There is a lot of importance to this feeling, as Microsoft and Sony have plans to maintain their systems for another five years. Every company went into the fight years ago with their hardware of choice, but with so much innovation on the horizon, this is a battle of identity more than anything else. We, as consumers, are actually seeing new consoles materialize before our eyes due to the fact that the companies are willing to make such a shift in strategy. When Nintendo introduced their "revolution", they anticipated that we would perceive gaming in a completely different way while changing the industry at its core. There is no arguing that they have succeeded in doing so.
That said, each camp had an agenda that they absolutely had to stick to in order to come out of E3 with a "victory". With each year, there is a growing sense of competition. Much like the NBA Finals going on right now, each team has keys to victory and a game plan that must be followed, and there will be an MVP.
The Big 3 have spoken. Their plans are no longer secret. The names or their projects are final. Let's see how they did.
Microsoft
Project Natal -
Much like the Revolution, we can dispense with the daring and alluring name and start calling it something family-friendly and boring. Kinect is the final name of the 360's add-on, and it's looking a lot sleeker than we've come to expect.
I'll give it this. It is what everyone expected it to be. However, Microsoft actually managed to play this remarkable technology down to the point where I'm wondering why I still bother remaining interested. Voice commands, there. Hands-free, there and effective. Integration with Windows apps, there. Ripping off Wii Sports, there.
What follows is a list of failures. Where's the software? By this time, we all know what Project Natal was supposed to be, and what we're seeing now is a dumbed down version of everything we imagined. It can do a hands-free, voice activated video chat with an MSN friend while tracking your movements to keep the camera centered. That's fine. Where is the virtual wardrobe? Why does Wii Spo-...ahem, Kinect Sports look like it's gesture based at times? Sure you can activate keypads via Minority Report hand motions, but those motions are linked to useless applications. I always said that those hand motions could potentially be a huge part of gaming, but what Microsoft presented at E3 was a retread of already existing concepts at its simplest level, and this is the opposite of what Natal was supposed to achieve.
Sure, it's great that you can have a virtual pet that recognizes you, but Microsoft absolutely needed to show that their tech was serious business. There were hundreds of advanced applications, such as the previously mentioned virtual wardrobe, that absolutely could have been shown off. That, and I still didn't get to see a game that would show off my batting stance or anything close to it. Look no further than the Kinect Star Wars trailer to see why Microsoft flushed their golden opportunity down the toilet.
As a final note, I would just like to throw it out there how terrible a business practice this is. If you're going to "change the game", then you need to make waves. When the PS3 and Wii came out, we railed on their inability to implement their game plan for the next 3 years. The PS3 was too complex and too expensive at first, but a few years later, and we finally ended up receiving games that were representative of what we expected. The Wii came out with rudimentary motion controls, but it's low price and accessibility carried it in a huge way. Yet, it still took a few years for us to see the fruits of their efforts through Wii Motion Plus, and by that time, the Wii wasn't taken so seriously with everyone capable of putting out the very same tech with similar quality, and the graphics haven't improved much either.
For Microsoft, this was the perfect opportunity to separate themselves from the pack. They had Natal in their deck for about a year, which was plenty of time to cook up some worthy apps for it. What you don't do in this situation is hope that the public will wait for the software to catch up. It DOES NOT take millions of dollars to create some magical programs for users. Microsoft needed to put together a small package of products that would make us truly turn our heads and go "wow". They had the money. They had the time. They certainly had the potential sitting on their lap, and it was not expensive to create. Now, we look at a console that's sitting much like the competition did at their own launches. Completely undeveloped and begging for us to be patient.
Sony
PlayStation Move -
This is why I have a hard time listening to outlets like IGN. The PlayStation Move had a very specific way of performing its function, and no one really had a concrete idea as to how the PlayStation Eye was going to help combat against Natal. Basically, it nothing more than a different way of doing what the Wii already does. Where Natal had nearly unlimited potential, the Move only seemed to have tangible controllers going for it. It may sound like the status quo, but gamers aren't quite ready to ditch the controllers completely. So, looking at a peripheral that seemed ripped off and nothing more, Sony needed to convince us that this setup would be different and better than the other two companies.
Once again, Sony proved how little identity is involved in their decision making. I mentioned before that Sony has no idea what it's doing, and this year's E3 only proved that. While IGN was dirtying their pants over the Move, I looked at the videos and was anything but impressed. As a matter of fact, any hope I had for the peripheral was quickly flushed. I haven't delved too deep into finding out what their plans are, but Sony seemed more inclined to tell us what we could do with the Move than what was possible, and much like Microsoft, they didn't bring any software that would make us think too hard about the evolution. It was not neat to see a robot whip out Wolverine claws. The Wii can do that if you were to plug a webcam into it, I'm sure. This was a big chance to do what Microsoft wouldn't do, and instead, they only proved that they were capable of stealing other people's concepts and doing things just differently enough to put up and argument that they weren't a carbon copy.
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that there's more potential in this device than Sony is letting on, but I'm not sure if they have a clue as to what that may be. I can think of a hundred applications for the Move that would help their cause, but they seemed to be too interested in copying Nintendo to notice.
Nintendo
Why you should even care anymore -
Nintendo was in a difficult position. They had a gimmicky system that has worked well for them, but interest in their console is waning and the competition is out to get them on their home court. The Wii changed everything, and E3 proved that, but they desperately needed to get people to care about their system in some way that would divert attention away from Sony and Microsoft. They needed to get serious about their games and give the people what they wanted, and they needed to figure out how they would compete with new hardware. There was a rumor going around that the "Wii HD" would be announced in some way, but nothing has come of that
Now, we all remember the awkward presentations from the past few years. The Wii's naming was an instant buzzkill, the Wii Music thing was...yikes, and Cammie Dunaway should never be allowed on a stage again. Somewhere...somehow...Nintendo learned, and gave the biggest middle finger to the competition that I could have imagined. They dodged the hardware battle entirely, and look spectacular for doing so. I don't know if they planned on it, but with Microsoft and Sony underperforming, Nintendo popped up and showed its hand of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Kid Icarus, Pilotwings, Star Fox, Mario Kart, and Metroid. I know I'm missing some titles because there were just too many, but Nintendo threw nearly every IP that wasn't Mario into the E3 arena. Even after all of that, they still had the 3DS to show off.
In what was a ballsy backhand to Sony, Nintendo decided to flaunt its new 3D handheld, which we already know doesn't require glasses to enjoy. With the promise of 3D movies being watchable on this hardware as well as some inspired ports, the 3DS is looking more attractive by the day. Even if the handheld costs nearly $300 to purchase (it shouldn't), it would still be worth the time for most consumers. The DS is still immensely popular, and by giving the raw power boost to that rather than the Wii, Nintendo scored big. If everyone is going to copy the Wii, why bother giving it an upgrade until next year? The 3DS has many possibilities, and already its launch has one of the most potent and vast lineups of any console in history. You can't help but be impressed by the amount of software that's going to support it. If there's one complaint that I have, its that there has been little mention of turning this handheld into something a little more useful than its predecessor. It's even hard to complain about that, because with the promise of 3D movies, the inclusion of a 3D camera and SD card for personal use, and the hints Nintendo is giving that they have ideas on what they would include in the 3DS's store, it seems as if they are putting themselves into a position to include PDA and iPhone-type features without the need for a service provider.
In my mind, Nintendo "won" E3 hands down. Sony and Microsoft were bringing new, exciting tech to the table, but neither one of them made it seem like they were serious about what they were planning on doing. I understand that Natal should eventually grow into something useful and game-changing, but now I have to say "should" instead of "will". They literally went out of their way during E3 to make sure I doubted them. Same with Sony. If it looks like a ripoff gimmick, sounds like a ripoff gimmick, and the company offering it can't prove that it's not a ripoff gimmick with any software that could be seen as having potential, then what are consumers left to assume? Nintendo brought out the big guns from their software side of the market and rolled out a handheld that immediately had a focus, purpose, and cool factor. I can't believe I'm saying this, but after years of being the laughing stock of E3, Nintendo impressed me more than anyone else.
There's still a way to go for 2010's E3, so I'm sure I'll have more to come, but the Big 3 have had their say and I've had mine.
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Sure, it's great that you can have a virtual pet that recognizes you, but Microsoft absolutely needed to show that their tech was serious business. There were hundreds of advanced applications, such as the previously mentioned virtual wardrobe, that absolutely could have been shown off. That, and I still didn't get to see a game that would show off my batting stance or anything close to it. Look no further than the Kinect Star Wars trailer to see why Microsoft flushed their golden opportunity down the toilet.
As a final note, I would just like to throw it out there how terrible a business practice this is. If you're going to "change the game", then you need to make waves. When the PS3 and Wii came out, we railed on their inability to implement their game plan for the next 3 years. The PS3 was too complex and too expensive at first, but a few years later, and we finally ended up receiving games that were representative of what we expected. The Wii came out with rudimentary motion controls, but it's low price and accessibility carried it in a huge way. Yet, it still took a few years for us to see the fruits of their efforts through Wii Motion Plus, and by that time, the Wii wasn't taken so seriously with everyone capable of putting out the very same tech with similar quality, and the graphics haven't improved much either.
For Microsoft, this was the perfect opportunity to separate themselves from the pack. They had Natal in their deck for about a year, which was plenty of time to cook up some worthy apps for it. What you don't do in this situation is hope that the public will wait for the software to catch up. It DOES NOT take millions of dollars to create some magical programs for users. Microsoft needed to put together a small package of products that would make us truly turn our heads and go "wow". They had the money. They had the time. They certainly had the potential sitting on their lap, and it was not expensive to create. Now, we look at a console that's sitting much like the competition did at their own launches. Completely undeveloped and begging for us to be patient.
Sony
PlayStation Move -
This is why I have a hard time listening to outlets like IGN. The PlayStation Move had a very specific way of performing its function, and no one really had a concrete idea as to how the PlayStation Eye was going to help combat against Natal. Basically, it nothing more than a different way of doing what the Wii already does. Where Natal had nearly unlimited potential, the Move only seemed to have tangible controllers going for it. It may sound like the status quo, but gamers aren't quite ready to ditch the controllers completely. So, looking at a peripheral that seemed ripped off and nothing more, Sony needed to convince us that this setup would be different and better than the other two companies.
Once again, Sony proved how little identity is involved in their decision making. I mentioned before that Sony has no idea what it's doing, and this year's E3 only proved that. While IGN was dirtying their pants over the Move, I looked at the videos and was anything but impressed. As a matter of fact, any hope I had for the peripheral was quickly flushed. I haven't delved too deep into finding out what their plans are, but Sony seemed more inclined to tell us what we could do with the Move than what was possible, and much like Microsoft, they didn't bring any software that would make us think too hard about the evolution. It was not neat to see a robot whip out Wolverine claws. The Wii can do that if you were to plug a webcam into it, I'm sure. This was a big chance to do what Microsoft wouldn't do, and instead, they only proved that they were capable of stealing other people's concepts and doing things just differently enough to put up and argument that they weren't a carbon copy.
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that there's more potential in this device than Sony is letting on, but I'm not sure if they have a clue as to what that may be. I can think of a hundred applications for the Move that would help their cause, but they seemed to be too interested in copying Nintendo to notice.
Nintendo
Why you should even care anymore -
Nintendo was in a difficult position. They had a gimmicky system that has worked well for them, but interest in their console is waning and the competition is out to get them on their home court. The Wii changed everything, and E3 proved that, but they desperately needed to get people to care about their system in some way that would divert attention away from Sony and Microsoft. They needed to get serious about their games and give the people what they wanted, and they needed to figure out how they would compete with new hardware. There was a rumor going around that the "Wii HD" would be announced in some way, but nothing has come of that
Now, we all remember the awkward presentations from the past few years. The Wii's naming was an instant buzzkill, the Wii Music thing was...yikes, and Cammie Dunaway should never be allowed on a stage again. Somewhere...somehow...Nintendo learned, and gave the biggest middle finger to the competition that I could have imagined. They dodged the hardware battle entirely, and look spectacular for doing so. I don't know if they planned on it, but with Microsoft and Sony underperforming, Nintendo popped up and showed its hand of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Kid Icarus, Pilotwings, Star Fox, Mario Kart, and Metroid. I know I'm missing some titles because there were just too many, but Nintendo threw nearly every IP that wasn't Mario into the E3 arena. Even after all of that, they still had the 3DS to show off.
In what was a ballsy backhand to Sony, Nintendo decided to flaunt its new 3D handheld, which we already know doesn't require glasses to enjoy. With the promise of 3D movies being watchable on this hardware as well as some inspired ports, the 3DS is looking more attractive by the day. Even if the handheld costs nearly $300 to purchase (it shouldn't), it would still be worth the time for most consumers. The DS is still immensely popular, and by giving the raw power boost to that rather than the Wii, Nintendo scored big. If everyone is going to copy the Wii, why bother giving it an upgrade until next year? The 3DS has many possibilities, and already its launch has one of the most potent and vast lineups of any console in history. You can't help but be impressed by the amount of software that's going to support it. If there's one complaint that I have, its that there has been little mention of turning this handheld into something a little more useful than its predecessor. It's even hard to complain about that, because with the promise of 3D movies, the inclusion of a 3D camera and SD card for personal use, and the hints Nintendo is giving that they have ideas on what they would include in the 3DS's store, it seems as if they are putting themselves into a position to include PDA and iPhone-type features without the need for a service provider.
In my mind, Nintendo "won" E3 hands down. Sony and Microsoft were bringing new, exciting tech to the table, but neither one of them made it seem like they were serious about what they were planning on doing. I understand that Natal should eventually grow into something useful and game-changing, but now I have to say "should" instead of "will". They literally went out of their way during E3 to make sure I doubted them. Same with Sony. If it looks like a ripoff gimmick, sounds like a ripoff gimmick, and the company offering it can't prove that it's not a ripoff gimmick with any software that could be seen as having potential, then what are consumers left to assume? Nintendo brought out the big guns from their software side of the market and rolled out a handheld that immediately had a focus, purpose, and cool factor. I can't believe I'm saying this, but after years of being the laughing stock of E3, Nintendo impressed me more than anyone else.
There's still a way to go for 2010's E3, so I'm sure I'll have more to come, but the Big 3 have had their say and I've had mine.
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