Game Stooge

E3 ‘07: Microsoft Steps Up to the Plate

• Scribbled on July 10th, 2007 by Devin Grimes
• Filed in E3, Features, Microsoft Xbox 360

It’s the calm before the storm, as Microsoft is set to officially kick off the festivities of E3 2007 with their press briefing scheduled for tonight at 11:30 P.M. EST/8:30 P.M. PDT.

If you’re like us, and not cool enough to attend the actual festivities, well there’s plenty of options for you to experience the action live as it’s happening. Several sites such as 1Up, IGN, and Gamespot will all be hosting live coverage and streams of the press briefing, as well as running live blogs of the event. Finally, if you have the option, the most reliable source will be G4, which will be airing the event live. (Thanks Jedi_Kez!)

Can’t stand the anticipation? Want some good ‘ol fashioned speculation? Check out our predictions after the break!

Scott Holmes:

Current Position/Outlook:

Just stay the course. Nothing could be better for Microsoft right now (disregard the defect/warranty issue). Wii sales can’t be stopped but Microsoft secretly doesn’t see the Wii as a real competitor. There will always be high demand for low cost gaming systems, but the Wii simply cannot offer what the 360 and PS3 do. PS3 is slowly gaining steam and can’t hit much lower than it already has (MGS4 to 360 is all that’s left). Remind people who the leader this gen is and that the 360 has everything the PS3 does. Push Sony’s head back underwater before it jumps out.

Predictions:

• Halo 3, Bioshock, Mass Effect, etc.. Microsoft will go big with its big titles
• Microsoft will hammer its 10 million units sold (compare to PS3), true “next gen” graphics (compare to Wii), largest online community (compare to PS3 and Wii), and wide developer support (to suggest everything a gamer wants is available on the 360)
• More stats on success of Marketplace movie/tv downloads.
• Possible announcement of new movie/tv partners
• Price drop, but I doubt it since they will likely wait for the Falcon chip

Mitchell Dyer:

• Mass Effect gets 2008 release date
• MGS4 in Winter 2008 on 360 will be announced
• Halo 3 is a big deal, maybe a new teaser for Halo Wars…
• Price drop (SLIGHTLY - no more than 100 bucks) - Core dies
• A shit-ton of demo’s
• A glance at the GTA exclusive content

Devin Grimes:

• Opens with a demonstration of Halo 3 Single Player
• Peter Moore comes out, not with a new tattoo, but with a tattoo artist — anticipation grows as the final touches are being put on his new ink
• Very small teaser for Gears of War 2, maybe nothing more than a Cog logo and a release date of 2008
• Some kind of Zune connectivity announced, possibly a music service on Marketplace
• Bill Gates comes out with his future technology that will destroy the world with it’s superiority — a year passes and it barely leaves a scratch

Derrick Schommer:

• Live Anywhere goes somewhere, maybe another promise as a desktop integrated application?
• Like Old Navy, Microsoft will announce a new Xbox 360 product lineup with each changing season much like Kakis and Old Navy Blue Jeans.
• Microsoft will avoid questions about red rings and death. The $1 billion dollar investment is simply for the 3%-4% failure rate.
• Halo Wars Tattoo on our favorite canvas?
• Bill Gates talks about mobile phone integration with Xbox Live again for Spring 2010
• Microsoft Table Computer will fully integrate with Xbox Live Arcade. You’ll be able to put your 360 on the table and drag-n-drop downloadable content.
• You’ll be banned from Xbox Live if you hack your Xbox 360 to integrate with the iPhone.
• Another 50 Xbox Live Arcade remakes including E.T and Custards Revenge.

Jonah Falcon:

• All the best stuff will be shown off at Comicon and X07, and Microsoft, like all of the other companies, will go through the motions as they prepare for their own private shows.