E3 Major Announcements?

[Peench]

E3 has crept right up on us and while it really isn't like it used to be in the old days it still stands for the time when most of the major companies will make some sort of crazy announcements or two... or six. The rumor mill hasn't been as ratcheted up as it has been in past years (or perhaps I've been too busy to notice), so I'm sitting here wondering what the big 3 have up their sleeves.

My first thought for a poll question this week was "who will have the biggest announcement?" But because this poll will last for a while I can't really ask that question because people might answer after the announcements have been made. Microsoft has their press briefing tomorrow (or 7/14/08 for those of you reading this on a day other than Sunday the 13th of July). Most of us will know what they've announced by the time we read this.

So time travel talk aside, I'm still curious what we'll see from MS, Sony and Nintendo. Will MS announce an add-on Bluray player like the till-minder at Best Buy guaranteed to the new Xbox 360 owner? Will Sony announce that Home will come out this decade? Will Nintendo announce that they are actually going to produce more Wiis? I don't know.

What I would like to know is which of the big 3 will have or has had the biggest announcement and why?

[lovekeiiy]

I'll go with Nintendo because they tend to keep a lot of cards close to the chest.

E3 just isn't what it use to be. All the big stuff is more than likely been announced, so most stuff will more than likely just be confirming or correcting rumors on that have been leaked.

I personally think M$ and Sony's biggest announcement will be based the online play or interface. Maybe M$ will announce a change to XBL. If wants to really compete with XBL, they're got to make it a LOT easier to game with friends on any game that has online play. It should be noted, Nintendo needs to do it as well.

Nintendo is still a mystery with the Wii, and has a lot that can be done with it to still make the broad audiences very happy. Maybe some online co-op play with those party games. Of course, I don't know how feasible it is on Nintendo's online service.

[dmiller68]

I think it will be Nintendo as well with more games for the Wii Fit board. I think MS will be ho hum this year with maybe more of a splash at PAX since that will be closer to the Gears 2 launch.

lovekeiiy - Please don't use the M$ on this board it is very irritating to some of us ex-MS employees. I don't give a rats butt what you think of them it is uncalled for esp here where we have a lot of MS gaming.

[TheEman28]

I don't think there will be anything earth shattering from any of them. Most information leaks out all too easy now-a-days and the "Big Suprise" factor is not there any more. Meh, I may be wrong though, LOL

[Crippler]

MS and Netflix Partnership!!! Watch ENTIRE Netflix library FREE of charge for Live Subscribers. Holy crap.

[supafreak]

Originally Posted by Crippler

MS and Netflix Partnership!!! Watch ENTIRE Netflix library FREE of charge for Live Subscribers. Holy crap.

And with your Live party. The new dashboard is freaking amazing. I cant wait till the Fall update!

[Lord Geoff]

I will probably have to go with Microsoft on this one. The other two will have great announcements, I am sure, but I don't see them changing their systems the way that the day to day Xbox interaction will change. What they are doing with the dashboard will go a long way towards attracting the Nintendo crowd. Cute sells just as well as sex does... only to a different crowd.

We all know that Sony will have Home and that it will appeal to many people, but that was announced over a year ago and is only a few months short of being a year late. That is no longer news. Speaking of late, when are we going to be getting Live Anywhere?

[The Milk Man 09]

Id say the new live dashboard is looking rather amazing along with the netflix announcement.

[lovekeiiy]

Originally Posted by dmiller68

...lovekeiiy - Please don't use the M$ on this board it is very irritating to some of us ex-MS employees. I don't give a rats butt what you think of them it is uncalled for esp here where we have a lot of MS gaming.

I wasn't trying to be offensive or opinionated about Microsoft. I was, in my opinion, using a very common acronym for Microsoft on the net. I was just being lazy. Sure, like most people I have my qualms with Microsoft, but they're usually on the PC side of things. It should be noted, I support Microsoft's game division very well. The most games I have are on the xbox/360, probably 2 games for 1 game of everything else, 8).

[TheEman28]

Looks like Microsoft got the jump on the whole "HOME" thing. The fall update looks to be great. GOW2 ----WOW. Thank God they didn't unveil a motion controller, even though E3 isn't over yet.

[Lord Geoff]

And 1680x1050 monitor support! Mother-effing woot!

[D_Litch]

[narcissism]

I called the Xbox Live Party system almost 2 years ago, Byah!

[/N]

[dmiller68]

Here is a consolidated rundown:

Netflix

* For now, Netflix will only stream in about-SD resolution.
* As Netflix transitions to HD, Microsoft said it stands to reason that streaming HD to the Xbox should be feasible. (Read: eventual.)
* Netflix will be for Xbox Live Gold members only, so you'll be paying that $50 per year if you want it.
* Netflix video sharing ONLY works with other Netflix / Xbox Live Gold subscribers. You can't share video with a Silver member, or who doesn't subscribe to Netflix.
* Microsoft doesn't seem to have concerns about redundant content between Netflix and XBLM, or Netflix cannibalizing XBLM sales. Makes sense -- if you had content available to rent or stream with Netflix, you probably weren't going to pay to rent it on XBLManyway.

Xbox Dashboard / Guide and Live

* "No functionality goes away" in new Dash -- so you won't be missing anything you have now.
* Microsoft's Shane Kim says the company has "no plans to create a [Sony] 'Home'-like environment. ... It's about delivering base functionality at the service level." So it sounds like the avatars won't have a Home-like virtual theme-park to run around in.
* No comment was made about Xbox price drops or how long it will take to get to the all-important $199 price point.
* There will be no increase in your number of Xbox Live friends. Psh.
* Don't like the new Dashboard look or avatars? Sorry, sucka, it's a mandatory update. Hey, at least it's free.
* Microsoft didn't have any comment on what it intends to do about the whole modded controller thing.
* The content Marketplace will be overhauled and revamped to ensure it's easier to navigate and much more scalable for the huge amount of content it's got.

[The Milk Man 09]

I would say that a motion controller is still a very good possibility, I don't mind MS catering to the casual side of gaming to sell units and bring in more sales as long as they don't hurt the hardcore expirience like Nintendo did.

My main question is what happens to all of these gamerpics and themes that I have bought over the last few years. I may have spent around 30 dollars on them I would hate to see all of that go to waste.

[lovekeiiy]

Originally Posted by dmiller68

...
* Netflix video sharing ONLY works with other Netflix / Xbox Live Gold subscribers. You can't share video with a Silver member, or who doesn't subscribe to Netflix....

I did not know about in order to share movies, everyone who's viewing needs to a Netflix member too. I can understand it, but it's kind of one of those, what's the point. Yes, there are a few of use who use Netflix and the instant watch service. I guess there's not much of difference in watching a movie with friendsin the same room versus a virtual room. But I hate to think of having to wear a headset to watch a movie because someone wants to discuss the movie.