While press conferences can be somewhat spectacular or at other times glib and meaningless, this year 2010 was a relatively nice mix at E3. While sony pushed ahead to get the word out in the normal conference manner, Nintendo showed off it's latest title the newest Zelda game, and Microsoft showed off it's new toy the Kinetic. This made for a very interesting 2010 E3.
Which was the best E3 conference for 2010?
Amongst these conferences the best would be hard to choose, because they all varied considerably. While nintendos E3 conference was some what dull, it carried with it news of the 3DS. News of the 3DS makes it highly relevent, at least to me. Then there was Sonys bland E3 conference, and yet the technoloies they both displayed where also among the best. When thinking in terms of conferences, E3 was over all very fruitful this year.
The Sony and Nintendo conferences stood out as practical E3 conferences, but if you where going to the movies, then Microsoft wins the spotlight. Microsofts E3 conference was the most artistic, and attractive amongst the conferences at E3 this year 2010. Perhaps there wasn't enough information on the Kinetic at Microsofts conference, but this didn't stop them from show boating not even a little bit. Microsofts E3 conference was more like a carnial ride then a conference.
A closer look at Microsofts E3 conference 2010.
Microsofts conference started out with a bang, as people entered the conference area they where handed white robes, this to make them feel as if they where in their own homes. Wearing their robes looking up you could see several large screens, and native dressed people with a couch hanging from the ceiling.
While the people danced around, a boy comes center stage to a series of rocks, and while looking at a series of projector slides, the boy plays some Xbox games. As each slide rolls up and the boy climbs to the next rock, the games advance progressively from oldest to newest, and finally they unveiled the Kinetic at the last slide. While the boy puts away his controller and looking at his own image asks "Who are you".
The kinetic released at the 2010 E3 conference.
The letters that make up Kinetic appear scrambled on the back drop, and the excitment ensues as the letters descramble, and appear on the backdrop. The crowd sighs in awe, and the last slide rises away. The boy now standing on a ball covered with a green X, rises up to a suspended stage in the air. Here in the air he is met by his family, where they all enjoy some games.
What they played during the 2010 E3 conference.
First they play some racing then the stage begins to rotate upside down, then back again. While the people remain suspended in air as if connected to the couch, and as the stage reaches the turning point, completely upside down a young girl walks across the stage. The family plays some more games ranging from techno dancing, to star wars, and finally the boys sister starts chatting on the social networks. Using nothing but her arm to manipulate the menu driven console she has a video conference with people from all over the world. After this and some yoga the scene ends and smoke flares up.
The end of the 2010 E3 conference.
That was the end of it, but it will surely be remembered. Perhaps not for the Kinetic unfortunately, but for the shock and awe effect of the whole display. By far this was the best conference in terms of entertainment, but did they get enough information out about the Kinetic? or did they just hope the audience would buy it because they liked the display?
While much of a press conference is marketing, and it's suppose to be about marketing, and displaying your new technology, would you rate the Kinetic high, simply because it had the highest budget marketing campaign at E3 this year 2010? I wouldn't, but then maybe that's just me.
So which E3 2010 conference was the best?
In the end the best conference is up for debate, there are many weighing factors and it would be improper to put these rivals up against each other. The score board would vary too greatly, from one E3 conference to another. While Microsofts showboating would earn them the title of most entertaining, Nintendos 3DS technology would render them the greatest press release, and Sony stands somewhere in between. It's very hard to gauge the true response to sony's campaign, because it was primarily based on 3D, and those who weren't at the conference couldn't possible imagine, what it felt like wearing those glasses. all in all I give it a three way tie.
