The science of E3 announcements is one that I’ve been trying to grasp for years. What makes a good presentation for a video game company? I’d say a combination of things, but it changes regularly. For instance, some would say it’s important for a developer to announce a keynote title. Some Nintendo fans for instance, consider any E3 without Smash to be a bad E3. While others think it’s important to shed light on pre-existing titles. For instance, there was some pretty universal disdain for the lack of FFXV at Square Enix’s press conference. But this is an opinion piece. I want to talk about my five biggest E3 announcements.
5. inFAMOUS Second Son
I thought it was the end. I thought we’d never see another game in this series, but man I was wrong. E3 2013 was a
big one for sure. Every company had a competitive edge with some incredible and interesting announcements spanning from Smash Bros to Watch Dogs but perhaps one of the biggest announcements for me that year was inFAMOUS. As a fan of the original two, it was nice to see that this game was clearly taking a different path. From a major graphical upgrade, to what appeared to be more comfortable controls, this was absolutely going to be my reason to buy a PS4.
4. Nintendo Wii U
I was ready. I knew Nintendo was planning to announce their new home console, Project Cafe. I had heard rumors of what it might be, but it was all kind of unclear still. Then, the announcement came. The name, which I didn’t love, was only a minor detail. What was truly important was the fantastic touch screen controller that would come bundled with the console. With asymmetric gameplay being the focal point of console development, I knew my inner party gamer would be satiated by this idea.
3. Final Fantasy XV
I knew I wanted this game from the moment they announced it. E3 2013 was a big year. From the beautiful graphics,
gripping music, and interesting action mechanics in the trailer, I found myself being captured by a game in a series that, to be frank, had never gripped my interest in the past. This was a big deal, for sure, and would actually end up being one of the key reasons for my PS4 purchase. That’s how you do E3 announcements.
2. The Last Of Us
PlayStation, dominating this list. E3 2012 was a big one too, especially for Sony. This announcement changed the course of the industry in a major way. Naughty Dog, a company already known for its highly cinematic titles such as the famous Uncharted series, announced a new IP known as The Last Of Us. This game had a narrative grip over a large demographic from the time it was announced. It only turned out to meet every expectation and become one of the biggest games in PlayStation history.
1. Nintendo DS
This stands alone as my favorite announcement in E3 history. E3 2004, I had to have been a little kid at the time, so I didn’t see it when it first happened. Instead I came across it several years later, and while Reggie Fils-Aime’s public speaking is a high point for me, what really drove it all home was the legacy that the announcement would have. The excitement around this weird idea was everything that E3 represents. And the DS family went on to become one of the highest grossing video game consoles of all time.
There you have it. My top five E3 announcements. I hope you all enjoyed this post. It’s the first part of my “E3 Retrospective” series, which will take place over the next few days leading up to the big stream on Sunday!