E3 Webcast
The E3 webcast is running very poorly, so I’ll post what I can get and try to get the rest afterwards.
Webcast links:
http://metahost.savvislive.com/microsoft/20050516/e3_press_20050516_300.asx
http://www.xbox.com/media/games/e32005/vid-e32005livewebcast-001-Hi.asx
http://www.xbox.com/media/games/e32005/vid-e32005livewebcast-001-Lo.asx
A girl comes out and pulls a 360 from a shoulder bag, turns it on, and we watch a video of people hanging out and using the 360.
Out come Microsoft’s J. Allard, Robbie Bach, and Peter Moore. They explain (sarcasm alert) that Xbox 360 is the greatest thing since sliced cheese, the greatest accomplishment in the history of man, and may have the power to bring wold peace once and for all. Sample quotes:
We’re here… to redefine what it means to have fun.Tonight, I’m here to tell you about a new product, that’s inspired by the creative power of the individual, and driven by the passion of a worldwide community.
It’s a product that will bridge vast distances, through shared stories, and shared experiences.
… inspired by human creativity, and driven by human energy.
… will tranform the very idea of entertainment.
Tonight we stand on a watershed moment in the history of entertainment.
And my friends call me over dramatic. Those quotes are more fun if you include random, Shatner-like dramatic pauses.
Robbie Bach recounts some of Xbox’s successes, including 20 million sold, Halo 2′s record breaking launch, and Xbox Live, which is about to reach 2 million subscribers. He then shows off some soon to release Xbox games, including Half-Life 2 (woohoo!), Batman, Hitman, Madden, and many others.
Robbie says that Xbox 360 will be backwards compatible with “the most popular Xbox games”. God only knows what that means in regards to backward compatibility.
Xbox 360 will launch simultaneously in North America, Europe and Japan, the first time any console will pull that off.
They then show off Dead or Alive 4, exclusive to Xbox 360. The game has very fluid graphics, and the fights have a very Matrixy feel (and I don’t mean bullet-time, I mean solid urban kung-fu).
J. Allard says that 160 titles are in development, and 25-40 will hit this year. He says that the gaming industry has done great with young males, and that the power of the 360 will ensure even better experiences for that group. However, Microsoft wants to bring gaming into a wider, more mainstream arena, with products and functionalities that appeal to all demographics. Their plan is that by powering the console with “human energy”, by creating communities around the platform, they will go mainstream. In many ways, Halo 2 is not the Xbox’s killer app; Xbox Live is.
Allard describes the product design process. The wireless controller looks very lightweight and compact. They show how Xbox 360 can connect with most electronic devices, including the iPod and PSP.
They cut out a portion with Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer being funny. Major Nelson says
They are showing a very funny video with Stve Ballmer and Bill Gates in line waiting to buy Star Wars tickets and playing an Xbox 360.
Someone needs to explain to me why they cut out that portion of the webcast, saying that due to proprietary information, that portion could not be shows.
Peter Moore explains that they have requirements for all games. All games must be a minimum of 720p resolution, some are going to be 1080i. Anti-aliasing will eliminate “jaggies”. Every game will support 16:9 widescreen. Every game will have a minimum of 5.1 channel surround sound.
Next, Peter showcases games. He showed off Project Gotham Racing 3. It looks unbelievable, and very very realistic. Will have sponsored online tournaments with prizes. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon 3 looks very stylish. NBA 2K6 looks almost good enough to be the real thing. Kameo looks too childish for me. Call of Duty 2 (exclusively on Xbox 360) looks much better and bigger than the original, but not as impressive as I’d expect. Elder Scrolls 4: Not my type of game, but fans of the game should be happy. Gears of War, built on the Unreal 3 engine, looks unbelievable, with great visuals and amazing action, and could be a breakout hit.
Out comes the president of EA Games, who introduces an Oakland Raider. He then says that this will be EA’s biggest commitment to a new console. EA is developing 25 games for the 360, and the goal is that 6 will be in stores on launch day. Titles include Need For Speed: Most Wanted, Tiger Woods PGA Tour, and Madden ’06. Madden looks incredible, actually more impressive than that famous commercial from two years ago. Even Godfather looks interesting. Need for Speed is just cool, with a real sense of speed and cool stuff, like driving underneath tractor-trailers.
Now whatshisface comes back, and reveals that Square Enix will be producing for the Xbox 360, and shows off Final Fantasy XI. For the first time, Final Fantasy games will be on an Xbox. Microsoft welcomes Square Enix as a partner. A representative from Square Enix comes out and says that their games will allow users to play with PC users over Xbox Live.
Webcast over. When the archived webcast goes up, I’ll have more coverage.
UPDATE: From IGN:
Xbox 360 officially will be backward compatible with the prior system’s top-selling games, said Microsoft’s Vice President Peter Moore. Microsoft will pick and choose only the most popular Xbox titles from its huge backlist of games and will most likely use emulator software for those limited titles.
UPDATE 2: Major Nelson has put up a “blogcast” of the audio of the keynote. Listen to it if you can’t see the video, or until the video goes online.
mp3 / wma
UPDATE 3: Xbox.com has an article detailing what was discussed in the keynote.
UPDATE 4: Engadget has a great recap.
UPDATE 5: The webcast is now online. Re-read this post for the full details of the keynote.
