Sony at E3 '09

Sony had a great conference. I didn't think anyone would match Microsoft's, but Sony's was just as jaw-dropping.

Sony introduced an upgraded version of the PSP. From my perspective, that doesn't sound like a big announcement, but I don't own a PSP and don't know what PSP owners have been wanting.

MAG was demonstrated with the full 256 players in one huge multiplayer match. Unfortunately, the demo didn't show a battle with nearly that many players engaged in direct combat. Instead, you see how players are grouped into squads, which act independently to secure different objectives. In this stage of the battle, gameplay did not look much different from Frontlines: Fuels of War. It was not said how many different battle scenarios are offered in MAG.

The Metal Gear Solid franchise will continue on the PS3. Microsoft has a MGS game in the works as well, but apparently the two consoles will have different games. It was also announced that a new Final Fantasy will be exclusive to the PS3.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves looks awesome. The visuals are top-notch, the dialog is very natural and entertaining, and the combat seems thrilling. The PS3 will definitely have its share of exclusive blockbusters this year.

Mod Nation Racers looks great. It follows the spirit of Little Big Planet by allowing players to customize their character and vehicles, and enabling players to create their own tracks and share.

Of course, the game everyone wanted to see was God of War III. There's plenty of demo footage for those interested. The visuals are amazing. I'm not a fan of quick-time events, but this game's certainly a joy to watch.

There were other good games shown, but those are some of the best exclusives.

Like with Microsoft's conference, the pivotal moment in Sony's conference was the demonstration of motion control. Sony's method uses controllers, though the ones used in this demo are just a prototype. I was very impressed by the speed and accuracy. But what blew me away was seeing a fantasy combat application.

Video Games | PlayStation 3 | E3 09: Motion Controller Demo Part II

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

To say I'm ecstatic watching that would be an understatement. If Sony ever publishes an RPG with combat like that, I'll go into debt to buy a PS3. Quite simply, that demonstration embodies every boy's fantasy: full body, dynamic and creative war games.

Ubisoft at E3 '09

Ubisoft had a good conference.

The highlight was Avatar. The game adaptation of James Cameron's upcoming 3-D film will be an experiment in 3-D gaming. No details were revealed other than that the game is a separate story. Cameron apparently shares my opinion that such games should focus on setting and not try to follow the film's plot and characters.



What particularly interested me was when the Cameron talked about the filmmakers and game designers sharing software assets. Apparently, we have reached a point where Hollywood directors use game engines. What's more, Cameron doesn't want the game to be a spin-off, but rather an equally respectable part of the IP universe.

Red Steel 2 was demonstrated. As I said before, it looks like it could be fun, but the action seems more hack-and-slash than finessed swordplay.

Splinter Cell: Conviction looks great. The designers have worked all directions and plot elements into actual gameplay. You don't have to pause gameplay to see your objectives. You don't have to watch a movie to see backstory.

And, last but not least, Assassin's Creed 2. I'm always talking about the importance of dynamics, and that is how Ubisoft is improving the original game. There will be "over 30 different weapons" in AC2, as well as more enemy types, more bystander variation, more setting variation, etc. Ubisoft has recognized the staleness of the original game, and seems to have taken sufficient steps to make the sequel infinitely more enjoyable. I traded in AC1. I doubt I'll trade in AC2.

EA at E3 '09

EA gave a good conference yesterday, mostly showing old news.

Some of the trailers are interesting but reveal little. The trailers for Dante's Inferno and Charm Girls Club (aimed at teenage girls) were apparently designed only to create name recognition, because gameplay is left to the viewer's imagination. The Sims 3 was mentioned, and GameTrailers released their review today.

Need For Speed: Shift sounds interesting. There's apparently a character progression system in which the game recognizes (or you choose?) your playstle, precise or aggressive, and you level up. A "reward system" was mentioned, but not shown. The game is played exclusively from an inside view, which should make it feel more visceral than other racing games but also more difficult.

Bioware was present with Dragon Age: Origins, Mass Effect 2, and Star Wars: The Old Republic -- a lot to show from one developer. I'm still waiting to be impressed by Origins. The graphics are ugly, and Bioware only reiterated the feature of moral choices and the game's brutality. It was also restated that a player's decisions made in the first Mass Effect will have consequences in the sequel, which is something cool to look forward to. Bioware spent more time talking about their attempts to make combat more engaging in the sequel, but they didn't offer details. As for SW:TOR, it was announced that all dialog in the game will be voiced. That's an incredible feat, though many question if it's a wise decision.

Fight Night: Round 4 offers an incredible boxing experience. I've played the demo, and the learning curve is steep. There are many moves and only an instant to react. But if you have the patience to really learn the controls, it seems like a deep, dynamic, immersive game. EA also announced a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) game, but there are no details yet.

Crysis 2 and APB could be cool, but little has been shown. More has been revealed of Brütal Legend and The Saboteur. Each of those looks awesome in its own way. Both are open world games.

Brütal Legend seems to have some dynamics, but its foundation is comical tributes to metal. Tim Schafer announced that Ozzy will be joining Halford, Lita Ford, and Lemmy in the game, which is huge news.

The Saboteur is a more serious game, but seems to offer more variety and compelling action. Tom French and his team released a great trailer that demonstrates the game's concept of "quiet in, loud out" action.

Overall, it was a good presentation for EA, though it had the misfortune of coming between Microsoft's and Sony's stellar shows. I'm sure we'll learn more about these games throughout the week.

Nintendo at E3 '09

The Nintendo conference was impressive on the handheld front, but less so concerning the Wii.

Wii Sports Resort looks cool, but not much more fun than the original Wii Sports. The new Mario and Metroid games look great. Those and Dead Space: Extraction are all that will save the Wii with regular gamers.

Red Steel 2 takes more advantage of the Wii Motion Plus, but the swordfighting I saw in Ubisoft's demonstration the other day was hardly nuanced. It was more a full body equivalent of button-mashing; whack-a-mole action.

The Wii Fit Plus will sell well, but I doubt it greatly excites even the people interested in buying it. It's a mild evolution of the original product.

Overall, the Wii's future looks basically the same as their history. Great games are few and far between. The system has a lot of potential, but most of what's designed for it is mediocre. I expect the Motion Plus will greatly help in that regard, but it will likely be at least another year before we start seeing that bear fruit.

Though I've never had much interest in the Nintendo DS, I respect what Nintendo has done in that area. Allowing players to design Mario levels on a handheld is impressive, as is the drawing software. The COP game looks great.

Microsoft at E3 '09

The Microsoft press conference was top-notch. They showed a slew of great upcoming games, improvements of their Netflix and movies services, more social networking with Facebook and Twitter, the introduction of Last.fm to Xbox Live, and Project Natal has mind-blowing potential. And they stole a franchise from Sony to boot. I don't see how Sony or Nintendo could match Microsoft's conference.

As I thought they might, Microsoft showed the actual gameplay footage of Alan Wake and advertised a sequel to Left 4 Dead. The former looks good enough that its previous hype will regenerate enthusiasm with many gamers, though I don't see it as a great evolution in horror games at this point. The figured a Left 4 Dead sequel was likely, since all Valve needed to do for another bestseller was to create new levels. Well, it looks like the new tale starts in the city of my birth, New Orleans, and will include melee weapons. So laissez les bons temps rouler!

Borderlands was a no show at the presentation, unfortunately, as was Huxley, but I was very impressed by gameplay footage of Splinter Cell: Conviction. And I'm ecstatic that Crackdown is getting a sequel. ODST looks interesting, and Halo: Reach was announced, but it's hard for me to get that excited about another Halo game. I started watching the conference online, so lag prevented me from seeing much of Modern Warfare 2. You can bet your mother I'll be watching those videos online, though.

I said Microsoft needs to do more with avatars, and they are. Aside from incorporating them into Facebook, which is huge, they're releasing a free-to-play track racing game called JoyRide.

But of course the biggest news is Project Natal, which you have to see to understand.

Peter Molyneux stole the show with his Lionhead's 3-month experiment with Project Natal. I didn't think I could be more impressed until I saw the player's reflection in the game. Simply jaw-dropping.

Great job, Microsoft.

I'll offer only one bit of advice. Try to lower the programming expertise needed to design Project Natal games as much as possible. If Community Games and Arcade designers could design for that technology and regularly spit out small, cheap games for it, it would indeed revolutionize gaming.

E3 '09 predictions

Why not? Here's my reply to Q's prod on GamerDNA:

Most of the big hits of this E3 are already known, and almost all sequels: Modern Warfare, Assassin's Creed, Bioshock, Mass Effect, God of War, The Sims, etc. Smaller titles like The Saboteur and Brütal Legend will impress with hands-on previews, but remain only moderate interests for most people due to so much crowding of blockbuster titles. I'm looking forward to seeing those in action, though.

Though I see no reason to get excited about Alan Wake yet considering how little has been shown, it was made such a big deal years ago and has been talked up enough since that a little gameplay footage at E3 would generate a lot of hype. A sequel to Left 4 Dead would also generate a lot of press, even if it's nothing more than the same gameplay in new levels. If Zelda or another famous franchise gets a new installment, there will be much ado regardless of quality.

Borderlands might have the most to gain. It looks impressive, but few gamers know or care about it so far. They'll need some savvy marketing to supplement good gameplay. I'm also hoping to see some progress on Backbreaker, and perhaps Bloodbowl on the 360.

If The Agency and Huxley are ready to show off, those could dominate MMO news. A lot will be revealed about many upcoming MMOs.

Overall, Microsoft will do well mostly because of their flurry of great games this year, but they'll likely overhype 1-vs-100 and similar content. They need more than one new use for avatars. If they're revealing a motion-capture system, they'll need something better than In the Movies to win over critics. An announcement of another service in the vein of Netflix would be huge.

Sony's got more to show this year than last year, but they'll still come in last. I don't think Heavy Rain will draw as many gamers as they think it will. They'll talk about the success of Little Big Planet and talk about their non-game services.

Nintendo will talk up the Wii Fit's success, but their strong point this year is hardcore games. The Grinder, Dead Space: Extraction and Dead Rising are wins for them... but The Grinder will have to live up to its promises regarding online co-op. Wii Motion Plus has to wow consumers with great game applications, because another "must have" peripheral will irritate frugal gamers. And there will of course be handheld game announcements.

E3 hopes for Microsoft

I'm not going to speculate on which games Microsoft will announce and showcase at E3 this year. But here are some general hopes for their conference.

First, Microsoft needs to make avatars worthwhile. They made avatars a big deal last year, but what can we do with them? They act as faces on a few arcade games. A single game, A Kingdom for Keflings, makes use of the full avatar. 1-vs-100 is a good idea, but that can't be it.

Second, this new motion-detecting camera should have some game applications that regular gamers can enjoy. The Xbox 360 will never have as strong appeal as the Wii to the same groups. The 360's marketing to regular gamers can't help but color its perception among casual gamers, and casual gamers aren't likely to care enough about games that they'll accept the hardware's notorious unreliability. Microsoft would have more success focusing on their present audience.

Third, I hope they discuss the issue of persistent online games on Xbox Live -- whether or not it's acceptable to charge players on top of the Xbox Live subscription; and, if so, how much. It's bad enough that we pay for multiplayer in games that don't have dedicated servers and are always disconnecting.

Fourth, for Pete's sake, have the courtesy to not announce things that won't be materializing this year or similarly set ridiculous expectations. The "New Game Experience" was a bad joke. I find it hard to get excited about Alan Wake since it was made a centerpoint at the 360's first conference years ago. Microsoft has a bad habit of greatly disappointing their players by setting up expectations they can't meet. It makes for an exciting press conference, but it undermines consumer trust in the long run.

E3 revived - spectacle is good

The beast is back this year, and everyone's wondering if it's a good thing.

When E3 was a made a small, pitiful industry get-together, as I understand it was originally intended to be, I commented to a number of people that the industry's bound to have a huge marketing extravaganza one way or another. The ESA could only decide whether or not that inevitable extravaganza would be theirs.

Of course, the bad news is that the presence of any big industry bazaar disrupts the development of many games by way of distraction; forcing developers to produce marketing materials, rather than ultimate gameplay. Marketing stunts like E3 are largely responsible for the industry's crunch time pandemic.

But let's talk about why this annual orgy of gaming news is good, too. Keighley raises the criticism that piling so much big news into such a small timeframe leads to good games being overshadowed by more sensational news. That's true, but it's also true that many games reach a much larger and more diverse audience because of E3's size and noise.

E3 is a circus, and many acts get attention only at a circus. Its concentration of so much interesting news, so many new videos and interviews, convinces many people to make that news a higher priority than they would normally consider it. It's like the Super Bowl. Countless people who haven't watched every regular season game, if they've watched any at all, tune in because of the epic nature of the event. Suddenly, they care about things they didn't care about before, welcoming all sorts of information that would normally fall under "Eh, I'll read about it some other time".

What I'm saying is that many game interviews and previews will be read, many trailers watched, because E3 makes games the temporary focus of consumers who normally pay attention to such things only occasionally, if at all.

And each year, non-gaming mainstream news outlets have payed more and more attention to this event, exactly because it is the gaming event of the year. Now we have a recession and those news outlets will want to tell stories about the industry that's charging forward despite. They'll want to capture their stressed-out audience with the stunning visuals, crazy technologies, and epic experiences this industry has to offer.

I disagree with Croal and the others. Publishers shouldn't hold themselves to a few choice announcements at E3. This is a rare time when you'll have the attention of occasional gamers and lapsed gamers. This is a time when regular gamers will devote more time to reading and watching gaming news. Market your smaller announcements by tying news of them to your larger announcements, and by making those smaller advertisements your most intriguing. Think of Super Bowl ads; how everyone looks forward to them because they're not typical ads.

The spectacular nature of E3 is definitely a burden, but it's also a blessing. The extravagance is a source of opportunity.


I received a priority code for E3 registration this year, but I'm assuming I'd still have to pay the $500 for a pass (not to mention plane tickets, hotel reservations, food, beer, etc). I can't afford to go this year. But I might plan ahead so I can go next year.

Sony's 2008 E3 press conference

Sony's conference started out slow. But by the end, I'd say their presentation was as good as Microsoft's.

Interestingly, despite having some good games on the horizon, the selling point Sony pushed was a 10-year life cycle for their consoles. On the one hand, they're telling PS2 owners and PSP owners that their time is not over. In fact, over a hundred titles are on their way to the PS2. On the other hand, Sony's telling potential PS3 buyers that their newest console is a long-term investment. Not only is the Playstation Network evolving nicely, but developers are slowly learning to tap the PS3's tremendous power to make great and innovative games.


The games
I'm not sure Sony can count on non-exclusive titles ever taking full advantage of the PS3's power, because most of the design in those games is geared toward all platforms. It's exclusive titles that are driving and will continue to drive most of the innovation on the PS3, and that's evident in the games Sony showed.

Resistance 2 looks beautiful and touts 8-player co-op. Like it's Microsoft doppleganger, Gears of War 2, scale is the main focus. Everything's bigger and better than the first game. Colossus-size monsters and epic battles. God of War III was another predictable, but great showing. I don't normally follow PS3 news, but Infamous might also fall into that category. Little Big Planet appeared again (using this during the sales summary was genius).

The idea of AAA content in smaller chunks for a lower price is being tested with the new Ratchet and Clank. The game looks great, and I bet it will do well at a $15 dollar price regardless of how short it might be. Oh yeah... you'll soon be able to buy even new blockbuster titles for 30 bucks! Smart move, Sony.

A trailer for DC Universe Online was shown. I have two reservations about this one. First, the development team is led by a guy who grinded through the original EQ in months to become the first person to secure certain paladin gear. In other words, this guy is so far from representing the average MMO gamer that I wonder about his design values. Second, the trailer seems to only show boss battles, which tells me nothing about the majority of gameplay. What do players do when they're not side-by-side with Superman or The Joker?

One of the cooler announcements of the conference was definitely Gran Turismo TV. Gran Turismo 5 players on the PS3 can watch countless TV shows and documentaries related to racing and sportscars. Anyone who loves cars will be salivating over that game now. This is a feature that will sell consoles. Do you have any idea how many auto enthusiasts there are in America alone?

Finally, a game called MAG was announced that included one jaw-dropping feature: 256 players fighting in the same FPS battle! Wow. Now that's use of PS3 hardware. Players will fight in 8-person squad and strive toward long-term goals in a single gameworld.


Online
Starting tonight, TV and movies will be available for both rental and purchase on PSN. Being able to purchase and not just rent movies is a big feature that will convince some people to buy a PS3 instead of a 360. The interface for browsing and downloading content looked better than Xbox Live's, too. Also, those movies can be trasferred to the PSP... which still looks like Sony's strongest console to me.

In at least some games, including a baseball game, videos can be captured and uploaded to YouTube from the PS3.

Home was shown briefly. It seems that each game will have an area on Home that visually fits the game's theme. I'm assuming that these will act as visual lobbies for multiplayer.

In closing
Two of the bigger announcements were that Sony will be distributing in Latin America (glad to see our southern neighbors finally included!) and 80GB PS3s for $400. Both are great news.

In the end, I was wishing I had the free money to buy a PS3. I've never been that interested in the console until now, but it's starting to look great. I still don't believe that Sony will have more success this year with the PS3 and games than Microsoft with the 360 and 360 games. Quite simply, the Xbox has and will continue to have the better games library through the end of this year. But I expect PS3 sales will grow, and Sony's well on its way to a good 10-year console lifespan.

Nintendo's 2008 E3 press conference

I missed most of the conference, but here are my thoughts on the parts I caught.

Wii Speak? Finally.

Wii Sports Resort. If it has more games like that sword-fighting game, it will sell like hotcakes and be Nintendo's next big game. Many Wii owners play Wii Sports and little else. When people think about buying the Wii, it's always for Wii Sports. This is the sort of gaming that defines the Wii. These are the sort of games Nintendo should focus on.

Wii Music is both intriguing and disappointing. I expect this will sell alright, but not especially well. There are two reasons this one won't also sell like hotcakes. First, it's a toy, rather than a game. Games involve goals and rules. Second, the designers seem to have forgotten that the beginning of all play is agency. Children first discover the concept of play when they realize that they can cause things to happen. In Wii Music, the correlation between between player actions and on-screen events seems weak. It will be enough to entrance toddlers, but not adults. It will be fun initially, but the shine will wear off within days, which makes this an impulse purchase for non-parents.

I like how the developer paused to laugh after it was said that the drummer is "already quite good".

Microsoft's 2008 E3 conference

I just got finished watching a live stream of Microsoft's E3 press conference. It was, quite simply, awesome! And I don't just mean awesome for myself, my own gaming.


THE GAMES
The reason I chose the 360 as the console worth buying this generation (though I'd like to own the others.... just don't have the cash) is the games. In its first year, the 360 had many top-notch games. There have been dry periods since, but this certainly is not one of them. Microsoft easily has the best library of games this generation. We're about to enter one of the best periods of games in the industry's history.

The big guns
Microsoft highlighted four games early on: Fallout 3, Resident Evil 5, Fable 2, and Gears of Wars 2. All of them look phenomenal.

I knew very little about Fallout 3, since I never played a Fallout game, but it's definitely on my must-buy list now. The option for cinematic combat via a pause-and-target system is a great idea. Fable 2 and GoW 2 were already on that must-buy list, but both impressed with new features. Molyneux showed how incredibly quick and easy inviting someone into co-op could be (there's no screen for it -- just click on a little orb that shows up in the world). Gameplay in GoW 2 looks fluid, dramatic, and full of surprises. And Resident Evil 5 has co-op! Graphically, all the game's look beautiful.

Vision camera games
The next Viva Pinata will apparently incorporate trading cards. They can be scanned into the game via the Xbox Live Vision camera. I imagine kids will like that. I'm not sure if parents will.

In The Movies could be a phenomenon. This is Microsoft's first big step into Wii-type gaming. You start out playing mini-games in which you run, dance, swat at wasps, etc. Then your camera-recorded actions are placed into a mock movie trailer. This game looks very well done and potentially very attractive to non-gamers.

Music games
There's a karaoke game called Lips on its way, and it looks well done. I don't think I've ever met a woman who doesn't love karaoke -- they're striking oil here. The best aspect of the game is that you can "sing to your own music collection". Just plug in your iPod or Zune and you can find the style that best suits you. Motion-sensitive mics were mentioned, but I'm not sure how the motion plays in.

Other music games had news, of course. Metallica will release their new album on Guitar Hero (hopefully, it won't suck like the last album). Similarly bland is the news that Axl Rose will release the next Guns 'n' Roses album through Rock Band (as if it was still really Guns 'n' Roses after 1994). The good news is that AC/DC (the most requested band) has finally entered the realm of gaming rock. Rock Band will have over a hundred songs, and includes forwards and backwards compatibility.

JRPGs
I'm generally not a fan of Japanese games these days; especially not JRPGs. I grew up on Nintendo consoles, so this always seems a bit strange to me. The simple fact is that they have different aesthetic values and those values are seen much more in complex games than in simple arcade games.

Anyway, Square Enix showed three trailers we've already seen before... then walked back onto the stage to say "oops! I'm almost forgot!" and announced Final Fantasy XIII for the Xbox 360. That news means nothing to me, but I know a lot of my friends will be hopping with glee. This is a game that will sell consoles.

Arcade
Indie games are on their way. One called Coliseum (or something like that) peaked my interest. It's too bad I don't remember how to download those games.

They also showed a new Galaga game and a new Geometry Wars.


XBOX LIVE
Microsoft had many great announcements regarding XBL. Sometime this year, Xbox Live will be completely remade to introduce avatars, Primetime, and other cool stuff.

Avatars
Avatars were an important, if predictable, announcement. Microsoft stressed that these are just 3-D equivalents of gamer pictures or characters for you to buy accessories for (which I'm sure is on its way). You can stream pictures from your computer and share them with friends online in real-time. When the sequel to Scene It comes out, you'll be able to play with anyone online and see everyone's avatar bouncing around on the virtual couch.

Primetime
Primetime is like a TV gameshow channel, except XBL users and their avatars will be included in the games. They showed a game called 1 vs 100 that had a crowd of a full hundred avatars participating in the game and another avatar on stage. And the prizes are real (some, at least). This is another phenomenal idea. This is an idea that could change the whole industry. Expect the TV industry to cooperate more actively with games from now on.

Live groups
When friends pop online, you'll see their avatars appear. You can become a group leader and set up a game for the whole group instantly -- no need for them to do anything. This not only makes things quicker, but it means that gamers like us can invite less regular gamers to play without worrying if they know how to join.

TV and movies
MS has partnered with Netflix, as I think I've read about previously. I'm intrigued by what this might mean, but I don't know the details yet. If it means I can download movies as often as I want instead of waiting on them in the mail, I'll be switching from Blockbuster to Netflix soon! I wouldn't be surprised, though, if they limited downloads or had some other catch.

One of the cooler revelations concerning TV and movies is that you'll be able to watch them online with XBL friends! That's an awesome idea... especially with avatars and voice-chat, to discuss them afterwards. Microsoft has a deal with another TV studio and another movie studio now.


In short, Microsoft had a great press conference. They're making smart decisions and really pushing the industry in ways. For that, I say thanks.

The Too Human demo and plenty of videos are up on XBL now. Hopefully, more will go up in the next few days.

How the death of E3 helps us gamers

If gaming news was beer, then E3 would be alcohol poisoning.

At least, that's the way it used to be. The anticipation was unbearable, and the hangover lasted forever. It was like getting so drunk that you're still a little tipsy when you wake up the following morning. And every year, E3 got even bigger and flashier.

So it's understandable that this year's expo, despite being pretty forthcoming in how little it would resemble its former self, left everyone feeling confused and cheated... like someone had filled the party cooler with non-alcohoic "beer" and forgot to mention the switch.

What we lost
For now, gamers don't get another orgy of gaming news. Even when E3's big changes were first announced, devs and gamers alike were speculating that another convention might take its place. But if that happens, it will take at least a few years for the replacement to gain enough gamer attention to convince publishers that it's a marketing gold mine that should be catered to in the same way.

That was the industry's big loss: marketing. E3's increasingly massive scope, both in terms of presenters and attendees, was a point of complaint with many, but it was also the heart of its marketing success. The major non-gaming news networks (NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN, ABC, not to mention newspapers) were only doing stories on E3 because it was such a spectacle. They didn't care about gaming. They just recognized that a mass of thousands of people, crammed like sardines into a blaze of bright lights and thumping music, yelling with excitement over games... that's an image that keeps people from changing the channel or turning the page.

Since the game industry recently surpassed both the film industry and the music industry in sales, mainstream media's giving it more attention than it used to. But it will be years before they pay another gaming convention that much attention. So much for all the publishers' talk about "expanding the audience".

What we gained
More games. Seriously.

Don't you hate those dry periods when there are no new, badass games coming out? (2006, I'm thinking of you) Well, a significant factor in keeping new games out of our hands was E3.

When I was at the Austin Game Conference last year (the only industry conference anywhere near me and within my budget), all the developers I spoke to were overjoyed that E3 was effectively dead. E3 was a nightmare for developers, because they'd have to quit working on the game for months just so they could build the best possible alpha or beta demo or trailer. E3 was marketing gold, so developers and publishers were willing to put their games on hiatus rather than miss a piece of the media coverage pie.

I really mean it when I say they'd stop working on the actual game for "months". That's the exact word that came out of the mouth of many of the developers I spoke to at the AGC or read an interview of online.

MMOs of a size comparable to WoW or EQ2 have traditionally taken over 3 years to develop. That means they would show off their game at more than one E3, each time having to produce a new marketing presentation. And games of every genre felt compelled to show something at E3.

So take E3 out of the mix and that means less pressured marketing timetables, hence more streamlined (shorter) production cycles. Games take less time to build, so we, the gamers, see more of them.

As much as I missed that mountainous clump of fresh gaming info this year, I'm hoping that it will be a long time before anything replaces E3.