E3 2008: Z's Microsoft Press Event coverage

I wanted to bring everyone up to speed on the Microsoft E3 2008 press event, in which some new stuff were confirmed, some things were not touched on and a few surprises lurked. I apologize as the notes a re a bit in shotgun format.

Let me hit on the big stuff first, and then go into detail below;

-Final Fantasy 13 is coming to the Xbox 360!
-Dashboard is getting a complete makeover with Avatars and channels
-Universal and NBC added as video partners
-New music games Lips
-New Scene It Game
-New UNO game
-New exclusive Portal sequel (expansion?)
-Fallout 3 exclusive DLC
-Resident Evil 5 out on all platforms on Friday 13th, March 2009
-GoW2 dated for Nov 7th on 360 exclusive
-Netflix Library at no cost to Gold Members of Live who hold Netflix accounts



The Microsoft E3 2008 Press event kicked off with Don Mattrick opening instead of Peter Moore. I miss Peter, he was a good one, but hopefully he can get EA on the right track. Don spent some time talking about the 360 and how it has the biggest games, best third party titles and so on. Then he gets into some of the trailers and starts bringing out studio members:


Fallout 3 (Todd Howard of Bethesda)

This trailer opens with a 60’s style nuclear attack film and what to do. It then morphs into some actual gameplay walkthrough (one the controller was reconnected). The game takes place in 2277 and the graphics looks better quality than Oblivion does, which is saying something. The display is uncluttered and very clean, with smooth movement.

Todd showed off the targeting system and lots of limbs getting dismembered with the weapons. These include guns, EMP grenade, missile launcher, catapult baby nuke with trailing camera. All of which is very sweet. The game has over 100 hours of gameplay and is huge. You can even ride elevator to top of Washington monument. You have access to tons of weapons and can play as good or bad guys.


Next up was June Takeuchi the Producer of Resident Evil

June was speaking in Japanese, so he needed a translator. He introduced the world’s first playable demo of RE 5 and also made mention this is the first time it is on a MS console. The Demo looks real good, but same formula as other RE games. There is online co-op mode with female lead character, in which they must work together (showed an assisted toss of the female over a gap.) There were a few wonky physics, but probably still an early build. The Zombie heads blow up like pumpkins when they are shot. The Zombie AI is also a bit funky, but the graphics look pretty good. But wait, there is more….RE 5 will be available simultaneous on Friday 13th, March 2009


Next was Lionhead boss Peter Molyneux for Fable II

He started off by saying that Fable 2 is finished…and he brought a gameplay for everyone to see. It opens with a kick ass scene of a bird flying. This trailer is amazing, absolutely beautiful. Peter says that you start the game as a little kid and how you uniquely grow from a kid into a hero…One more innovation: Hero with Dog, incredible AI agent There is also Co-op over Live with a twist: Purple Orbs are friends playing single player and you can invite them into your world…Immediate calling of people into the game…Kick ass…Dog is bad ass, moves quite well

The World and your hero are unique, as everything changes to you as you make decisions in the game. You can also get married in the game, Peter showing off his wife…his house…family grow with you…co-op people can also interact with your wife…Peters wife is stacked! The game is due out October 2008, but no specific day yet.


The next hands on is with CliffyB and a Gears of War 2 trailer.

Nothing like opening up with Marcus dragging a locust to be a MEAT SHIELD BABY! Sweet! Cliffy B then takes the stage for GoW 2 demo of a Locust sinkhole….(Co-op) Cliff just shot out a locusts knees and brought him down…more meat shield, can’t get enough of that. You can also pick up and use the Locusts metal shields. Marcus just toasted a baddie with the Hammer of Dawn. Another locust baddie was running around with the flamethrower, but then Cliff took him out and Marcus has it now. Fire! Fire! Another cool piece was Cliff shooting a grappling hook off a railing as a locust was climbing up. Then Cliff took another out with the Hammer of Dawn after it was using gymnast like moves and chucking grenades at him.

After a building Marcus and Dom were in was toppled over, they get in an elevator and travel Up” (sideways) with very gimped elevator music playing in the background. Classic. Last little bit was showing off the Chain Gun to mow down swarming locust. One more surprise, you get to ride a brumak! There will be a new mode called Horde, which is 5 player co-op with wave after wave of locusts. Gears of War 2 is dated for November 7th 2008. Happy Birthday to me….



Don Mattrick back talking about what the future holds and some dollar and subscription figures…..

-Talking about games being everywhere and gaming being largest form of entertainment…
-$48 billion spent on Video games this year, the leading driver of all entertainment spending
-Xbox 360 fueling growth, over 5 million sales ahead of PS3 in States
-$2.2 billion of 3rd party revenue, more than the PS3 and Wii combined
-Claiming that 360 will outsell PS3 this generation
-Consoles with prices for everyone and best online experience
-Over 12 million Live members with a new member every 5 seconds
-Consumers have spent over $1 billion on Live and downloaded more than 500 million pieces of content
-10,000 movies and shows
-Largest HD on demand for TV and movies more than cable of Satellite
-Account for a third of all XBL paid downloads

There are two brand new TV and Movie partners in NBC and Universal Studios. This also includes USA and Sci Fi channels. In Europe, new HD partners in MGM International and Constantine. Over 700 new programs become available in those regions with that announcement.



John Schappert, head of Live came out to introduce the new Dash

-My Xbox channel
-More fun, more social and easier to use
-Avatars confirmed, you can pimp out your avatar (All there)
-Spoke about all the channels (see press release)
-UNO Rush for XBLA, able to launch it for the entire party with the push of a button
-Geometry Wars 2 retro evolved Exclusive with co-op
-South Park game exclusive To XBLA
-Galaga Legions (Namco Bandai) next month exclusive to XBLA
-New special guest speaker was GLaDOS
-Portal Still Alive exclusive to 360 (Valve)
-Touched on Xbox Live Community Games (new name for XNA I guess)

Netflix announcement, exclusive partner
-If a gold Live member and Netflix holder, stream Netflix library at no cost
-Only game system that can download over 10,000 TV or Movies if you are
-Share you Netflix with your Live Party watch it together



Head of Strategy and Business Development Shane Kim gave some input

-GTA IV will be out this year
-Showed off the new Rare stuff
-Banjo-Kazooie Nuts and Bolts with creation mode for vehicles
-Viva Piñata Trouble adding desert and Polar Regions
-Vision scan cards to add new Piñatas
-Over 100 Piñata varieties
-Original Banjo on XBLA this holiday

Two new games:
-Scene it Box Office Smash!, which uses the new Avatars and Big Button controllers
-You’re in the Movies from Codemasters exclusive to Xbox 360
Uses the cam to superimpose you on the screen
Console records and compiles footage into a short movies, then puts it into a film
Use Directors mode to edit and then share movies with people
Ships with a camera



Kai Huang came out to speak about Guitar Hero World Tour

-Wireless drum kit, touch slide guitar, 8 player battle of the bands
-Greatest number of Masters ever, with 85+ total songs at launch
-Music studio lets people make and share music from around world
-Two more announcements: WT launch 360 gamers can download an REM track pack featuring three songs from new album
-The Eagles and Van Halen exclusives
-Metallica is offering Full length album DLC in its entirety at the same time as the album drops



Microsoft Games Studio has a new exclusive music game, Lips. The game will feature wireless microphones that light up (based on the performance) and include motion sensing. It also is compatible with the Zune or iPod and allows you to sing with your own music collection and sing your favorite songs. Lips will be available this Holiday season. To wrap it up, they brought out British star Duffy to “sing” her song ‘Mercy’. Her pants were tight…I didn’t hear much of her song….but she will be a featured artist. My prediction for this game, even with the ability to sing to your favorite song…epic fail. See my editorial on Music Games.



Time for some Rock Band 2 with Alex Rigopulous

The game will be a timed exclusive on the Xbox 360 this September. Alex says the single most important aspect of a music game is the library, and the Rock Band 2 library on the disc will have 84 master tracks, with another 20 available as bonus, free DLC this Fall. I posted the full set list earlier...

-Guns ‘N Roses are debuting their new track from Chinese Democracy album at release
-Bob Dylan: licensed ‘Tangled Up in Blue’
-AC/DC appearing with ‘Let there be rock’
-Metallica, Pearl Jam, Devo, Janes Addiction and more

Simply a kick ass mix of artists with bonus points for all being master recordings. Did I mention that the cover from “Tommy” by The Who popped up…yup, Pinball Wizard ladies…. In addition, all current DLC for Rock Band is backwards compatible AND you can export almost all of your tracks original RB tracks into RB 2 without swapping disks. That is over 500 songs for RB 2at launch.



Don Mattrick back and introduces one final guest.

Square Enix President Yoichi Wada

He starts off by talking about the three games that Square Enix is working on for the Xbox 360.

Infinite Undiscovery – Exclusive title for the 360, due out Sept 2nd in North America
Star Ocean the Last Hope – Spring 2009 Trailer on Marketplace?
The Last Remnant – This Holiday (Available first on the 360 as a timed exclusive) on Nov 20th. It looked a little bit like Lost Odyssey. It will also be available for Games for Windows.

Time for the Big Finish, what will it be?

There is one more announcement from Square Enix. The lights dim, the camera pans back to show the entire theater and not zoomed on the screen (per Microsoft’s request) and the video starts rolling. The footage from what I can see looks like a game of epic proportions. What is it…Final fantasy XIII! Sony fanboys start weeping openly in the street and mass suicide watches are posted across America and Asia. Another Sony exclusive stalwart is multiplatform with the Xbox 360.

After that, the event ends….