The E3 Expo has come and gone, and gaming sites across the globe are abuzz with the announcements that surfaced during the conference, held at the Los Angeles Convention Centre last week.
For the first time in several years, review sites are raving about the relevance of the expo. E3's popularity had been waning, but this year's announcements have the world talking.
ITWeb explores the biggest and most enticing revelations made at the expo, from innovations through to some surprising game titles.
Pushing tin
Undoubtedly, Microsoft's new motion control solution, Project Natal, was on the top of the expo's popularity list this year.
Microsoft traditionally remains low-key on comments around motion controllers, specifically after the Wiimote and several motion add-ons rocketed Nintendo's popularity. However, Microsoft's Project Natal demonstration astounded E3 delegates. Not many expected to see a full-blown demonstration of the technology, despite rampant rumours of the project before the show.
Project Natal uses full body motion capture as a controlling technology, essentially making the gamer the controller. Take a look at the E3 demonstration of Natal here.
Not wanting to be left behind, Sony also released a motion controller, which is as yet unnamed. However, the company's demonstration proved the controller is still in an early phase and Microsoft is likely to release its new technology before Sony.
However, Sony was not completely outdone on the hardware side. The company released its new PSP Go, which delegates got a taste of during the week.
Sony says it's the smallest, lightest PSP yet, weighing in at just 160g. The handheld has had a complete redesign and now sports a slider for the controls. The PSP Go will be available globally from 1 October and, according to Sony, most games will be available for download at the same time.
The bigger the world
The massively multiplayer online (MMO) genre dominated this year's expo, with a few titles that surprised.
BioWare released its second Star Wars MMO, under the guise “Old Republic”. The company has not yet announced the release date and other specifications are still up in the air.
However, BioWare says it will be the first to release any MMO that will give each character individual voices. There have been few MMOs that have rivalled the success of Blizzard's World of Warcraft. However, if BioWare's claims are true, the game should attract more than Star Wars fans.
See the official trailer for the game here.
Even more exciting than Star Wars was the return of an old face in a new costume. Square Enix announced a few new titles, which included three new Final Fantasy editions. The most exciting one is Final Fantasy XIV, which will be the online version of the game.
Little information was released around the title, although it is likely it will carry the traditional game play feel of the last few titles. The teaser online site was set up from the beginning of E3 and can be found here.
Music makers
This year's E3 spectacle was kicked of with Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, along with Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison, who launched the latest Rockband release, The Beatles.
This title has been in the offing for some time and tailored around the historical career of the famous band. Harmonix Music Systems released the title as Guitar Hero 5, which was hitting the headlines.
Rockband's new title takes gamers through each of the most famed locations the Beatles performed, and possibly has the most enticing opening sequence in the genre to date. See the opening sequence to the game here.
The game is also released with the instrument set that became something of the band's trademark.
Missing in action
While E3 this year saw a mass of faced-paced innovation, a few faces were missing from the stage.
Disappointingly, little was said about World of Warcraft's future, which many were hoping to hear, and nothing at all about a possible Max Payne sequel.
There were also few exciting first person shooter titles, always a popular genre for the hardcore gamer.
ITWeb will keep an eye out for South African release dates for the technology and games.
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