My memories of the keynotes from last year are not exactly pleasant but we have 2 new consoles on the horizon and a lot of stuff to prove from both Sony and Microsoft. Microsoft has been having a hard time in recent weeks, with their stance on their system requiring online checks and generally being [...]
My memories of the keynotes from last year are not exactly pleasant but we have 2 new consoles on the horizon and a lot of stuff to prove from both Sony and Microsoft. Microsoft has been having a hard time in recent weeks, with their stance on their system requiring online checks and generally being anti-consumer. Sony, meanwhile, have been very quiet so everyone was wondering what they would do at E3.
Well, on the good side, all 3 has gotten me somewhat excited about the next 12 months of video games but I don’t think I’ve seen such a one sided event well… Ever! I’ll just let these gifs explain what happened…
Yup, that was pretty much a killing the likes of which we have never seen! Meanwhile, nintendo just did their own thing, as they do!
So what caused this massacre? This…
That’s right, this one slide merely confirmed what we consumers have begun to expect from our purchase of games and it led to one of the biggest cheers of the event and was close to a standing ovation!
Just think about it. Sony say they’re sticking with the status quo and they get a huge cheer. That shows how unpopular microsofts policies were. Just check it out!
Like I said, status quo.
But if we’re going to break it down…
Microsoft
Basically, Microsoft picked up where they left off a few weeks ago at the xbox one unveil. They had games and were more than happy to show them. The only problem is that the games were all just rehashes of the popular game types. Xbone exclusive Ryse was a 3rd persion action game where you played a roman soldier. It was heavy on the scripted events and QTE. Basically, it was Crytek trying their hand at god of war.
Only a 1st party game in the shape of Forza gave any indication of the much vaunted “cloud computing” which Microsoft was hyping up (and hoping to convince the public that the horsepower shortfall can be overcome this way, which is complete bulls**t btw) in use and all it was for was some AI computing which was done by GT5. Titanfall (from respawn) was interesting but not a system seller. The biggest surprise was a reveal for a reboot of Killer instinct. I loved the first games before the series died but the more I read about the game, the less I like it. Apparently, the game is free to play but only comes with 1 character. All the rest need to be bought. The game developers also don’t have much of good rep sheet. and the original guys aren’t involved.
Basically, it would have been a fine keynote for a mature console but not one for a system about to be launched. Microsoft also didn’t step away from the controversial DRM built into the Xbone so we can’t trade in our games, can’t loan them, have to go online once a day for checks if we want to play games, etc. Oh, and the console will £425! No wonder gamers are pissed! Should be interesting to see if Microsoft backtrack after this.
Sony
Things started off slowly for Sony as they continued to push games for PS3 and Vita, which is fair. But when it came to PS4, it has to be said that their games selection were similar to Microsofts selection. They did give some time to some very interesting indie devs and their games to ram home their commitment to gamers and they also had some new IPs from big name 1st party devs, such as the order. A game with heavy steampunk influences! They also showed off the PS4 console which, tbh, looks too similar to the xbone. Then came the bit in the video above…
Still it wasn’t all rosy. Hidden in the messages was news that online mulitplayer on the PS4 will require a PS+ subscription (though the media stuff will not). Also, there was no news on the last guardian (which is now confirmed as being “on hiatus”) and Final Fantasy Versus XIII is now Final Fantasy XV (like nobody could see that coming) and kingdom hearts 3 is also coming but they are multiplatform. Still, with all this vitriol against the Xbone and the restrictions on purchased games, I wouldn’t be surprised to find that almost all the games will be purchased on PS4.
Sony have also undercut Microsoft as well! The PS4 will cost £350!! Of course, this is without any extras like the PS eye while XBone comes with kinect but at least it’s an optional extra as oppose to being forced on you.
TBH, I was way more on the PS4 boat as I’m a vita owner and I’m interested in how the 2 will work together but it always helps when the company sweetens the deal!
Nintendo
Ninty don’t have a console release since they’ve already done that (and it’s not selling too hot either, but I digress). In fact, they didn’t even do a keynote. Instead, they did a nintendo direct video to showcase new games. Some pokemon stuff, wind waker, Mario Kart 2 and super mario 3D world started things off but my interest was in the release date for Wonderful 101 and more footage of Bayonetta. There was also more stuff on the new “X” game from Monolith soft and the announcement of a new Smash Bros game, with new characters from animal crossing and Wii Fit girl (no, I’m not kidding!). Also, Megaman has been confirmed as a guest character, just like sonic and solid snake! Personally, I was sold on the remixed Megaman 2 music and I hate smash bros!!
This year, E3 belongs to Sony, without a doubt. But I do wish that they won their kudos for something other than giving us services which we already enjoy! And it should be noted, that the ability to block used games and region locking is still available to game publishers. Sony have gone on the record to say that they won’t apply it to their first party games but that doesn’t mean that other publishers will do the same. *cough*AtlusP4A*Cough*. Still, while the option is there, on the PS4, the default is off while Xbox one has the default as on. That’s a major difference.
This, of course, doesn’t mean that the Xbone is doomed to fail, but Microsoft just handed Sony an incredible lead in the next gen war. One which may prove to be more significant that the 1 year lead they had before the PS3 launch. They tried to pull an apple and tried to tell consumers what they want before they themselves know they want it but it looks like it’s blown up in their face. Sony, on the other hand, have tried to show that they are listening to their customers and trying to maintain consumer trust. Looks like it’s paid off very well for them. I think most gamers have written off the Xbone now, at least in the short term. Right now, everything is all sony and PS4.