It’s that time of year again when the gaming industry flocks to the L.A Convention Centre for the greatest show on earth; I am of course speaking of the E3 Expo.  E3 2011 is going to be a special one; not because Nintendo will be showing off a new console, not because Activision will be showing off a new Modern Warfare game (they do that every year) and not because of all those OMFG moments when somebody unexpected comes out on stage to announce something even more unexpected.  No, this year E3 will be special because GamingLives will be there to give it some proper coverage; no half arsed previews, no tweets strung together and presented as news and no short three minute interviews where Lee stands there and says “Yeah? Cool!” to stuff we already knew.  We’re going balls deep and we’re determined to bring you lot the best possible E3 2011.

Before we set off though (man is it a long walk!) we’ve corralled some of the GamingLives writers to do what gamers love doing best when not playing games.  So, grab a drink get comfy and join Adam, Ben, Chris, Edward, Lee, Mark, Samuel, Ste and Stu for a chin-wag about what we’ve seen, what they think we’ll see and some shit that they made up for giggles. If you think they are wrong, want to agree or just want to join in and have your say, you can add your crazed ramblings in the comments.

What was your stand out moment from last year?

My stand out moment from E3 2010 has to be Valve’s ‘surprise’ announcement, which actually turned out to be less of a surprise and more of the press conference on Portal 2 which they’d cancelled a few days earlier. I had my hopes set on Half Life 3 or Episode 3 and I’m hoping that we’ll get a repeat of the ‘surprise’ this year, but one that will actually be about the aforementioned titles. Apart from that, my big moment from last year was just seeing Rage in action. It looks like such a top quality title and really marks a coming of age for id after sticking largely to corridor shooters in the past.

The 360 slim reveal was good but Gabe Newell taking the stage at Sony was an outstanding memory of E3 2010. No one expected, after years of digging at Sony’s ‘hard to code for’ system, that the big man himself would waltz onto the stage to declare that not only would Portal 2 be released on the PS3, but that it would be the definitive console version, with Steam Cloud support, developed internally at Valve. I think that hurt Microsoft, and were it not for the complete PSN blackout at Portal 2′s launch, there would be a lot of love going Valve’s way and Gabe would probably get the biggest cheer of the entire expo by setting foot on the stage once again.

Last year, E3 was all about the motion controller for Sony and Microsoft, with Nintendo touting the 3DS. Other than those, admittedly, large announcements there wasn’t an awful lot more that got me excited from the three camps other than the slim Xbox.  Having said that, the standout point for me was the Child of Eden announcement. I instantly fell in love and vowed to make the game mine. Oh yes, it shall be mine.

Gabe Newell walking onto the stage at the Sony Press Conference; you could just see the uncertainty in his face. It was as if you didn’t know if he was out to once again proclaim the conference centre for the empire of the PC, or if Sony had captured him and was about to humiliate him in an effort to gain favour from the console sections of the gaming world. But in seriousness it was his presence that sparked the potential of ‘what if’, and with the recent release of Portal 2 we now know the answer: Steam can be put on the PS3 and cross format play is possible.

I suppose it was the Portal 2 stuff. Portal is one of my favourite games so I was really excited for it and, thankfully, it didn’t let me down! Another one that I had my eye on was Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, not so much for the continuation of Ezio’s story, but for the multiplayer! I loved the idea of being able to hunt down and kill a human controlled character instead of an A.I; it was awesome! Not sure what that says about me as a person… I’m not a nutter, honest.

I honestly can’t remember.
The thing with the games industry is it moves that fast, it’s hard sometimes to keep up.
I suppose it was probably the fuss over the slim Xbox 360. I spent quite a lot of time reading about that as it trickled out last year, trying to decide whether to buy one.

Nintendo’s conference. Sony’s was mostly tedious and championing products they still don’t know how to market properly, and Microsoft’s was so embarrassing that I almost gave my 360 more to worry about than the chance of suffering the RROD. Nintendo revealed the return of Kirby and Donkey Kong in games that have both been critically acclaimed, and then Metroid (which I wish I was able to warn my past self about). On top of that, more Skyward Sword and the reveal of the 3DS just topped everything Microsoft and Sony were able to muster. Just a shame they released the thing too prematurely and killed a lot of potential with a lacklustre line-up and a lack of support.

I’m with you guys on Gabe Newell coming out on Sony’s stage to announce Portal 2; I don’t think anybody could have predicted that, especially with Gabe being so vocal about his feelings towards the PlayStation 3 previously. The Xbox slim was a big deal too; news of it was only leaked on the net that morning and even that tiny Italian advert didn’t have any details attached to it, let alone the fact that it would be on the shelves within weeks.  Also Edward, are you going to Nintendo fanboy your way through this whole thing?

Yes, yes I am

 

What games are you looking forward to hearing more about this year?

I suppose the obvious, and rather contrived, answer would be Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. I loved Morrowind, totally adored Oblivion and have been waiting for a follow up ever since so I can exercise my sword arm yet again. From what I’ve seen of it thus far, it looks like it’s going to kick some serious ass graphically which is quite surprising given the age of the consoles these days, BUT also not so surprising when you consider how much better Oblivion looked to most other titles, even at launch. If they thread in a great storyline and characterisation then this could be the highlight of my gaming year. I’m also excited about X-COM again, mainly because they’ve already said that they’ve partially rebuilt it so I imagine it’s been done to satiate the negativity surrounding a lot of the original X-COM’s fans.

Bioshock Infinite is very high on my list. I think in the throng of other big titles such as Battlefield 3, Dead Island, Skyward Sword, and Uncharted 3 (to name but a few) Infinite has got lost in the crowd. After the success of our underwater adventures in Rapture I’m very excited about where Irrational and 2K games will take the Bioshock universe next.  The only thing I’m looking forward to more is some information about Half Life 2: Episode 3 or maybe even Half Life 3 at this rate. Come on Valve. Just admit the episodic thing didn’t work and give us some news!

This one’s tricky. I’d love to know more about Mass Effect 3, especially after the fantastic news that multiplayer won’t feature. At the same time I want to hit the game as unexposed as possible, so I want to know nothing! Maybe they could announce stuff and then use a giant Men in Black device to wipe our memories again.  I’m really looking forward to Warhammer 40k Space Marine and am hoping that now the scheduled release is just months away after its initial slippage, there may me be more info about. Finally, as always, I am hoping this is the year in which David Braben puts down the cutesy games (Bloom Blox, Kinectimals) and announces that the rebirth of Elite is here, happening and about to drop.

Lots to choose from this year…
To start with I wanna know more about Mass Effect 3, I was a little late to the party with the first two games but I’m really excited about this one. Also, I really wanna know how Diablo 3 and Uncharted 3 are shaping up.

I do and I don’t want to know about Mass Effect 3; like Stu I don’t want to know everything about it and I’ve avoided everything that’s out so far, but at the same time I do want to know. I’d love to see a Dead Space 3 get announced and maybe a healthly dollop of Dragon Age II DLC. I’m more interested in stuff that nobody knows about yet if I’m honest, and an injection of new IP from everybody would be nice, but I can get by on some sequel and remake announcements.

There’s so many that we know will be there that it’s hard to pin-point just one or two games. That said, I think the likes of Warhammer: Space Marine and Skyrim will be two I’d fancy getting a bit more info on. Also have to consider Bioshock Infinite, Max Payne 3 and of course Batman: Arkham City is a game I’m craving to see some more of. It’s like going into a cake shop and noticing everything is on a 95% off sale, there’s so much choice it’s impossible to choose.

Mostly Mass Effect 3, Zelda Skyward Sword, and Skyrim. I imagine that all three of those will get at least some coverage as they’re all due out after the expo and the developers will be keen to show them off. They’re all major releases, so I’d be pretty surprised if nobody had something planned for them. I’d also be interested to see what Namco come up with for Dark Souls, the sequel to Demon’s Souls. The original was a Playstation only exclusive but the sequel has been announced for the Xbox 360. It’d be interesting to know what caused that.

I’ve had my eyes on Skyward Sword ever since it was announced, so if they give that a Christmas release and someone from GamingLives hugs them for me so they can give me the love of Nintendo via physical contact (not in a sexual way) I’ll be a happy, happy fanboy. I’m not actually aware of that many games that I’m desperate to hear more about. I tend to get more excited for the games and products that get announced at the Expo. It ruins the magic for me too much if the games get revealed or leaked too far in advance. All my favourite moments of E3 come from the surprise of something being announced, things you’d have never expected and I end up in awe they managed to keep something like that secret for so long.

Hopefully this year sees Valve take to the stage and announce not only Episode 3, but a fuller version of Steam on the PS3. It would change the online scene on consoles completely bringing a stable, innovative indy market to the mainstream and giving digital distribution a flagship home. Given the current PSN crisis, it would also go a long way to restoring some much needed support for the PlayStation as it struggles to suitably address the disappointment in Sony’s service.

New console rumours are all over the place pre E3 every year, do you think they’ve got any weight behind them this year?

No, well Nintendo’s project Café obviously has because they said it has, but as for Sony and Microsoft, personally I can’t see it. Kinect and Move only just launched last year in a bid to extend the life of the current gen, which, love them or hate them, has worked and I’ll be honest… I’m not ready for one just yet. Although, the second they do announce a new console I’ll be eating those words. I’ll be surprised if Sony has anything new console wise; I’ve always wondered why Sony don’t stick the PlayStation into everything they make though, it would be cool to see it built into TVs, Blu-ray players and cinema systems, even though I wouldn’t buy one. Maybe I just answered my own question with that. As for Microsoft we might, maybe, get one of those announcements of an announcement at the end of the conference for a new console to be announced at next year’s show.  I’m pulling that prediction out of my arse though so don’t hold me to it; I don’t think they’ll have a new console to play with though.

I think Nintendo have shocked Sony and Microsoft with the announcement of their plans for a new console. If anyone was going to announce a new console I would put my money on Microsoft due to the length of time the Xbox 360 has been out. Nintendo have seen fantastic success with the Wii and although there has been a decline in sales in the last six months I still didn’t expect them to announce a new console. As for Microsoft, I really hope they have got a very well kept secret that they are waiting to unleash upon E3 in the form of a new console, or at least the plans for one.

Sony always stated a 10 year lifecycle for the PS3 and with the various issues they’ve had, slow starting sales, PSN, pissing off the fanboys by removing Other OS I think they’ll stick to their guns as much as possible. With the troubling times ahead for handhelds as phones are now matching, if not beating, the capabilities of them, you have to wonder what Sony may be thinking as some kind of rescue strategy. Nintendo have the new console confirmed and with the 3DS release only just occurring they’ll keep themselves focused on that new hardware announcement, and possibly also a new Mario/Zelda title to boot. Microsoft are the untamed beast to keep an eye on.

The Xbox360, while delivering stunning looking games, is now beginning to show its age and the first utterings of its successor are due. What a time too – it’s perfect. Another head start on a Sony release (arguably the only real competitor unless Nintendo finally roll out with a proper HD console & next gen stats), taking the wind out of Nintendo’s announcement with their own, and with Windows 7 Phone now beginning to pick up traction, I’m intrigued to see if the USB connection will allow the new console and phone to talk/share games. Imagine an intensive action game that you can progress with on the console, but which has a strategy element perfect for a touch screen phone for when you’re away and can play on your lunch break. The next iteration of Xbox could be the fabled home entertainment system that Microsoft have been after since they first tried media centre PCs now that digital distribution is becoming mainstream.

Nintendo are there for sure with Project Café but I think it’s all quiet on the Western Front. Maybe Sony show off the new PSP but I think that 2012 is the year for kicking off the next generation. The only party likely to break on that are Microsoft, but given that Kinect has proved successful in picking up a healthy share in the casual market, I really would be shocked to hear news that big so soon.

Well it’s more or less been confirmed that Nintendo will be dropping a new console in the near future. I’m looking forward to what they have to present. Hopefully they WILL be able to beam Mario directly into my brain this time around! I’m not so sure about the ‘reported’ new Xbox console though. I reckon that one might just be vapourware at the moment in time; perhaps 2012 will be Microsoft’s year again? As for Sony I think they have a lot of bridges to mend before they can even think about announcing a new console, to be honest I doubt they even have anything in the pipeline yet.

For Nintendo I’d say it was a necessity; what with sales of the Wii continuing to drop and sales of both PS3 and 360 increasing, it will surely be putting pressure on the big ‘N’ – even more so with the success that Kinect is apparently having. As for Sony and Microsoft, I just can’t see it happening. Maybe next year we’ll see an early prototype or something, but I think for those two the ‘next gen’ is still a way off. I don’t think we’re that far off new consoles, especially when you consider that the PC market is currently going through a graphical boom and leaving consoles in their wake. I can’t see it this year, maybe next year at the earliest.

Well I think Sony and Microsoft would be MENTAL if they hadn’t already started looking at new consoles at least a year or two ago. It’s inevitable that we’ll need a new generation at some point in the next year or two but, I have to admit, in terms of consoles… these current models are doing pretty well all these years on. They still don’t compare to PCs, obviously, but they’re two entirely different beasts. If I want to play with insane graphics then I stick to PC but if I just want a quick fix then I’ll go with the Xbox. Will there be an announcement of a release this year? Doubt it. Will there be an announcement that they’re working on one? Perhaps. It’ll be interesting to see what Nintendo come out with though, as I’ve slated that Wii since release as soon as I found out they were bypassing HD at a time when everyone was being urged to move to HD. We’ll see.

Only Nintendo’s.  Sony are still doggedly claiming “ten year cycle” on the PS3 and Microsoft’s new console is only in the planning stages from what I’ve heard, but I’ve also heard the rumours that it’ll be available to play, so if that part is true too, don’t be surprised if I managed to teleport there and cut in front of you in the queue through sheer fanboy power.

I think the rumours of a new Nintendo console are right, Nintendo have pretty much confirmed it. The new Sony handhelds are also confirmed, but to be honest I don’t think they’re actually made with gaming in mind, and are instead designed to challenge Apple’s domination of the tablet PC market. If you mean the rumours of a new Microsoft successor to the 360, then I suspect that’s probably bollocks. Either it’s a hoax or Microsoft are fishing to see what the reaction is. Mostly disbelief and apathy looking at things. Microsoft should stick to their promise to wait until at least 2012, especially as the slim 360 only came out just after last year’s expo.

Gaming news pre E3 tends to be made up of crazy rumours that are based on nothing, if you made up one of those crazy rumours what would it be?

That Sony are switching PSN out for a Microsoft powered service, PlayStation Live! An amazing stage presentation in which AceyBongos flies in on wires, kicks Butler in the face and establishes himself de facto ruler of online console gaming. The best news of course would be that all of this has been made possible having sacrificed ‘the other two’ in a bloody and painful ritual to appease the Anonymous hacking community.

“Hot off the presses: Nintendo announce the next Zelda game will be set in the seedy underbelly of Hyrule as Link fights to survive in a criminal underworld, soaked with blood, sex, and deceit.”

“Now hear this: Sony announce that Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception will be a PlayStation Move title only!” Naughty Dog agrees, it’s taking the series in a whole new direction.”

“Read all about it: Microsoft announce the next console as the Xbox 720 with a confirmed launch title of Call Of Duty: 1066, focusing on the invasion of Britain by the Norman foe!”

It all starts when Gabe Newell gets in a taxi from LAX to his hotel. Sparking up a conversation about downtown Los Angeles weather, the driver turns around to claim “it’s like we’ve had four seasons in one day”.  It’s then that Gabe notices the driver is none other than Bobby Kotick and so a discussion breaks out. Eventually they go for drinks but, unbeknown to Gabe, good old Bobby has been slipping something extra naughty into his drinks. Three hours later Gabe is so far out of his mind that can only see in the colour magenta and just a little cyan. In his uncontrollable state Gabe arranges to sell Valve to Activision who then impose a ‘hat tax’, the resulting funds from TF2 alone are enough to grant Bobby Kotick the ability to run for president where he is successfully elected, naming Donald Trump his vice president. So, in short, Activision to buy Valve.

The next movie game tie-in is the Godzilla remake, and for a realistic experience, the game ships with a Wii/Move/Kinect compatible 6ft Godzilla replica exosuit which you can use to control the giant lizard if you want to experience the authentic feeling of smashing up lower Shinjuku that a joypad just doesn’t give.

Nintendo will announce something worth playing for the 3DS that isn’t a remake, and will announce something original or a new franchise they haven’t touched in at least five years. A sequel to Duke Nukem will be announced that will have a release date of 2025, and will still get delayed.  Sony, realising that they’ve lost so much money and screwed so many indie developers over through their saga with hackers causing them to lose millions of people’s personal data will realise the error of their ways, learn from their mistakes for once and make it up to consumers and developers in a satisfactory manner.  Also, Microsoft will make a Kinect game geared towards the hardcore gamer that’ll actually be worth playing.

Microsoft & Sony combine to produce super console sex bot called the XXXboxStation in an attempt to take on Nintendo’s new brain beam console. Everyone knows sex sells so I reckon they’d be on to a winner. Not sure how’d they get over the problem of having your mates round to play though, perhaps an inter-changeable cod piece attachment? Also JustBigLee’s JustBigAdventure to be released this year on all consoles including handhelds and PC. Reportedly Lee has employed an army of naked South Korean virgin midgets to help with the coding and art design.

I’d probably try and suggest that the new Nintendo console had a special motion controller that you used by inserting your penis into it. I bet someone somewhere would believe it, the internet is crazy like that. Wang motion controller, now compatible with The Legend of Zelda! Have you ever wanted to cock slap an opponent into submission? So hard that they burst into a shower of coins? Now you can! Available now. That would be hilarious, even if nobody bought into it. Get Mark to come up with some concept images or something, put it on our front page, then anonymously submit it to places like Kotaku and so on so that it gets mentioned elsewhere. That would be a hell of a prank.

Ed the question was to make stuff up not predict the future and I’m sure they did that with the vitality sensor Samuel, let’s be honest, there isn’t a male gamer who hadn’t thought “I wonder if that’ll work on my peeps?” I’m struggling to make something up for this with one, and as daft as the above are there’s no reason why any of those wouldn’t happen. I’d pay good money to see AceyBongos and Kevin Butler duke it out. I can’t see JustBigLee’s JustBigAdventure showing up any time soon, I heard he’d farmed out the development to the original Duke Nukem guys.

After a freak accident involving an arcade cabinet and a swimming pool, a crazed Billy Mitchell has declared that he has had enough with trying to dominate the Donkey Kong global leaderboards and has instead taken to the role of super villain. Sporting a lycra suit with various Americana symbols such as the statue of liberty, stars and stripes and Homer Simpson, he announced himself as TwatMan, hell bent on forcing everyone to have a mullet and a fucking stupid beard.  At a press conference today, Bobby Kotick announces “Only kidding”, rips the plastic devil horns off his head and tongues a dying paraplegic orphan flooding firing millions of dollars into the crowd using a leaf blower.

What would you love to hear from the big 3′s press conferences?

I’d love to hear from Nintendo that, with their new console boasting a decent graphical capability, they’ll finally be creating a new Pikmin game and a new Zelda game that will actually have some decent graphics, with a much darker undertone! I would appreciate Sony focusing on the PS3 rather than hand-helds that likely won’t sell that well. I want details, videos, pictures and information on Uncharted 3 more than anything else from them. I’m also eagerly anticipating Infamous 2 which is shaping up to be even better then the first. Resistance 3 has been short on details, so a trailer showing off some ingame footage would be awesome. I would truly love Microsoft to announce a new console. I think they could blow us away with some amazing graphics and would hope they’d give an insight into a newer sleeker version of the Xbox 360 dashboard (if that’s possible).

I’d like to hear Sony and Valve announce that Steam is going to appear on the PlayStation 3, but obviously without windmilling in on the PSN’s turf. It’s lofty I know but to me it seems like a logical step for both services. As for Microsoft, I’d love them to make the Xbox Live service as a whole even more sociable.  I want Xbox.com to become Facebook for gamers and for it to be integrated into the dashboard and Windows 7 Phones. I want a wall telling me what my friends have been playing and any achievements they have unlocked, with the ability to comment on them or send public-ish (viewable to those on your friends list) messages and status updates.

I want it to be my main point of contact when I log in too, and I want the feed to update when a group of friends start playing a game together then give me a quick option to join. I’d love for some kind of screenshot and video recording system to be built in to console as well and for all of that crap to just gel with each other in an easy to absorb way. It’s about time Xbox Live entered the cloud for gold members as well, at least just so that going round to your mates to game is less of a ballache. Some normal games that use Kinect as an optional add-on in a clever way would be cool too.  I could waffle on about stuff I want from Microsoft for ages, so I’ll stop. As far as Nintendo go I don’t know what I want to hear to be honest, we’ll just have to see what they pull out of the bag with the new console.

Nintendo: They are going to lead the next-gen charge, not make a halfway-house console full of shovelware.
Sony: I honestly don’t think they could say anything that will please me. I expect, in order to peddle their 3D TVs, that 3D gaming will be a major focus.
Microsoft: The next Xbox, it’s all I really care about in terms of my next gaming phase.

For Lorna’s sake, I’d like an announcement from the Microsoft conference that Alan Wake 2 is coming out as I’d just love to see the look on her face. I imagine that’d make her entire trip worthwhile. Sony will be interesting… I’d honestly like to hear what the hell happened with that Playstation Network hack, what their damages were, if they know who did it and what they plan on doing to make it up to their millions of users. I’m not a PS3 user, but it still concerns me how an entire infrastructure can end up being taken down so quickly. I’d LOVE for Nintendo to admit they were wrong about online playing never becoming popular, the Wii having standard definition instead of HD and that the original DS was actually a prototype that should never have been released. Oh, and a decent follow up to Animal Crossing.

I’d like to know more from Nintendo about their new console, specifically the control scheme, whether it’ll be HD, and what sort of backwards compatibility it’ll have with the Wii and the Gamecube. They have a lot of work to do to convince me to buy whatever it is after I found my Wii so disappointing, personally. Microsoft: I’d like to hear they’re resurrecting Freelancer, but I want that every year and never get it. Sony: I’d quite like Kaz Hirai to stand on the stage and announce he’s committing seppuku over the PSN fiasco.

From Microsoft I’d love to hear that they’re lowering the price of Kinect and that’s all I’d expect from them. Microsoft haven’t really put a foot out of place all year, so if we see more of the same in next 12 months it’s going to be another great year for 360 owners. That said, they always have something up their sleeve so it’s going to be the one to watch.  Sony would obviously benefit from showing off a whole new online service but it’s probably too early to see it, let alone believe it. I think this is Sony’s year for a major exclusive that will shock the core, but who with and what for is anyone’s guess.  Nintendo probably have the least work to do this year. More title announces for 3DS and some pandering to the core with Project Café and they’ll leave this year’s E3 with heads held high.

Nintendo: A new console that’s more worth getting excited about than the 3DS was, with a much larger amount of support from third parties, an online service worth using and something that’ll make even Markuz himself want to immerse himself into the world of Nintendo.

Sony: After they stole the GamingLives logo for their PSN Plus service, I’d like Sony to go a year where they actually unveil something original and not a poor man’s version of something more successful (see: rumble, trophies, SIXAXIS, Move and our logo!).

Microsoft: After embarrassing themselves so much last year, I’d like them to actually announce some features for Live that we’re going to actually use instead of forget about after a month (remember Last.Fm, Facebook and Twitter on your Xbox?). Some games worth playing for the hardcore, and would it kill them to place more faith in indie developers and promote them some more?

A Half Life Episode 3 announcement would be amazing along with cross console multiplayer gaming to become more common in the near future. The technology nowadays is good enough to sort this out. Just look at Portal on the PC/PS3 (PSN allowing) to see what is possible. Why couldn’t the Xbox be included in that too? Of course, with competing consoles this is never going to happen anytime soon, but I can dream.

Something I wanted more of last year was Cloud gaming, but only a little bit was said about it. Hoping this year it will be a much bigger thing. I want to see companies taking risks with new IPs and better community aspects pumped into console gaming, with stuff like clans or groups supported on Live and so forth. Wouldn’t mind seeing a bit more on digital distribution and how it will (hopefully) be used a lot more sensibly in terms of full games being purchased. Would also like an announcement stating that restrictions in developing for consoles are being loosened, opening the doors for smaller developers and 3^rd party mods.

But what do you think we’ll actually be hearing about from their press conferences?

Nintendo will likely be plugging a lot of information about the 3DS. The launch lineup hasn’t been that amazing and they will be keen to show just what they’ve got lined up for the rest of the year. I’d be hoping for some news on the new console they have announced too. I’m hoping for a new Mario game to go with it, and by golly if there’s not a Pikmin game in there too then they are doing themselves a massive disservice. There won’t be a new Zelda title announced, which is a shame, but it wouldn’t make any sense to have one really.

Sony will hopefully be focusing on anything offline to keep the focus away the PSN. Uncharted 3 and Resistance 3 should be top of their list. They will likely also talk about their latest handheld, the NGP, again with a focus on Uncharted. I should imagine this will make up a large part of their conference, mainly because sales for Resistance 3 and Uncharted 3 will be highly likely. Sales for the NGP might not be.  Microsoft really need to give Kinect users something be excited about. I’m talking a new series or some commitment from a current one, not just an optional “if you fancy it” choice like Sony did with Killzone 3 and the Playstation Move. Considering Nintendo have announced a new console I’d be surprised it Microsoft didn’t tease us with something along the same lines.

Nintendo: They aren’t abandoning the fans and they’ve learned valuable lessons from the Wii.
Sony: It’ll either be security focused to combat the PSN issues or trying to gloss over it and focus on new releases/3D.
Microsoft: Unless it’s a big hardware reveal it’ll be sales figures, exclusive deals and the next step for Kinect.

Sony – “It’s been a hard year but as a brand, Playstation continues to grow from strength to strength. Sales are up, more developers attracted, PSN is getting used more, oh, and here’s the next game from Quantic Dream.”

Microsoft – “We’re amazing, like totally rad, so much so we’re moving to a new disk format that will allow developers more space to create their masterpieces”. MW3 first DLC will be available first on Xbox.

Nintendo – “We continue to innovate and the time to reinvent gaming is now. Here’s the next offering from Nintendo, the Wii 2 (working title) and here are some of the games such as Wii Fit 2, Zelda remake, Mario remake, Metroid remake, Donkey Kong port, Starfox remake. We’re also going to have an online system so now you’ll never be closer to your friends while playing, it’s truly magical”.

Microsoft will say how much better they are than Sony.
Sony will say how much better they are than Microsoft.
Nintendo will say how they’re better than everyone, and Miyamoto will come out and all will be forgiven anyway, because he’s just such a cool and quirky guy.

Obviously this year will belong to Nintendo and their new console announcement. Sony have got the NGP(PSP2) but I think they’ll still be under the shadow of the recent security breach to make any sort of impact this year, which is a shame because I like Sony. I reckon Microsoft will be relatively quiet this year round.

I reckon I should get my wishes with Nintendo. They’re going to want to pimp their new console hard. I also expect it will have a stupid name that shows a total lack of understanding of how the English language works again, because otherwise they’ll have to admit that Wii was a very silly name for a console. Microsoft I imagine will do what they always do: sabre rattling in Sony’s direction, boasting about Xbox Live’s stability and rubbing a fat handful of salt into Sony’s recent wounds. Sony I imagine will emit a long stream of bullshit about how the PSN downtime hasn’t damaged them in the slightest.

Nintendo: After spending 20 minutes on how much better they are than everyone else, they’ll announce a new console that will literally have me slobbering in anticipation, although it’s Nintendo, so the slobber is already expected.  So, a new console, some awesome software to see the Wii out, or possibly a couple of key Wii games being cynically delayed to put on the new console instead (Nintendo if you do this to Skyward Sword I may actually explode, and not in the good way. More like the “there will be casualties” way).

Sony: A lot of talk about the PSN, possibly about how it didn’t affect them too much (so yay for them, and up yours consumer!), some attempts to prove they still remember the Move exists, and another Kevin Butler speech, before announcing something so stupid and misguided that it proves Sony still have no idea how to market their bloody consoles and still refuse to learn any lessons. I swear they couldn’t sell me my own PS3 (I use my dad’s very occasionally) if it came with the love of my life, a winning lottery ticket and the opportunity to kick the privates of everyone who ever wronged me.

Microsoft: More Kinect stuff, but more games the hardcore player will enjoy too as Microsoft learn how to appease both markets, and some awesome reveals that kick Sony while they’re down.

I think we’ll see Nintendo shout “look how much money we made!” like they do at every single press conference they hold; then they’ll tell us how much money they will make on the new console and that nobody will be able to get hold of one at launch unless they had pre-ordered it last week, then they’ll bang out a few 3D N64 titles and announce a new Mario game.  Sony will open with a sincere and serious apology over the whole PSN thing, then wheel out Kevin Butler for a few giggles before showing off the NGP (maybe they’ll give it a proper name) and reel off a massive list of exclusive games all with 3D.  Not too sure what to expect from Microsoft; I don’t mind it having some Kinect games in it but I don’t want it to be all about Kinect like last year. We’ll find out whatever is special about that new way of putting stuff on a disc that they have discovered; I think we’ll see the Windows 7 Phone brought in to play a part.

It’s a tough one to call; trying to predict what’s going to happen at E3 is like trying to guess what you’re getting for Christmas; you sort of know what you’re getting but there will be surprises, and as much as you want to know what those surprises are, you kind of don’t because you know it’ll lose some of its magic on the day.

Last five articles by Lee

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