Game Stooge

E3 Presentation Mini-Review: Microsoft

• Scribbled on July 11th, 2007 by S Holmes
• Filed in E3, Editorial Content, Features, Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Off Topic, Sony PlayStation 3

Not 12 hours after the close of Microsoft’s E3 presentation, I thought I’d post my brief impressions of the event. To do that, I’ll have to remind everyone of what I feel was a damn good list of predictions I made. Hit the jump to read the review.

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

I think my “outlook” was right on target. Microsoft didn’t do anything big in terms of over-the-top presentations or secret revelations. They just laid out the facts and set the 360 on cruise control. They explained why they are the leader right now with an array of statistics and seem to be taking the position that they no longer need to knock Sony off the throne, because Microsoft is firmly planted in it. And, frankly, they’re right. There’s not much more Microsoft can do to take a notch from Sony’s belt, other than an announcement about that certain Konami game.

As for my predictions, I’m going to say that my first bullet point “Go Big” was off. Microsoft didn’t focus on their big games as much as I thought they would (other than Halo 3). I thought we’d see fewer montages and more in-depth demonstrations of the major-anticipated titles. I went 3/4 with my second bullet point. With the exception of the “true next gen graphics,” Microsoft went to great lengths to push these facts - especially with their “right here, right now” theme about game availability and developer support. Finally, what can I say about my third and fourth predictions? They were right on target.

As I said before, Microsoft firmly stated last night that they are on top. They seem satisfied with the package they are offering consumers with the 360 and, admittedly, it is a complete package. There really is nothing more Microsoft can do at this moment. They’ve worked hard to get to this position in just a few short years.

However, it has become quite clear that the console wars are officially beginning in just a few months. All the systems will have their blockbuster exclusive games coming out and the multiplatform games will finally be tested by millions of users on all fronts to determine if there is a preferred system for these games.

Think of the last year and a half as a qualifying round. Today, the racers are all at the starting line, but the 360 is in the pole position with an underpowered Wii in close second and an exhausted PS3 in third. Will the 360’s early start and strong performance let it coast to a win? Will the Wii’s mass appeal bring new games to eliminate the droughts between major 1st party titles? Will the PS3’s new titles replace the lost exclusives that defined the success of its predecessor?

Strap yourself in, it’s going to be a bumpy ride…