As we continue our four-day look back on the biggest headlines of 2013, we delve deep into this year's E3 madness.
Please join me as we dive into four industry-shaping stories that undoubtedly set to tone for the future of gaming. Next-gen consoles, here we come!
1. Microsoft At E3
Microsoft's press conference was a huge moment for Xbox One. While the reveal event did a lot of damage, the company managed to turn some of that hate around with some exciting announcements, not the least of which included the reveal of Killer Instinct, Titanfall's Xbox and PC exclusivity, and that shocking tease of a new Halo for Xbox One. The Big M was able to prove to gamers that its next-gen console would still very much be a gaming device, assuaging some of the fears of its fan base.
Then, something happened. Something that has proven to be a thorn in Microsoft's side in the battle against Sony's PlayStation 4. The company announced Xbox One's price. Thanks to the inclusion of Kinect in every box, the device was going to cost gamers $499. This set up Sony quite well in its press conference that followed.
2. Sony At E3
In what will be remembered as one of the greatest E3 press conferences of all time, Sony managed not only to to snuff out any excitement Microsoft may have generated during its presser, but also deliver several blows to the Big M that had the audience in roaring applause. Sony was criticized for not showing off the console itself during its February reveal event, but the grand debut of PlayStation 4's form factor was met with a lot of excitement, especially when it became readily apparent that it was smaller than Microsoft's box, despite not needing a power brick.
But what really stole the show came at the end, when the company emphasized that fact that its console was for gamers, with Jack Tretton exclaiming that PS4 would support used games and have no online requirement. Couple that with the news that PlayStation 4 would cost just $399, a full $100 less than the competition, and you had one rowdy crowd.
3. Square Enix Rebrands Final Fantasy Versus XIII To FFXV, Announces Kingdom Hearts III
And that's not all that was included in Sony's press conference, as Square Enix finally broke the silence on the status of Final Fantasy Versus XIII. After having been delayed for years on end with no release in sight, Versus XIII made an appearance at E3 but under a different name: Final Fantasy XV. We were also given an extended look at some actual in-game footage, which was incredibly impressive.
In addition, the publisher also revealed Kingdom Hearts III, complete with a fancy trailer that provided a sneak peak at what the gameplay would look like. After releasing a whole bunch of spin-offs, it was nice to see that Square was getting back on track with the announcement of a new proper mainline entry.
4. Nintendo At E3
With the promise of new game announcements for Wii U, gamers expected a lot out of Nintendo at E3. In the lead up to the expo, the company shocked the industry by announcing that it wouldn't be holding a traditional E3 press conference. Instead, the company held a smaller event for the media before the convention center doors opened on the first day of the expo. The Big N also posted a Nintendo Direct online, which turned out to be a stuttering mess. In it, the company announced the new 3D Mario title it had been hyping months prior, but disappointed fans when it looks so much like Super Mario 3D Land, only this time for Wii U.
The disappointment didn't end there, as the news that Retro Studios' "next big thing" was just a new entry in the Donkey Kong Country series. Everyone was expecting big things from Nintendo at E3, but the company totally dropped the ball.
