Microsoft E3 Press Event Underwhelms

Microsoft wrapped up their E3 press event today and aside from the members of the audience who went home with a free, newly redesigned 360 the rest of us were left to wonder “Where’s the beef?”

Microsoft started the event with gameplay footage of Treyarch’s multiplatform Call of Duty title, Black Ops. After the demo Microsoft announced a new, exclusive partnership with Activision for the Xbox 360 to receive all map packs first for the next 3 years. The use of the word “exclusive” was odd. Generally, when referring to something as being exclusive that would indicate that you’ll only find the item on one console.

[Anon1974]

Halo/Gears/Fable - we knew these were coming. Kinect does video chat and allows you to yell at your tv to pause video playback. Thanks, but my remote works fine.

The rest was all about the same 5 or so Kinect games we saw yesterday with nothing for the hardcore gamers whose hard earned money put the 360 where it is today. And did you see the lag on Kinect Adventures? That guy had to jump well in advance of the obstacles on screen to compensate for the delay. Clearly he practiced that for the demo. His buddy was all over the place.

Even the new, quieter 360 with a bigger harddrive and wi-fi at the old price still seems to be playing catch up with the PS3 - but without the bonus of a Blu-Ray player.

This has to be the worst Microsoft showing at E3 in memory. Can anyone think of anything good that came out of this? Other than showing Gears 3 and Halo reach, I got nothing out of this - and I don't think anyone needed to be sold on those two games. I still planned on buying them even if they were a no show at E3.

[N4GAddict]

IMO, there weren't any surprises and way too much of Kinect.

[Trollimite]

has anyone ever tried to use voice reconition software before? its such a hassel

imagine watching i movie with your family, you say "pass the pop corn"

kinect hears "start the rough porn" you are **cked!!!!! lol

[presto717]

Some things never change.

[MorganX]

Wireless-N surpasses the PS3, but the lack of Blu-ray really hurts the Xbox. Maybe not movies as much, but games, yes.

[Narutone66]

I hope this doesn't happen: http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[WhittO]

They showed like 3 good games, really? for the year?

It was awful, they were supposed to have a separate Kinect conference weren't they ? So everyone was hoping this 1 would be all about GAMES.

[Elimin8]

Start the rough porn.... LOL.. Really!?

[Cold 2000]

There were no surprises except for Kingdoms and the fact the Kinect actually works. Dunno about you guys but Kinect actually convinced me. Not to the point where I would pay 150$ but lest say I wouldnt mind having one of those.

Either than that, I couldnt believe my ears and eyes when the guy said the show was over I was like "but you forgot the show some games".

[Redempteur]

oh they forgot to show them that's for sure ...

fable trailer was nice but i didn't know it was too much to ask to show some gameplay ..

[butterfinger]

I wasn't really impressed with any of the Kinect games (Forza might be a buy for me), and they didn't really show anything that we didn't know about already. Even the Crytek announcement was drab without any footage of the game or other information. Microsoft's 09 Keynote >>>>>>>&g t;> Microsoft's 10 Keynote

[Panther52799]

personally, i like my 360, however, after watching the MS "conference", i am now wondering if MS is going to throw in the towel.

i have never been so stunned. the lack of really any games was amazing to me. sure there was the games that we all knew were coming, but that was like 4 and then the rest to kinect?

i truly am saddened by MS today. thankfully gaming is my hobby and not my life haha

[gaffyh]

Woah, be careful Cold 2000, you seem to be losing your fanboyism in your old age.

On topic - Yeah I agree, Kinect delivered on some parts, namely the fact that it works, specifically the voice control and hand movements. But there was still noticable lag and jitter during the games.

The first 35 mins of the conference was great, then it was 1 hour of crapness, plus I really hate that guy with the sunglasses (the "you wanna see what an Avatar's shoe looks like, BAM"). The slim announcement MAY have redeemed the show, IF it wasn't leaked, but it was so predictable that he was going to lift up that 360 case and reveal it.

[rezzah]

theyre showing them tmw, i saw the schedual on the IGN list, lmao Sony has like 20 (or more?) nameless games to show. I already say like 5 games with the titles included. Othere than that, expect great things from Sony.

[ico92]

everyone looked like they didnt wanna be there , kinectimals was laughably bad,in fact Kinect as a whole was a joke, Gears 3 looked like a Gears 2 expansion pack, the audience sounded bored, i also noticed how small there confrence hall was, and who the HELL wants to see a woman do Yoga, not even nintendo would show that, this was a new low for M$

[ViciousBoston]

I don't know...i've seen some pretty hot girls. I'd love to watch some hot girls do some yoga.

[princejb134]

ms noticed the audience aint wanna be there thats why they gave them xb360 to put a smile on their face after that horror show they just did
but the new xb360 looks freaking sexy
i want it=]

[Killjoy3000]

Yeah, except it looks like they completely ripped off the design of the old PS3. That system should've been the one they launched 5 years ago.

[- Ghost of Sparta -]

The conference was utterly laughable. I wouldn't have the balls to admit I actually purchased an Xbox 360 after that, hence the free 360's at the end of the show.

[marinelife9]

That was a funny article It had me rolling.

[Bzone24]

Did you watch the conference? Your second paragraph of the article you rip on them for the use of the word exclusive and say they should have said “exclusive for at least a little while”.

Just watched the conference and about the map packs and addons he said "First on Xbox in 2010, first on Xbox in 2011 and first on Xbox in 2012. He said first, not exclusively on Xbox.

The only time he said exclusive was about the agreement. Which I am guessing is right. Does Sony have an agreement to release the map packs first on the PS3? You can only have one exclusive agreement for being first.

Didn't read the rest of your "article".

[Willio]

Kinect’s voice recognition was also shown off during video playback. “Xbox! Pause!” Here’s a quick tip. You know what else can pause video even quicker? The pause button on your remote, and it won’t cost you an extra $150-$200.

Perhaps “exclusive for at least a little while” would be a more appropriate phrase. To understand fan’s reaction to this announcement, I suggest Microsoft employees try using “we’ll be exclusive for a little while” on their girlfriends or wives and report back to us to let us know how well that goes over.

Microsoft has spoken loud and clear this E3.

Unfortunately that message is “Yeah, we got nothin’.”

[ThanatosDMC]

^MS created the stupid "exclusivity" debate. Apparently if it's also on the PC, it doesnt count.

[waterboy]

trash

[T9X69]

Even EA's conference was better, and EA sucks a big one.

[zireno]

agree 100% EA's was better because you know, they showed real games :)

[AEtherbane]

3 games in 2 hours?
And two of them were fitness games?

[Microsoft Xbox 360]

Bulletstorm was actually amazing. IMO better than Crysis 2.

[waterboy]

talking bout crysis 2 is the best on consoles, well that wouldnt include ps3

[mark3574]

more then happy with microsoft!!

[Redlogic]

what did you like the most?

[jack who]

who cares Need For Speed Hot Pursuit nuff said

[Somnipotent]

how many N4G articles do we need on this? oh yeah, i forgot where i'm at.

[Def Warrant]

suck it up mate

[morganfell]

Oh look, the top of the page has an address bar and you can surf away. You think this is bad? It's one day. One day.

Try coming here with 2 years of "PS3 is teh doomed" articles.

This is called a comeuppance where the press stops protecting Microsoft because their offerings at E3 were disappointing. And I mean a shambles.

Microsoft has their own Giant Crab and his name is Kinect.

[Narutone66]

Even though I hate MS, I feel sorry for them and their fans.

[morganfell]

I don't, not one bit because I haven't forgotten the way they have been acting for years.

[Somnipotent]

you guys disagreed with me for speaking the obvious truth? what part of that was opinionated? did i come across like a microsoft fanboy? bah hah hah hah, that's a good one.

[morganfell]

But that is it, you were not speaking the truth. Sites have a right to express a particular opinion about the show. And offer the facts to support their view.

This isn't the same thing as reporting the price of Kinect listed by Gamestop. That is your error. It isn't a matter of truth but of policy.

[k2d]

Granted, Sony had THE. BIGGEST. downperiod of Playstations lifetime with the launch of PS3, but now it seems as if the tides are turning.

Kinect is little more than a well advertised adrenalin shot.

[lpfisher]

Agreed. M$ brought nothing worth talking about to the table, shame.

[AliTheBrit19]

I liked it, MGS: Rising looks awesome, very interested to learn more about the Crytek Exclusive too, other than that, what more where people expecting?

[Unicron]

Something besides Natal and games that were all announced LAST E3 I'd wager.

[AliTheBrit19]

Kinect* ;)

[dktxx2]

MS hyped this event up a lot. 10 minutes of good games and a redesign is massively underwhelming of what they led on.

[niceguywii60]

I liked it too. Halo Reach and Gears looked stellar and the New 360 is what I was wanting the most also Kinect fitness and its dash capabilities gave me chills when thinking about where Kinect can take us. Metal Gear was well worth the wait too. I'm so glad they agreed with me when I was wishing the game needed to be more grounded with modern gameplay design.

Amazingly the conference was not as flashy as past Microsoft E3s but yet delivered more concrete offerings for the future of the company/platform/gaming.

Not much worried about opinions coming from supposed journalist using RROD on new hardware as the story picture

[Dance]

another fanboy rant article

[Al Bundy]

I have a bad feeling that Kinect will fail hard.

[Panther52799]

mr bundy, on this one i have to agree with you

[minikramer]

LAME!!!!!!! You and many so called `Journalists`on the web failed to realize that MS put on the Cirque show and their presser today to gear more towards capturing the casual and bringing them in, in doing so they did what they needed to do, but yeah of course you`re not impressed because you like me are in the core, but open your eyes, if your a journalist/blogger then be one who looks at the whole picture, there was something for everybody. They run a business and to grow it to please us all they have to exxpand their audience and that is exactly the direction they are going. Not a fanboy rant, just wish people would expand their thought process to think far and wide.

[Obama]

"Kinect’s voice recognition was also shown off during video playback. “Xbox! Pause!” Here’s a quick tip. You know what else can pause video even quicker? The pause button on your remote, and it won’t cost you an extra $150-$200."

hahahaha

[BubblesDAVERAGE]

so very true well said

[despair]

what i'm wondering is how would you use voice commands on a movie or music etc. If it has even a bit of volume to it, mute then yell.

[EXID]

yeah, you gotta use the remote, hit mute, and then you can use the hands free control after lol

[jaredhart]

is and a multi-platform game their first announcement is timed DLC exlusives for that game, there's no way you can call it successfull.

[keysy420]

are you supposed to put the controller down to do things that would be easier witha controller

[mushroomwig]

In my opinion - The first 15 minutes of the EA conference made the entire Microsoft conference forgettable.

[gfunkera10]

Pressing buttons on my controller is far easier than looking like a moron flailing my arms and talking to a TV.

[nightfallfilms]

My son liked the Kinect stuff he is 8. I was disappointed with the lack of new IP /hardcore games, there was what, one? Overall I give MS a grade of a D- for hardcore gamers and a c+ for casuals.

[Dante112]

No FFvs13 or MGS4: Director's Cut multiplatform announcements for the Xbox360? :(.....BD XD

[Ult iMate]

I guess, the royalties from FF13 sold on X360 didn't cover losses from buying multiplatformity and massive ad campaign.
So there will be no Versus 13 on X360, neither something exclusive from Konami. That may not be profitable within X360 audience.

[HIGGINZOB]

This is N4G. PS3 fanboys are lurking in this even though it has no relevance to them. Don't say anything, they feed on your opinions...

[emk2004]

after the hardcore stuff. i guess they thought they would make it better by giving away free xboxs.

[Def Warrant]

The press conference was a total garbage fest. What a waste of my time getting up at 6am. Sony is gonna demolish the 360 even further with AAA announcements.

[RageofReaper]

Screw it, I prefer to take E3 as a whole. No ones ever gonna be happy, these conferences always disappoint on some levels.

Bottom line, when the 3 days are up, if there are a bunch of titles I knew I wanted but want more after, and if I can add another 5 or so games to my wish list that I didn't expect to look as good, then the entire thing is a success in my eyes.

They showed Halo, Gears and Fable, 3 AAA titles I want, they showed a frickin Crytec game based on Spartans!! (How anyone cant get excited by that is beyond me) and they catered for an age group obviously a few years below ours (Although reading some comments you have to wonder...) It's all good. Pick a few games, add some from the rest of E3, and it adds up to a great 3 days.

[nightfallfilms]

Bubbles for you. I like the way you look at the whole picture.

[Convas]

I was underwhelmed with MS KeyNote, but I can't say I was disappointed per say. I saw the games I wanted to see, and 2 surprises. No Big.

Seriously, what do you expect from a company with little to almost NO First Party Studios? Halo: Reach is a Second Party Title, Gears of War 3 is a Third Party exclusive, MGS: Rising is probably a Timed Exclusive, and the only two REAL exclusives were Fable III, and Codename Kingdoms.

But hell, MS isn't concerned. Look, it's clear they've built themselves up as the Multiplatform System. Now how long that'll last with DVD9, we don't know, but for now, it seems to be working.

I think that some of the Fanboys on this site just want MS to fail simply because they have some deep seated personal grudge against MS. I don't know why, but it's there. Most of them don't even own a 360, yet they pretend to be so shocked when their isn't an overabundance of first party titles at MS Keynote (in light of what I just said in the above two paragraphs, and the fact that the FP Studios MS does have are all mostly working on Kinect Games).

Seriously, grow the Hell up. Sony is going to blow you away right? Well then, stop obsessing over how "MS Failed" and prepare yourselves for the impending awesome. I've enjoyed my 2010 E3 Experience IMMENSELY, as a WHOLE. That's right a Whole. I'm not just looking out for exclusives as that's f*cking CRAZY.

All in All, I have WAY more than enough games to play. Between the games on the PS3, the games on the Xbox 360, and then ALL the multiplats, I don't see how any multi-console owner could complain. Hell you should be out trying to get a second mortgage. I know I will be. There are still games I haven't even gotten yet ... >.<

Just my 2 cents.

[BX81]

Good comment. I think it's more important to have substance than quantity. If Sony/MS show 2 or 3 new things and build on what they already have then it's a success. I'm looking forward to seeing Sony 2morrow. I have a 360/PS3 so it's a win, win situation for me!

[Redlogic]

so there aren't any games I'm interested in besides Gears 3. I have been thinking about trading in my Xbox360 (before it RROD's) and to know the future is bleak in terms of games that interest me, it makes trading in the console a easier decision.

[BX81]

I thought MS showed some great stuff.

ESPN
MGS Rising
Gears 3
Kinetic
Partnership with Lucas arts
XBOX slim

plus some other stuff

[Senden]

This article speaks the truth in every possible way and it's really really sad. Shouldn't microsoft have learnt with the zune? You enter new markets a few years after someone has already dominated and won over the ever elusive mass market, you're destined to fail.. They should get on their hands and knees, kiss their own asses then kiss Peter Moore's ass to come back because ever since he left, microsoft have been pissing in the wind.

[AdvanceWarsSgt]

That was the most hilarious conference I have ever seen. I didn't think anything would top the hilarity and fail of Nintendo's E3 of 2008. Boy, was I wrong.

[Cajun Chicken]

Kinect is lame. This is my honest opinion. Not quite sure how such innovation and technology can be abused. Those games are an insult to what could be done to impress with the gadget.

Hey, you might hear me say exactly the same about Move later this week.

[pinkyxyz]

This was the worst conference in xbox history. Besides the games that we knew were coming out(gears 3,halo, timed exclusive crap) there were NO GAMES, i mean NONE. The highlight of the show was MGS Rising gameplay trailer. Now as for the casual market, this was great and i think eventually im going to purchase that cam

[CptFlashHeart]

Me order the new design 360.

I can't wait!

[mp1289]

360 vs Wii, where all the money is at...hard core gamers can wait for next gen.

[OneShotThrill]

First off if MS thinks Im going to spend almost 200 bucks to play stuff thats been on the wii for years they truly are insane. Or if ill buy another 360 that gives us some of the things that shouldve been there from the start. Secondly stop showing off goddamn Call of Duty every E3. It was lame last yr and its incredibly lame 2 yrs in a row. The game is damn near on every platform. Stop touting this POS like its the greatest game in existence. And a 3 yr map pack deal so the 360 can get map packs bit earlier? WTF?!?! Theyre spending money on celebs that we all know dont play games and circus freaks. I feel like MS just gave everyone who purchased a 360 from 2005 to 2008 a big middle finger

[ForROME]

I thought it was fine, it was balanced to me, Nintendos are the worse they drive me nuts, SONYs I will know by tomorrow but I was fine with MS's.

[chiwoo]

That goes to show that Microsoft is putting everything into kinect and that it becomes a hit ignoring the hardcore audience that supported them yeah they had Halo and gears but they showed nothing new at all for them

[LevDog]

HAHAHA.. So MS Redoes the 360 to be more and more like a PS3.. But mines blu ray and Blu tooth.. Kinect is just pathetic, Doing the same things PS eye did on PS2.. and Ive been saying it for years.. Literally years.. 360 is only 2 games Halo-Gears, and maybe fable now... WOW yippie 3 games a year.. and Halo has so many branches now its stupid.. Gears is a 5 hour adventure everytime..

Look 360 fans.. Just bite the bullet and admit your system is terrible and a utter waste of money.. Just Buy a PS3 and enjoy great games, Movies, Functionality, and reliability..

Move will be a nice ADDITION to Ps3.. Ps3 will have what every other consoles have but it does them all better..

SONY and PS for life

[Atelierrorona9]

i can't stop laughing lmfao ms made themself look like idiots i really hope sony and nintendo makes them pay for it and if they do i'll laugh until i pass out..

[Legendary-Status]

like I said be4 E3 dosen't start till SONY... Microsoft is done this gen this will be the last official real Halo..& Gear's unless gear's 4 but I doubt that this is getting play out and after halo & Gear's the box has nothing to give Sony will Amaze like always and the kinect is just as lame as the vitality sensor lol what a joke Microsoft you disapoint BIG time...

[darthkai]

"Kinect’s voice recognition was also shown off during video playback. “Xbox! Pause!” Here’s a quick tip. You know what else can pause video even quicker? The pause button on your remote, and it won’t cost you an extra $150-$200."
LOL, my sentiments exactly. I was not aware that picking up a remote and pushing a button was so taxing on the human body. And "fumbling around for it in the dark"! My god! Thank goodness Kinect is here to save us!
I really liked the dancing game though. That looked cool. Fun, simple and instructive. Everything a dancing game should be.
Star Wars would have sold me if it wasn't on wheels. Seriously, add a joystick to run around and I'll buy Kinect just for that.