So another E3 has passed.
Well like the marketing side of it. All the presentations have been presented, and everyone’s stubs to the Hype Train have been clipped.
Normally I’m all aboard for it, it’s true. Live Blogs that would occur during insane hours because that’s healthy (it is…).
But this year, I thought I’d take the kale smoothie route of E3 and instead share my favourite moments from the expo; the parts that made me cream, made me m’eh and made me Keanu.
Scarlett, xCloud & a man named Keanu
Yeah okay, maybe Keanu has had enough coverage. An absolutely stellar moment brought to us by Cyberpunk 2077 and Microsoft’s marketing budget, has ensured this presentation is as breathtaking as the man himself.
Personally, I think it needed it. The majority of software on display was unsurprising, as the aromatic hint of Gen 8’s life-cycle ending hangs in the air.
XBOX’s most impressive showings ended up being, along with Keanu, its hardware. We knew Project Scarlett was coming so confirmation of that was nice. The Elite Controller Series 2 looks to build on an already stellar device, and xCloud.
Oh xCloud.
Based off feedback from the floor via social, xCloud looks to be Microsoft’s streaming solution for how gaming can be had in future. Halo Infinite apparently runs like a local experience so if that can be replicated at home with the majority of its userbase, we may not need the likes of Google’s Stadia.
Basically I’m saying we have too many streaming services and it’s cooked and just let Microsoft have it Google.
Ubi, Beth, but mostly Ikumi
Ubisoft did their thing. Lot of continued franchises and some fresh ones from studios who proved their worth on said continued franchises.
Watch Dogs Legion is GOTY with a Granny character who appears to beat the sh*t out of anyone who dares stop her anarchist ways.
Bethesda were Bethesda, and Doom Eternal looks to be their storming-out-of-the-gate classic title.
BUT THEN THEY BROUGHT OUT IKUMI NAKAMURA.
Now the internet’s new best girl, there’s so much more to Nakumara-san than just being the best.
Having worked with and learned from Shinji Mikami, who helped direct little-known games like Resident Evil; She’s driven herself through the industry, and has been involved with some of the best out there.
Okami. Marvel VS. Capcom 3. Bayonetta. The Evil Within.
Just some popular games, you know.
And now she’s bringing us Ghostwire Tokyo, which looks like a playable version of The Leftovers but without all the drama and f*cking…or maybe more of that…
Putting The SQUEE In Squeenix
I was lined up for the Square Enix presentation cause I needed me some AVENGERS BABY!
Lined up in the imaginary sense of course, this PO’ BOI ain’t gon’ nowhere near E3 2019.
Anyway, the Avengers avenged, but in the sense that it’s some weird amalgamation of a multitude of storylines, where players will get to play as the original (looks up roster)…5 cause they always doing Hawkeye dirty.
There was more Dragon Quest stuff, and a multitude of Final Fantasy stuff, including the very excellent news that pretty much all the game’s music is now on streaming services.
VIII is also getting remastered! So we’ll see the return of Triple Triad to ruin relationships, along with certain characters getting f*cking SHANKED.
But the baby-maker was Final Fantasy VII Remake. If you hate the idea of remasters, then a remake must make your anger-boner stand tall because Squeenix are really giving us the FFVII experience remade.
This title is inextricably tied to my gaming life, so much so I could use the imagery of it being my Lifestream should Holy ever be cast on me.
With it’s updated Battle-System that somehow mashes up XV and VII, and what looks to be materia actually having a visual impact on your character, I can’t wait for Vincent to scream “LUCREZIA…” again.
The NintenShow
I think Nintendo were always gonna have the means to take the show.
Without Sony assisting Microsoft with the charge, and Nintendo’s EXCELLENT catalog of games growing further, all they had to do was make some banger announcements and it was theirs.
Of which they absolutely did.
Banjo-Kazooie in Super Smash.
Luigi’s Mansion 3.
More Fire Emblem, Daemon x Machina, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 and ASTRAL CHAIN stuff.
The remasters of Final Fantasy VIII and The Last Remnant.
Remakes of Spyro, Link’s Awakening and Panzer Dragoon.
Somehow Breath Of The Wild 2 being in development, which is f*cking wild.
AND CONFIRMATION OF F*CKING Animal Crossing‘s RELEASE.
Nintendo weren’t here to f*ck spiders; They were here to grab the biggest flamethrower they could find, fill it with napalm and then have it somehow eject the most impressive looking fire storm across this proverbial colony of spiders.
They really did THAT.
Onward To 2020 & Generation 9
It feels weird to say that I have the privilege of being able to bother PlayStation NZ about their product, but I do.
With what was happening with the PlayStation Experience and the market rumours, it seemed all but certain the PS5 was coming and so I’d bug them about it.
Poke the ol’ hornet’s nest so to speak.
And then Central pulled out of of E3 2019.
I didn’t see that as any sort of power-play. I saw that as “We’re winding out of this generation and want to deliver you the most incredible debut we can give in 2020”.
2020 from a marketing level is dreamy. Alliteration sells. Numbers that sound high, but not too high, sell. Something about the years in 2000 SOUND like PlayStation.
So why not rely on your brand’s success in Gen 8 to carry it through? Especially when you have your ace in the hole, THE LAST OF US 2, still to come.
2019 was a nice placard for this fantastic age of gaming we currently live in.
But I honestly think 2020 is going to be some ‘Matrix-code-being-revealed-on-the-walls’ level sh*t.
Send blog.
