Electronic Entertainment Expo 2013 or E3 2013 as we like to call it will be coming around in the next month. The show will no doubt bring many different reveals and surprises as it always does but there is normally one of the three home console manufacturers that bring home title of the winner of E3. Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are the big hitters every year and recently, Microsoft and Sony have really brought out the big guns. Things are a little different this time round as the major announcements, the next generation consoles, will already have taken place. Who will bring the big hitting announcements and surprises this time?
Sony
After managing to generate enough buzz for thousands of people to tune into the reveal of the next generation of PlayStation, Sony have to continue their forward momentum into E3. After starting out the current generation behind Microsoft’s Xbox console, Sony had to claw back their market share with games, games and more games… oh and a cheaper, slimmer console as well. Sony will no doubt continue the trend they set in February with their mantra of focusing on the gamer. Obviously, there will be some sort of corporate partnerships present, but if gamers are once again put first Sony will have a very good E3 indeed. Showing games such as inFamous: Second Son (which has been getting a lot of interest recently) in a demo capacity, showing off what the next generation consoles can do will put them ahead of the competition. What they need to do is to avoid staying on the topic of the Move and promote other features that are unique to the PlayStation 4. Lastly, the Vita has not taken off and needs something to help it out, announcing a price cut / bundle in time for the PlayStation 4 would really help the handheld out, but if not they must refrain from focusing too much time on the Vita. A price and specific release date for the PlayStation 4 would send crowds wild and finally seeing the console would top off the Sony conference.
Nintendo
While Nintendo are not releasing any fancy new hardware and they are not having a traditional event like Sony and Microsoft, they are still in serious contention for the E3 2013 crown. Why? Because the lack of console to detail and show off will really help the Wii U. Games will be the focus for Nintendo and it will help their ailing sales no end. Pokemon X and Y for the 3DS will get tonnes of interest and Wii U gameplay reveals for Smash Bros., Mario Kart U, Pikmin 3, Zelda and Bayonetta will send people mental. These are also all exclusives and giant crowd pleasers, simply showing off the game’s name will help Nintendo’s cause. E3 does not always need flashy, over hyped conferences to sell what the companies have to offer and Nintendo will have a simple E3 which could end up making them the winners if they handle it correctly. The issue is that many people have wrongly written them off and a strong E3 presence could be the start of a revival.
Microsoft
While the console has not been officially revealed, we are 100% certain there will be an Xbox 720 / Durango / Infinity console out this year. The event for next generation is set for next week, we know it is coming. Much like Sony, revealing a console early and then bringing more to E3 will be on the agenda for the Xbox manufacturer. Microsoft need to focus on games more than anything. The company cannot rest on its laurels hoping that fans of FPS games will return, they need more. No doubt a major showing will be Call of Duty but the size of the franchise is irrelevant now that the next generation is upon us. I would bet my house on Microsoft taking risks with new IPs and seeing these would give Microsoft a boost. Showing off a really cool reveal and then adding Kinect 2.0 afterwards would wow crowds at the expo, asserting their dominance in the motion market once more. Lastly, revealing an Xbox tablet (something that has been widely rumored) would be the icing on the cake, adding in their SmartGlass tech to play games and keep up with games such as Watch Dogs and Destiny could be the deciding factor next gen.
In my opinion, Sony could edge out Microsoft at E3 with their apparent dedication to gamers. However, Microsoft have surprised me in the past with unique games like Alan Wake and the quality of the Xbox Live service could come back to bite me. Maybe Nintendo could surprise us all and reveal something we had no idea was coming.
Who do you think will win? Let us know below.
No comments:
Post a Comment