Well E3's practically done for 2008, so what did I get out of it?!
Microsoft:
'We're like Apple now! Take that iTunes!'
Seriously, the new dashboard is refreshing, but at the same time I'm nagged by the similarities that it has with other well known media program interfaces. Very similar to what Apple has implemented in OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
'Disk installs are stupid, but isn't it cool when you don't need the disk to play?'
I think this is their idea of 'transitioning' into where games are going. Secretly everyone will become content installing the game disk to not have it read ( as well as quite the 360 down significantly) that they'll not notice that they'll have to do it in the coming year. As much room as a DVD-9 holds, it's not alway enough. Big problem however is the while 20GBs don't actually have that much room on them, hence the 60, but still, it doesn't compare to the 320GB and coming 500GB drives the PS3 can handle.
'FF13 LAWL!'
I distinctly remember FF XI (the online one) was on the Xbox as well as the PS2 and the PC. Square saw a cash cow and milked it. They found another and it's teats are swollen for the taking. Lets face it, FF 13 and FF 13 Versus are going to be almost as expensive as Shenmu and EVER game developer has learned their lesson from that. I still to this time fail to see the upset in it. Bottom line is that the PS3 version has the programmers attention and will be better. Downside is probably another delay, positive outlook is that the PS3 comes out before the 360s version.
Nintendo
'We don't copy. We Innovate'
If by not copying you mean shamelessly stealing and mutilating then no, you don't copy. However, Wii Speak, the Kendo part of Wii Sports Resort, Wii Music aka air instrumenting resurrected. Didn't RedOctane have a funeral for air guitar (and any air instruments for that matter) last year?
To make matter worse they seem to have take a step back on their comments on the whole Wii players communicating. I guess Microsoft and the PS3 had it right.
'Games for the Masses.'
Sorry hard core nintendo games, but in the words of Cartman 'You just got F'd in the A'. But I'm sure 2009 will have a flood of new Mario/Sonic/Metroid/Link games out there. Maybe you'll even get word of Pit's fate next year. I think they want more casual people to line their pockets. Glad to hear at least 11 of the Tempist guestimated 50 developers have games that sold 400,000+ games (to be more accurate 19 games from 11 developers, so a few people have it right. But then again, 400,000 is not 500,000.)
Zombie Air guitar
Seriously, I think the matter speaks for it self and I will not comment further.
Sony (bony)
'Ahem, I er ah, believe we, um a, make games still.'
No I'm just kidding. Jack Trentton did alright. Not much in the new category from Sony, but that's because almost everything they have coming out is well known or smaller / ambiguous projects without clear guidance and realization at this time.
To basically sum up what Sony had to put out there; Little Big Planet used as a slide show. I don't really know why every E3 has to be a penis contest, but I have to say, Sony won best in show for penis presenation. Not to mention they've got three penes on the run, but they break down into one being a massive 10" mammoth black one, a small one that goes into the butt, and one that's equivalent to a 50 year old man penis. But the old ones are getting a healthy does of viagra in the form of new packages. Yay... or not yay.
'It's SHOW TIME!'
Actually E3 has been a huge downfall for movies and shows that come on disk. I thought Sony may have had more sense and tried to push the PS3 the finest Blu-ray player around, but they've gone down the dark and easy path of Digital Distribution and Digital Downloads. BOO. Come on, that almost make Blu-ray moot to have (aside from playing games). It's not entirely what people wanted to have coming from Sony.
The average person cannot be bothered to take the time to download the movie and have to delete it because they don't know how to change the drive in the PS3. They've undermined the quality and flexibility that Blu-ray disks come with. In a perfect world scenario for them it would be less hassle since a bigger majority of people would have a PS3 and PSP, but owners are both a minority and not going to go for the DD. I also don't think the consumer who does have a PS3 for Blu-ray home theatre isn't going to waste money on downloaded movies since it will probably come with quite the audio restrictions that aren't found on their disk counterpart. Instead of getting more for less, you'll end up with less for less. More so when Blu-rays are way down in price. (about 30% less than pre-holiday season)
'Lets not anger up the blood now...'
Over all Sony didn't aim for trying to show up the competition. They didn't want another Giant Crab or $599 incident so they played it safe. Many people have been commenting that MS won best presentation, but when it only boils down to the FF 13 fiasco, then that leaves gaping holes in other things they were suppose to present to people. Sony didn't want to go all out and they didn't snub any of their partners or Studios. (Poor Bungie.)
They kept it simple, but went way too long for reshowing things and it looks like they're going beyond games with their 3 consoles out there. Clearly in the next year moving games isn't going to be as hard as moving console units. I put them at a tie with MS's presentation (disclaimer: I didn't see their press conference, but since it's been OMG FF13!!! OMG!!! then clearly not much can be said to have happened.)
That's it. Good going E3, except you Nintendo. GROW UP AND ACT YOUR AGE. Kids don't want to see some 50 year old man who's importance they have no clue about pretend to play air instruments with the Wii. Next time, use some freaken 7 year olds to do really stupid things since they get away with it.
With Microsoft’s long list of poor messaging and poor decisions this week, combined with rumors of behind-the-scenes problems with some of its top games, one frequent point that keeps coming up is how much weight has been thrown behind Xbox/PC/Ultimate Game Pass.
Well fancy that. A Forbes article with common sense.
Microsoft's only shot to get more gamers, being the devils advocate, is to go Mobile and free to play with ads to grow their fan base. With maybe a subscription to games like cod on Mobile to get more to buy in what they are offering.
But mobile isn't like consoles or PC at all. You can't charge huge amounts for games because that platform is used to cheap or free content. Can't go to Nintendo and Sony with game pass because they'(competitors) aren't stupid to destroy their own platforms with Microsoft's rental service. And PC gamers dabble with it but they're fine with Steam and other, similar offerings. Casuals are their target but do casuals really care because up to this point, they haven't.
They put themselves in a bind and I'm not sorry for them in the least. When you kill your own sales of hardware and software, you groom your base to not buy but to rent, and do everything you can but do what works for Nintendo and Sony in creating games that grow the industry, this is the results. Dead last.
Why was/is it so hard to just make great games and from that, EARN respect that would lead to an increase in consumers? Never made sense how stupid they are when they had the finances to compete and pretty much outdo Nintendo and Sony combined. They just chose greed and annual fees and lack of effort instead.
The gaming world is still reeling from the announcement that Microsoft is shuttering Tango Gameworks, the studio behind last year’s big Xbox hit, Hi-Fi Rush.
There's no logical or good reason to give for closing Tango Gameworks. They make great games consistently and Hi-Fi Rush was the highest rated Xbox game in literal YEARS. Closing the studio was just plain stupid and nonsensical.
EA has come under fire for making unexpected changes to its FC 24 Team of the Season unlocks.
DID YOU EVER KNOW THAT YOU'RE MY HEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
It is a period of hate on Sony.
Sony has brought its video download service online to help the fight against Xbox Live.
During the showcase, Sony followers were demoralized as the evil Microsoft Conglomerate anounced its plans for the ultimate game, FFXIII on the Xbox 360. A hyped game with enough fanbase to generate millions of sales within a week.
Pursued by the angry PS3 fanboys, Sony Computer Entertainment President Kazuo Hirai races home aboard his private jet, custodian of the plans for his new games that can save the fanboys within his followers and restore the glory of Sony.