Today Microsoft took off their Gloves, walked up to Sony and Nintendo, slapped them across the face and said, in a British Accent, “Sir, I Challenge You to a Duel to the Death.” The Beatles, New Games including a Metal Gear game (Take that Sony), a Revamped Video Market Place, Social Networking added to Xbox Live and oh yeah a new Motion Controller (Take that Nintendo) the boys and girls at Microsoft kicked off E3 with a Bang at their annual song and dance. After this Brava performance I don’t think my man Reggie Reg or his girl Cammie can hit us with another Powerpoint infused Nintendo Press Conference. Let’s go from the top:
The Beatles Rockband
On hand to showcase The Beatles Rockband was Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, and Ringo Star. The game will include a replica of all their original instruments. An X-Box Live exclusive Track – All You Need Is Love. Really? I hate Exclusive crap, I’m sure the PS3 will have an Exclusive track as well. The animation and sets on the game look awesome. Here’s the Official Trailer. They announced the first several tracks from the set –
- I Saw Her Standing There
- I Want to Hold Your Hand
- I Feel Fine
- Day Tripper
- Taxman
- I Am The Walrus
- Back In The U.S.S.R.
- Octopus’s Garden
- Here Comes The Sun
- Get Back
- X-Box Live Changes
This fall The X-Box live is going to see some major enhancements including full 1080P HD Movie downloads via Zune, improvements to the Netflix streaming service, the ability to purchase and download full recent games, Facebook and Twitter integration. There will be 30 titles available at launch. Sony really needs to step up and improve the PSN Network. I hope they have some big announcements regarding this at their event.
Games
After a quiet few months the MS Game Library is going to explode in the next year complete with another knife in the back to Sony as a Metal Gear Solid Rising is coming to the 360 Next Year. In this economy it’s not too surprising 3rd Parties can no longer afford Exclusive deals unless someone rolls up on them with a couple of Trucks filled with Cash. Now that they have a Metal Gear, Final Fantasy XIII, and GTA, they’ve been busy wrapping up some Exclusives:
- Crackdown 2 (Exclusive)
- Left for Dead 2 (Exclusive)
- Splinter Cell: Conviction (Exclusive)
- Forza 3 (Exclusive)
- Halo ODST (Exclusive)
- Halo Reach (Exclusive)
- Alan Wake (Exclusive)
Project Natal Revealed
All the rumors of Microsoft’s motion controller turned out to be mostly true. It’s a small black box that you put by your television. The key point is there’s no “controller” with it, the device will apparently sense your movements. The thing that destroys the Wii for me is the Motion Controller I don’t like it so this announcement isn’t one that I’m gaga over. Seems like a gimmick where everything else they did was on point.
I’ve always been a fan of Microsoft Press conferences they always bring glitz and they outdid themselves this year. Through the gauntlet down and as an Owner of all the other systems I’m hoping Nintendo and especially Sony can bring something that Wows us. Beyond a slim PS3 and that goofy PSP Go, I’m really hoping we get a lot of great first party games and a total revamp of PSN. I’ll be the first to say that I’m still disappointed that the 360 doesn’t have some sort of Blu-ray addon and at this point it will never happen. I’ll give you all the official MS Press Releases and Screenshots tomorrow.