E3 is just one short month away. In a pivotal year for the industry, new products will be extremely important to help spur sales and bring back positive momentum. Games and hardware alike, both known and unknown, are being readied for debut.
The SideQuesting team members have put our differences aside (Yankees vs Tigers!) and have made our predictions for E3 announcements. In the lists you’ll find a few obvious ones and a few megatons, and even a couple “WTF” moments scattered throughout.
In order to make things really interesting, however, we’ve decided to make it into a bit of a competition amongst ourselves. Each correct prediction gets a point. Each “kinda correct” prediction gets a half-point. Each wrong prediction subtracts a point. At the end of E3 week, we’ll tally up the points and the SideQuester with the most will win bragging rights for a year, as well as a SQ t-shirt of their choosing.
We’ll post a few each day this week. So without further ado, we bring you Nathan & Doug’s E3 predictions.
Microsoft
– Big push for Natal, obviously
– XBox360 Slim: BluRay option, 3D HD optionNintendo
– Wii HD (Possible BluRay option, but that might be a stretch) with Netflix HD streaming built-in (rather than a disc)Technology
– 3D tech: Judging by the clamor at CES, I’m going to say that 3D output is going to be the catch-all for the week. Many of the major display manufacturers are streeting 3D hardware already, and just about all of them have at least one 3D offering planned for before the Christmas rush (half of them buy their panels from Samsung, anyway, amirite?).
Microsoft
– Natal to be “less” exciting after more extensive showcase at E3, nothing “core” will be shown
– New bundle at $299 price point with Natal and Core 360 (no HDD)
– MS will not go 3D, as it is still very cost-prohibitive (special TV, glasses). The 360 may not be technically capable of 3D that can match the PS3’s quality. Plus, the 360 can’t play 3D movies, which is a point in Sony’s direction.Sony
– Move to be “more” exciting than initially thought, may show better than Natal at this years E3, and “win” in that respect
– Sony will be only maker pushing 3D on the console, will see PS3-branded glasses w/ integration with other Sony products, (auto turn on and off when 3D capable blue ray is put in PS3 and similar Bravia line)
– Will have a 3D bundle option with glasses, separate from “Move” bundle
– Sony will have same pricing problems with the PS3+Move that we saw with PSPgo last yearNintendo
– They will bring the 3DS out at aggressive price point (if they declare price)
– We will see Zelda playable and Pikmin 3 will be touched on in some way shape or form
– They will announce a unique launch title for 3DS with a franchise that seems unexpected
– Nintendo will get serious about online offerings for the 3DS, possibly with an app store approach (recently, Iwata took aim directly at Apple as future competition)
– Unexpected media playback features to be included in 3DS, may get into content business with movies/shows
– The Vitality Sensor will be exactly as expected: Expanded audience
– Nintendo will not say anything about “Wii 2”, as their opinion is that the current Wii still has lots of lifePC Gaming
– This may not come directly from E3, but we are going to see the Mac be considered seriously soon
– Totally wishful thinking, but… Steam client on LinuxIndividual Publishers
– The Bungie team will unveil their new project w/ Activision
– The COD well may be dry, and with Treyarch up to bat next it may be “meh” at the sho
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