted 2, Ratchet 2, God of War 3 , Little Big Planet, Infamous, etc. in its first-party arsenal. And you've got to think it's only a matter of time before we see Syphon Filter, Twisted Metal, et al.
But still ... wow. Pretty cool for my first ever E3 event! And yes, I remain a Sony loyalist at heart (an in wallet - after just having shelled out my hard-earned $$$ for a PS3) - but I still have got to plug the big MS ... go forth and download!
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