Shacknews Document
Microsoft E3 2006 Press Conference
Soon after Nintendo wrapped up its pre-E3 press conference in the huge Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, Microsoft began its own presentation just a few hundred feet away in the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
11:38: CliffyB walks to the stage to demonstrate Gears of War. There is an introductory trailer describing the near-destruction of mankind, followed by a lengthy gameplay demonstration. Gears of War has a hell of a lot of pixels and flashy bits. The interface is largely transparent, with occasional context-sensitive control cues and captions appearing at key moments.
11:46: Peter Moore comes to the stage. He introduces the "second generation of next generation games." Mentions the recent restructuring of various Microsoft divisions, making development more efficient.
11:48: Assures audiences that there is no engineered supply shortage. "We've made it our number one priority to get consoles on shelves as fast as possible." By the end of next month, over 5 million consoles sold. Selling faster than iPod did after launch, has over 4:1 tie ratio for games to systems.
11:50: Moore loves Xbox Live. Describes unified Xbox Live service, a first for the industry. Plans to have 6 million members across Silver and Gold memberships by this time next year. Up to 57% attach rate for Xbox Live Silver and Gold among 360 owners.
11:53: Xbox Live Arcade presentation. Demo reel showing: Pac-Man, Contra, Frogger, Galaga, Sonic, Defender, Street Fighter II Hyper Fighting, Time Pilot, Ultra Mortal Kombat 3, Scramble. Other titles named: Dig Dug, Ms. Pac-Man, Rally-X, Paperboy, Root Beer Tapper. "We're making sure your misspent youth can stay with you as long as you want it to."
11:55: Gives independent developers a platform for distribution, over 100 partners.
11:56: Q? Entertainment's Lumines Live announced. Game will feature licensed music such as Madonna.
11:57: Retail titles showcased with brief teasers. Lost Planet, Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis, Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway, NHL 2K7, F.E.A.R., Too Human, Viva Pinata, MotoGP 06, LOTR: Battle for Middle-Earth II, Sonic the Hedgehog, Madden NFL, World Series of Poker, Saint's Row, WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2007, Stranglehold, Enchanted Arms, Test Drive Unlimited, NCAA Football 07, Dead Rising, DDR Universe, Superman Returns, NBA 2K7, Crackdown, Ninety-Nine Nights, Gears of War
12:01: By this holiday season, over 160 titles across retail and Arcade. Pro Evolution Soccer coming as well. 825 titles currently available for original Xbox.
12:02: Surreal fantasy trailer from Lionhead. Fable 2 announced. "Follow the path of mind or body, nobility or corruption. Every choice leads to a different destiny. Choose yours," says the little girl in the trailer. "With Fable 2, creator Peter Molyneux will again offer an experience more intimate than any before it."
12:05: Forza Motorsport 2 trailer. This trailer is full of cars going fast. Over 300 cars and more customization options than before. Play against other 11 people via Live. Available this holiday season. Microsoft will also release a wireless racing wheel with force feedback.
12:07: Official announcement of new wireless headset, and upcoming Xbox Live Vision Camera. Camer can be used to put your face in World Series of Poker. Both accessories will be available this fall.
12:08: Moore points out Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi in the audience. Sakaguchi's new studio Mistwalker working on two 360 RPGs. Trailer shown for Blue Dragon. "Great content coming to the Japanese market." Blue Dragon arrives in Japan this holiday season. Also mentions DOA Xtreme 2. Mentions Itagaki from Team NINJA as a longtime Xbox supporter.
12:11: Brings up Ubisoft's Tom Clancy's franchise. Trailer for Splinter Cell: Double Agent. "You're going deep undercover!" "I used to fight terrorists, now I am one. I used to take orders, now I execute them. I become a double agent."
12:13: Also creating groundbreaking new content. Introduces Viva Pinata, brings Microsoft Game Studios producer to demonstrate game. Producer points out that pinatas are often the life of a party. "This game is about letting your imagination go." Transform piece of land into "perfect paradise." Start out with a worm, worm attracts bird, etc. Can plant trees, fences, etc. Attempt to attrack pinatas. Can buy accessories and landscape stuff through Marketplace. "What's a Rare game without a bear with a backpack?" Game has many interactive helpers who instruct players how to do things. Pinatas evolve as well. Game is E-rated and will arrive this holiday season.
12:17: Moore returns, talks about non-game HD content through Xbox Live Marketplace. Over 18 million game and non-game downloads through Marketplace, and by the end of today there will over 1000 pieces of content total since launch. Changes the way people buy games. Ie, pre-release Fight Night demo stimulated preorders. Marketplace opens up avenue to "coveted 18-34 year old male demographic." Starting today you can download a documentary on the making of Gears of War. First episode of show downloadable through Xbox Live, finishes up next week on MTV.
12:21: Shows external HD-DVD player. Comments on how well HD-DVD players and movies are selling. Drive available this holiday season. Still unclear how it connects to console. "Now you'll have a choice about when you want to enter next-generation movie playback."
12:22: Starts talking about popular franchise. Shows his Halo 2 release date tattoo. "Some guys do rubber ducks, some guys do tattoos."
12:23: GTA4 on 360, October 17 in US, October 19 in Europe. Has a tattoo for that too. Microsoft and Rockstar will have some kind of exclusive Xbox Live content, more to be announced in the future.
12:24: Begins Windows Vista and Games for Windows presentation. "These games won't be confined to the land of misfits any longer." Pledges to support Windows games stronger than ever before. Invites Chris Donahue of Games for Windows to the stage to demo Crysis from Crytek. Obviously, this is a very pretty game. Player character speaks a lot. Very nice smoke effects. Big alien spider machine thing. Battle at night time. Motion blur when turning. "Will look better in Vista."
12:30: Windows Vista demo reel. Age of Conan, Flight Simulator X, Crysis. Vista will have Microsoft's biggest launch in its history. Publishers like Bethesda/Take-Two supporting both 360 and PC.
12:33: Trailer for FASA's Shadowrun. Generally realistic, but slightly exaggerated character models. Multiplayer with "weapons and techniques we've never seen before." Coming to 360 and Vista at Vista launch.
12:35: Trailer for Remedy's Alan Wake. Shows several different environments. "The only thing worse than not sleeping is being awake. I am awake." Get it, his name is Alan Wake! OLOLOL! This game will be awesome though seriously. Coming to 360 and Windows.
12:37: Invites Bill Gates to stage. He has never been to E3 before, apparently. He is a PGR3 addict and a heavy Xbox 360 user (I am shocked!). Talks about the importance of software; innovation, being able to find friends across platforms, etc. DirectX is key for games like Crysis, etc. Stuff like MSN Messenger and Hotmail is important for keeping people connected, eventually they will tie into Xbox Live. "Xbox was a fantastic learning experience for us... now with Xbox 360, we're doing even better." About to bring 360 to 8 more countries soon, bringing the total number of countries to 40. Systems are now largely in stock following supply problems. Plans to have 10 million units out before competing consoles hit later this year.
12:42: Live continues to expand, developers coming up with new ways to use it. 230 million people on MSN messengre, 150 million people play various games on Windows, 1 billion people have game-ready cell phones. This creates a platform that can be user-centric, using each device for what it is good for. Live Anywhere, a new platform that ties these things together and will be part of Windows Vista. "One user interface, one identify, one friends list, one message center, one marketplace." Some publishers will publish games on all of those platforms. Mobile phone gaming is just getting started. There will be games featuring connectivity between 360 and phones. Microsoft is the only company that can pull this off due to control of so many platforms.
12:47: Invites Scott Henson, director of platform strategy for Xbox and Games for Windows.. Henson points out that as soon you turn on 360, you are connected to 360. Demonstrates Shadowrun menu screen, shows friends list. Friends list pictures also shows not just what games are being played, but if users are on their cell phone or working on Windows. He sends an invitation to his friend Major Nelson, who is working on the PC. On Major Nelson's desktop there is a small integrated friends list showing friends across multiple platforms, and his gamertag. You will be able to boost Gamerscore by doing things (presumably, playing games?) on Windows Vista. Henson's invitation pops up on Nelson's screen. Achievements can be unlocked in Shadowrun in the PC or the 360 version. Shadowrun's voice chat will work across the two platforms.
12:51: Shows Zuma on cell phone, achievements on the cell phone version also carry over to the integrated friends list and gamerscore. Crossplatform marketplace available as well. You can buy stuff for Forza Motorsport 2 through your cell phone, change paint scheme, etc. Skins can be edited in Windows.
12:55: Peter Moore returns to wrap things up. Xbox 360 and Windows Vista will be "absolutely miraculous."
12:56: Brief footage from Halo 3. Shows desert wasteland, interrupted by crazy static video lady. Cortana says "I know you, your past, your future." Master Chief stands on a cliff. Big tornado storm thing with lightning, lots of ships flying around. "This is the way the world ends," says Cortana. "03" logo similar to Halo 2 logo appears.
12:59: Presentation ends.
