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E3 2005: Let the Next Generation Begin!
by Eric Olson |
Date: May 31, 2005 |
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 | | Photo courtesy of xbox360.com |
Poker superstar Howard Lederer ponders whether to call a raise from his opponent, while over at another table Phil “The Brat” Helmuth is taking all Texas Hold-Em comers. Oh, and over there Microsoft is introducing the next generation of home gaming.
Poker wasn’t just the hottest trend in videogames at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) which took place in Los Angeles in May, it was also an apt parallel to the high-stakes poker game taking place between Microsoft, who unveiled the next-generation console dubbed Xbox 360, and Sony Entertainment, who is waiting in the wings to deliver the Playstation 3. But once the initial excitement of the new Xbox wore off, this year’s E3 was lackluster at best, as software developers seem content waiting for the next generation consoles to unveil the next wave of great games and use this year to promote simple and marketable titles with big name celebrities.
Microsoft was the first to show its cards and did so in dramatic style. The Xbox 360, hitting market’s this fall, proves that gaming isn’t just for games anymore, but a major function of any home entertainment center. At least, that’s Microsoft’s goal (and Sony’s for the Playstation 3). The console combines the power of a top-of-the-line desktop PC with the design and capabilities of a state-of-the-art home entertainment unit. It’s no mistake that the Xbox 360 works well with Microsoft’s home-entertainment-friendly Media Center PC platform which has floundered in the first two years of availability. New online communities through the Xbox 360 encourage the integration of video and music not only gaming, but in specialized commerce.
How such communities will bear out in reality remains to be seen. But Xbox 360’s power as a machine was left without doubt at E3. At the core of the Xbox 360 is a group of processors running at 3.2 Ghz each. Most PC’s on the market today would be happy to have one processor at that speed. Throw in the 360’s built-in wireless networking, USB 2.0 ports and a Microsoft mandate that game designers create titles capable of video output of at least 780p High Definition quality and it’s clear to see why so many fans and software developers were drooling.
Early titles on display at the show were heavily patrolled by security guards preventing picture and video taking. But the few titles shown for the 360’s initial release prove that the idea is to take games to the level of cinema. Activision’s “Call of Duty 2” is a first-person shooter set in World War II. The gameplay at E3 featured a level where the player and a team of Allied troops storm Normandy, the Xbox’s already stellar 5.1 Dolby Digital Sound combined with the 360’s new graphic capabilities created an experience that seemed to place players right in the middle of “Saving Private Ryan.” From photo realistic car games to anatomically startling sports titles, Microsoft has definitely set the bar high for Sony. If the Playstation will continue it’s dominance at the next-generation gaming table, Sony will have to have some great cards to call Microsoft’s raise.
The Playstation 3, though, was nowhere to be found at E3. Sony has reportedly set a Spring, 2006 release date for the system, missing the 2005 holiday system which will certainly give Microsoft a solid head-start. And while many software companies anxiously promoted 2006 (and some 2007) for PS3, it was clear that Xbox 360 was the star of the show (software giant Electronic Arts showcased next-gen game video in a special theater room with a screen spanning 360 degrees in a not-so-subtle nod to Microsoft). When asked, many Sony software developers said that they have yet to see many of the titles that are slated for release next year, suggesting that the Playstation 3 may not hit markets until later in the year than Spring.
Instead, Sony went small, focusing on the continued growth of the handheld Playstation Portable (PSP). The star of last year’s E3, the PSP proves that while the living room might still be up for grabs, Sony has certainly proven to be the force in the personal entertainment field. This year’s batch of games continue to take advantage of the PSP’s wireless connectivity and even integrate gameplay with the Playstation 2 on games such as “Madden Football 2006” where games played on the handheld affect games on the Playstation 2. Of course, players must have two copies of the game. That trend applies to many of the PSP games, proving that Sony sees the PSP not as a stand-alone gaming platform, but an accessory in a gamer’s arsenal, which most likely includes the PS2.
Becoming an increasing niche company, Nintendo also focused on their recently released handheld the Nintendo DS. From its release last year, the titles for the dual-screened system from the makers of the Game Boy have been whimsical and out-of-the ordinary. This year’s slate continues that weirdness, headed by “Nintendogs,” a simulator that lets players raise and train dogs through interaction with either the DS’s stylus or touch- screen. But when it comes to the next-generation showdown, Nintendo is certainly the short stack at the poker table. The success of the Game Cube has certainly been much smaller than their competitors at Microsoft and Sony. And while announcements have been made of a next-gen system dubbed “Revolution” under development. Not much else has been announced. But the family-friendly Nintendo has proven time and again that interesting and different titles will always find a market that doesn’t always intersect with their competitors. |
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Copyright (c) 2007 Rock Star Media Works, Inc. All rights reserved.
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