The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Of The Microsoft E3 2012 Press Conference

We watched the entire Microsoft E3 2012 press conference and there were some definite highs and lows. From Halo 4 starting the show off to the performance by Usher, we tell you The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the conference.

- Trendy Gamers

[willie32]

I am hoping the other shows are better. I expected so much more from them.

[Hisiru]

I wasn't going to comment about Microsoft's E3 again, but I have to say that it was really boring and thank god it is over.

I am not acting as a biased fanboy (I own multiple consoles), but Microsoft really disappointed me.

-They showed some multiplatform games as if they were exclusives just because of timed DLC exclusive.

-Usher? It's not a concert, it's a conference...

-They showed a new IP that looks like a generic God of War clone, a new IP for Kinect that is basically a 3D Angry birds (but very slow and annoying sound effects/voices)

-Nike's application has nothing to do with gaming, just like ESPN and some other applications.

-Useless CG movies of Gears of War/Forza (and some other games) that gives you no clue how the game looks like.

-Again, tons of multiplatform games

-Halo 4 was good, but nothing special, nothing unique (imo), but it looks good.

-We knew a new Halo, Gears of War, Forza and Fable were coming, there is no surprise in this conference, really.

-Useless kinect voice commands for multiplatform games.

Seriously, I do think the Microsoft's conference was bad, not VERY bad, but it was bad.

[firefoxprime]

+ MS actually announced non Kinect exclusives(regardless how weak they look)

- 85% of everything else. Frankly, I'm just glad to watch ppl dancing, and not dancing to Kinect...

[saladthieves]

...since I'm in a place with a horrible internet connection that is throttled (I'm downloading the conference right now, no way I'd miss E3!).

Judging from how the rest of you guys are, it looks like you have a "Meh" to bad reactions on the conference.

From the looks of this, it seems Sony and Ninty will have better conferences?

(Ugh, I have to download them too)

[Yi-Long]

... I was extremely disappointed with it.

They didn't even show any cool new XBLA games (apart from some Kinect-crappy stuff by a girl in a tight shirt), and all they did was go on about the 360 as an interactive media-center, focussing on Kinect, and exclusive DLC deals...(!)

Horrible, just horrible.

[SnotyTheRocket]

Ubisoft and Sony will save the day

[Farmhand]

I also wasn't thrilled with the show, however seeing the interactive map for Game of Thrones on the tablet, while watching an episode on tv was pretty sweet.

[EVILDEAD360]

Hisiru's comments are priceless now that Sony's conference has finished. Let's hear his views on those.

Evil

[CoolBeansRus]

Yes, it was a extreme letdown. The best part was the beginning with Halo 4. I wish i would have turned it off then.

Hopefully this letdown was because they are working on games for the next Xbox which they can't reveal. If it's not that then IDK what is going on over there. They need to get their act together.

[donman1]

Wow... that was the worse I have seen from Microsoft. Great start (Halo4) and ending (COD) the middle was piss poor.

[killerhog]

And that's why they had it in that order. Start big, go slow, and finish with a bang.

[Thatguy-310]

LMAO at the usher appearance. Really? Wasn't he suppose to show how to use dance central? He basically just danced with out even following the movements on screen and acted like if he was in a concert.

[BringingTheThunder]

nothing to do with dance central was weak

[Ps3-PCgamer]

This seems like the case every year. I expect Microsoft to come out the gate swinging and set the bar high since they usually present first. Instead they always drop the ball with this casual crap and TV services. Netflix is enough I mean how much tv can one person watch? Hulu, HBO GO, ESPN, and whatever else is just to much and is kinda confusing if you ask me.

I don't know which one was worst between this years presentation and last years but they're very close. I think Microsoft is telling consumers that 360 is basically at its end and if your nieve then these last couple of E3's are proof

[killerhog]

A lot of people I know real life (friends, ex gfs, family) and online who are casual do not watch tv all that much. Those who I know that are "hardcore" gamers only play games. I don't get the crowd ms is trying to go after. Gamers want games, and MS isn't delivering, most casual wouldn't buy a kinect or Xbox for tv, and sports fanatics go to bars or watch it on a TV, so no need for a kinect or Xbox with additional fees.

[TBM]

the only game that truly impressed me was Tomb Raider man that looks really, really awesome i can't wait to play that. SC looked pretty good too.

halo looked alright but i was never a big halo fan to begin with.

@below
TR floored me i felt the pain Laura was going through when she was hitting everything in sight lol

[BringingTheThunder]

tomb raider looked fun, bow and arrow combat seemed cool

[ATi_Elite]

1. they Opened with Halo 4 WTF! Should of been last and the Demo should of been more action packed.

2. Showed like 20 seconds of Gears. WTF! Should of opened with it and should of been a whole lot more gameplay shown.

3. All that media, Kinect, Xbox music crap is of minor Interest to GAMERS yet it took up the entire conference.

4. Then they show Call of Duty Black Ops 2 last (should of been Halo 4) but they Demo a Got Dam "Escort Mission" which is the most cliche and most boring type of Game play ever.

Just friggin give us the Xbox 720 already.

I don't even remember Joe Montana moving any buttons on the controller during his Madden Demo.

[MGRogue2017]

It sucked. I'm expecting great things to come out of Sony's one. I know they won't let me down. :)

I admit that I enjoyed the footage of that new Tomb Raider game, graphics effects like light shafts/god rays look amazing.

[Yi-Long]

... but they're already bragging about console-exclusive (timed) DLC milking, so I certainly won't be picking it up at launch.

[hellvaguy]

@Yi-long

Complaining about timed exclusives...i bet your the same person who brags about sony exclusives. Can we say hypocrite?

[Yi-Long]

... I have both consoles, love them both, they both have their positives and negatives.

If you think of me as a 'Sony-fanboy', you might want to look back into my posting history, and see the backlash I got for saying that I'm not a huge fan of Uncharted...(!) (I feel it's a bit lineair and not challenging and diverse enough in it's gameplay FOR ME, although obviously it looks great and has set the benchmark in that genre)

I don't like timed exclusive content cause I feel it's a bit juvenile, plus I feel MS/Sony can use their money much better instead of buying 'timed-exclusivity' for some content or games.

I'd rather see them spend that money on new original IP's and such.

If they want to 'lure' gamers to THEIR product, I'd rather see them competiting on price, making certain DLC free or cheaper than the competition.

[Solid_Snake37]

@hellvaguy

.... I'd take exclusive games over time-exclusive dlcs anyday, my good sir.

[patriotZero]

IT sucked because Tomb raider and Splinter Cell multiplatform. Nothing special in MS conference

[Zha1tan]

Halo 4 was good, the rest of it was pure terrible.

I was wondering where the games were and a new forza....nobody seen that coming...totally blew me away...

[nolson10]

saw*

[Zha1tan]

Pathetic.

[sycnation]

Was it me or did the enemies look like the Tron colored versions of the crysis games?

[hellzsupernova]

i thought they were Protoss!

[Zha1tan]

well whatever they are I will enjoy blasting their faces in with that transforming weapon!

[Hanuman]

Halo 4 blew me away. The rest of the show sucked balls...

[Fylus]

Absolutely spot on way to describe how I also felt about it.

[BringingTheThunder]

cant wait for nov 6th!

[yabhero]

You're that excited to vote lol?

[jay2]

At the end of the day, apart from the dlc, tv shows etc all the conformance confirmed was no 3rd xbox for 18+ months.

[Starbucks_Fan]

How much are they gonna charge for these TV shows? I'm thinking about dropping cable.

[CaptainMarvelQ8]

What's up with the loco cycle and matter.They received no attention.Those came out of nowhere and basically had no information.

Also,what happened to crytek's new ip for kinect that was announced last year?

[Fyflin]

Ryse? It's been pushed to Xbox 720/Durango apparently. Still going to be a controller/motion hybrid.

[ger2396]

After this conference, how can you not want a ps3. They have a bunch exclusives and online is free. And that's only two of the many perks the ps3 has.

[JellyJelly]

Not everyone cares about wether a game is exclusive or not. Personally I have a backlog of games on the 360 too big for me to even consider buying another console right now.

Most of my friends also have 360's, and I prefer the controller, Xbox Live and XBLA titles to that of PSN and Playstation.

[omi25p]

I own one and hardly use it. Because it lacks the one thing that makes me play my 360 all the time and thats party chat.

[EliteDave93]

Tomb Raider, Halo 4 and Forza Horizon Thats about it rly. The rest sucked.

[badkolo]

ok, I now seriously prey for sony to just drop the bombshell and show a ps4, its gonna be 8 years soon for the 360 and while halo looks incredible , there is nothing left and they have truly just left the core for dust. Right now im more excited for the wiiu and im preying that sony shocks us all. not happy today at all, that stunk

[attilayavuzer]

8 years, what are you talking about man? It'll be 7 at the end of this year.

[hellvaguy]

"prey for sony to just drop the bombshell and show a ps4"

Um Sony is still several years from launching thier next console, by every report and thier own reports. I guess that's why your "praying"....

[MariaHelFutura]

I wanted to at least hear about the next xbox, so to me it was disappointing.

[yabhero]

Why? They've been saying since last E3 that NextBox isn't coming this year... Watch Sony and Ms will do what Nintendo's doing now... A big show announcing at E3 and then release a few months later...

[Neko_Mega]

Halo 4 was about the only thing that seem awesome, everything else was Kinect this, tablet this and so on.

[ChunkyLover53]

Well I thought it was an okay show. The Xbox 360 is going on 8 years old and so the last couple of years has definitely been average. Core gamers just need to face the facts that all of these companies are going after more than just their demographic.

Microsoft is clearly biding time and setting up the Xbox 360 as a profitable device even after the next Xbox comes out.

I have been underwhelmed by all the companies the last couple of years.

Got my drink set out for the Sony show though, everytime Sonys mentions Vita or 3-D you gotta take a drink!

[SaffronCurse]

It was a waste of bandwidth on my part...shame on me for believing that this would be somewhat good.

halo 4 was awesome to watch though

[thehusbo]

Poor as expected. Sony and Nintendo soon! Time to see some good stuff!!!

[attilayavuzer]

Usher was painful, he should start lipsyncing. And I loved how he was all "anyone can learn this routine", then he does a backflip in the middle of it.

Anyway, the rest of it was meh, Smartglass looks interesting, but I'm dubious about how widely it'll be adopted.

[Skynetone]

pretty rock solid showing from ms, everthing they showed looked amazing, but knowing the biggest games of the year are going to be full of dlc,tomb raider and res 6, looks like ill be digging them out of some bargain bin in a year are two,

did i just imagine it, or did ms really talk about controling xboxlive with a phone, looking at your phone looking at your tv, looking at your phone looking at your tv, you'd want to be out of your f+++ing mind

[glennco]

rock solid? you seem easily amazed

[Lior]

I never saw such a crappier E3 conference they showed nothing but games that are coming to PS3 anyway but with a twist timed DLC WOW SO JEALOUS I'd rather play god of war IV, last of us and all that new ps3 exclusives than timed dlc

[colossi16]

The conference was a little boring. Halo 4 looked great so was splinter cell and tomb raider. I was expecting a new xbox, but there is no point when they are making money on 360.

[NiraTum]

And i wonder, when Xbox became everything but a game console? They are far far from the gaming path!!!

[CanadianTurtle]

Even if there weren't that many surprises, the Halo 4 footage looking quite outstanding to me, and I don't even own a 360. Again, I hope Sony will have something up their sleeve.

But I have a feeling that Nintendo will dominate again because they have a new console in their conferance and people are expecting to see some new title for that.

[M83_]

As bad as it was, I don't think it was as bad as last year's kinect kids disaster. I didn't like all the kinect/tv/social crap either. I have devices that do all that and better but I only have a console for games and that's exactly what I expect; GAMES!
No frills game centred entertainment is all I ask for.

[jdfoster]

And the good came from 3rd party multi platforms.... AWFUL E3 Microsoft

[SITH]

I was super bored. A simple mention of the next Xbox would have made dredging through the conference worth it. But true to form as of late, nothing. Halo 4 does look great though. Call of duty, not so much. Looks more of the same. And no deticated NFL app!? Fail!

[DFresh]

Kinect:
Xbox wake me up when you have new games!

Seriously everything at the M$ Conference was expected or announced several months ago.

Microsoft's biggest surprise wasn't even gaming related with that Xbox Smart Glass Technology.

In the conference I was impressed with Halo 4 and the Gears of War trailer but other then that it was very meh.

Tomb Raider, Splinter Cell: Black Light and Resident Evil 6 are are multiplatform games so those don't count.
(Timed exclusive DLC. LOL.)

Once again M$ is on that Kinect Kool-Aid.

Biggest waste of time ever.
(Wasted an hour of my life watching it.)

[glennco]

not a single thing interested me... sigh

i think it is apparent MS should have shown their next console as they have nothing left for this one

[Omnislash]

This was the same conference as last year. Halo,Gears,Forza, Kinect crap and multiplat games they wish were exclusive.

2/10 wouldn't buy.

[BlacBox]

Overall at the end of the day, all the multiplatform games they've mention at the press conference people will buy.regardless of the lack of games the Xbox has it will still be bought off shelves . Disappointment? Sure it was. But we all have to understand their marketing strategies, Microsoft is trying to put their stamp towards entertainment. I can see what they are trying to do. In my personal opinion, they are going in the right direction, maybe when the next gen comes around the won't have to focus Gen it too much, but just focus on just gaming exclusives. Something to think about.

[honkyjesus]

Funny when the South Park guys said something like you can play the game while connected to your phone to a live link of your oven while playing in the fridge.

[Yumi-Yumi4urTummy]

Overall was OK, couple of games, but Microsoft personal interest is not the games, its the new Smart Glass, which its ok, if you have the proper gadget to used with, if not don't waste your money.