Highlights From Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference [E3 2011]
Microsoft just closed the doors on their E3 Press Conference, but they left behind a lot of announcements that have us all excited and in awe. This upcoming year will be a big one for the company, and they plan to send the Xbox 360 to the top of the consumer charts. Here’s a breakdown of the announcements from Microsoft at E3.
First up was a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 demo. It started off showing us as a Navy SEAL operative on a mission to sabotage a submarine attacking civilian buildings. The gameplay looks crisp and clear, which we expect from a CoD title. From the get-go the game was explosive, and in your face with action. The game is set to release November 8th, later this year.
Next up was a demo of Tomb Raider, the new reboot from Crystal Dynamics. The demo showed us a new brutal environment through which our heroin will need to navigate, bringing the sense of danger all to close to our hearts. The graphics have been turned up past eleven, and Tomb Raider is shaping up to be a title that we all can look forward to getting into. The game will release during the fall of 2012.
EA Sports spoke shortly, announcing that four of their specific titles will offer Kinect support: Madden, FIFA, Tiger Woods PGA Tour, and they left one unannounced for now.
A big announcement from BioWare is that Mass Effect 3 will offer Kinect support through voice commands. Players will be able to issue commands to their squad members by using the Kinect, and they will also be able to response in conversations by saying the phrase that corresponds to the answer they choose. This brings a whole new way to play the game.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier will offer Kinect support in a brand new way to get into the game. A brand new weapon customization system was introduced, allowing players to use voice commands and body gestures to switch weapon parts and upgrade their loadouts. They can also test the weapons in a virtual firing range, allowing them to fine-tune each weapon. On top of this, Ubisoft also stated that each upcoming Tom Clancy title will offer Kinect support.
Youtube is set to come to Xbox Live, which can all be controlled by Kinect voice commands. Xbox Live also plans to expand their partnerships, to now offer millions of entertainment choices to users. Bing on Xbox Live will allow users to search effortlessly for exactly what they want to see, hear, or learn more about. Live television will also come to Xbox 360, allowing users to watch news, TV series, and more by stating a single command. This all comes later this fall.
Live UFC fights will be broadcast as well, allowing players to see weigh-ins, and call fights all from their Xbox 360 console. This feature goes live this holiday season.
A new Gears of War 3 demo was shown by Cliff Bleszinzki himself, along with some help from Ice-T. In the demo we saw a piece of the campaign that hasn’t been seen before. Marcus, Dom, and the rest of the crew are taking refuge on a carrier ship when it is attacked by a huge sea-dwelling monster. The whole team binds together to take out the creature, using everything they’ve got, including a new set of battle suits. Players can even take cover behind the suits while their team mates are using them, providing for a new way to play. Cliff was correct when saying that Gears 3 is the most polished and good-looking title in the series. It releases later this September.
Crytek introduced Ryse, a new Kinect title that uses the player’s body as a weapon. You can stab, headbutt, and even throw your weapon at enemies in this Roman tale of heroic glory.
A huge announcement from the conference was that of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition. The game offers the original campaign as it’s totally remastered in HD. Players will also fight others across seven original multiplayer maps that will be remastered for use as well.
Minecraft is set to make its console debut on the Xbox 360 later this winter. This will bring the huge PC MMO phenomenon to console for the very first time, and it will offer Kinect support.
Disneyland Adventures drops later this year, allowing parents to take their children on a virtual tour of the park, enjoy virtual rides, and save tons of cash along the way.
Sesame Street Once Upon a Monster takes parents and children on an adventure to unite a monster with a cuddly creature to be friends for life. The game debuts later this fall straight from the mind of Tim Schafer.
Kinect Sports Season 2 will add football, golf, darts, and skiing. It will also allow the use of voice commands to select from different pieces of equipment and more.
Dance Central 2 was announced, offering new simultaneous multiplayer dancing, as well as the ability to import songs from the original game. It will launch later this year.
Going live today is a new feature with Kinect called Kinect Fun Labs. The feature will allow players to take photos of themselves for use to create actual in-game avatars. Players can also scan their favorite real-life objects such as toys, skateboards, and more for use in-game. Also, players will be able to use real photos to create 3D drawings via Finger Tracking. Check it out today.
Finally, as the press conference ended, we were greeted with a brand new trailer for a game no one expected. Halo 4 was announced, with hints that it will begin a brand new trilogy for the franchise. The game is free from Bungie, with 343 Studios taking the wheel. The game will release sometime next year.
Well, folks, these are the highlights of Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference. There were a lot of things that we didn’t expect, and a few things we’ve been wanting to see. Be sure to check back here for more E3 coverage!
