This is arguably the most anticipated press conference in the history of E3. The fracas that arose in the gaming community about Used Games, Always-On connectivity, and user privacy has been one of the most vocal and violent outpourings of emotion and opinion ever seen in a notably passionate community, and everyone has been waiting with baited breath to see just what Sony is going to do. Well, it’s here, and damn if it didn’t live up to every expectation.
Jack Tretton is quickly gaining a place as the least offensive, most affable, and least awkward executive in the entirety of the interactive entertainment market. He really walks the tightrope between genuine and professional, and is simply full of ease and confidence without shedding an ounce of humility.
You can check out the full version of the Sony E3 2013 Press Conference via their YouTube channel right here.
It’s hard to deny the concepts behind the VITA. It’s a brilliant little console, and Jack does a very good job of reinforcing that and neatly slipped in the VITA’s support of indie developers. But the simple fact remains that it just doesn’t have enough support from any angle to battle the 3DS yet. 85 VITA titles will launch by the end of 2013, including Batman: Arkham Origins, and Killzone Mercenaries but perhaps more importantly HD remasters like God of War I & II, and Final Fantasy X & X2.
Acquiring Telltale’s The Walking Dead is a great boon for the handheld, and the continued support of the PS3 during a tranistion year is certain to assuage the concerns of many Sony owners that aren’t yet ready to make the move to a newer system.
Titles like The Last of Us, Beyond: Two Souls and the enigmatic Rain will bulk up Sony’s Q3 and Q4, and apparently they have friends. 300 PS3 titles will launch before the end of the year.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQpdSVF_k_w&list=PLBD91A2F4DA486E51&index=1&oref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DOQpdSVF_k_w%26list%3DPLBD91A2F4DA486E51%26index%3D1&has_verified=1[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI2Y5gsE0d0[/youtube]
Polyphony Digital is back with Gran Turismo 6, again proving that there is absolutely no one in the world that come close to the visual fidelity and technical brilliance in engine design. Also, apparently adaptive tessellation is a thing that we should all go ahead and look up.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjySmF5IGO8[/youtube]
Batman: Arkham Origins is something of a mixed bag. Rocksteady Studios built a pair of phenomenal titles that single-handedly raised the bar for superhero adaptations while simultaneously resurrecting one of the most mis-handled heroes in gaming. The fact that this title isn’t developed by the fan favorite, and the loss of both Kevin Conroy as Batman (this is apparently still up in the air) and worst of all the confirmation that Mark Hamill will not be voicing the joker is of great concern. Possibly as concerning is that the new Nolan North, Mr Troy Baker, and the old Nolan North, Nolan North, are providing a great deal of the voice-over talent for this title. If the core spirit of the title holds, there is hope.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMmA2ArTqSo[/youtube]
But, Knightfall DLC and the addition of Adam West Batman is almost a game-mover in itself. If they add Adam West voice-overs, I will buy four copies out of sheer joy.
Now, the PS4. Design Detail. Blocky, parallelogram, very clean looking.
TV & Movies Yawn, BUT REDBOX INSTANT as a free service is at least interesting. The dedication for multi-channel multi-media is a tired story, but I suppose it’s one they have to tell to appease certain members of the audience.
Breaking News: Shu Yoshida is a cute old man. That is all. Yoshida announced the following: 30 titles in development, 20 of which will be in the launch window, and 12 of those completely new IPs.
Ready-At-Dawn Studios (The God of War Franchise) presents a new IP: The Order 1886, which turned all of the heads. This was one of the biggest surprises of the show, and I really can’t wait to see gameplay. the Victorian Steampunk horror theme (Note the mention of Whitechapel, of Jack the Ripper fame) and the aesthetic scream badass.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbAhOB-59Ag[/youtube]
Killzone: Shadow Fall looks every bit as good now as it did at the announcement conference, and has now been confirmed as a launch title for the PS4
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeEKbt9SnO0[/youtube]
The Driveclub trailer seemed ill-handled. The title did little past establish it was mid-to-high end racing title and in comparison with GT 6 stunning visuals, it paled in comparison. Driveclub has been confirmed as a launch title for PS4
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX7UOP7rF3w[/youtube]
Infamous: Second Son looks to be more of the same, and that’s a great thing. The game-play looks to be in the same vein, with a slightly darker tone and an interesting major relationship between the titular Second Son and his older brother, and set in a fictional Seattle. Infamous: Second Son has been confirmed for a Q1 2014 launch window.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlNfJvFnzc8[/youtube]
The Dark Sorceror tech demo was impressive, but ultimately less exciting for the fact that we know it’s only a tech demo. Hopefully this is the kind of tech demo that can and will affect the future of the industry. Anything but Milo would be excellent.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqeuHGESZBA[/youtube]
Between Shu and Adam Boyes, we get some very specific highlights a dedication to indie developers, and drops some very specific phrasing about partnering with and not restricting self-publishing of indie developers. Supergiant Games, the powerhouse of indie brilliance that brought us Bastion, Transistor. The title seems to be similar in art-style and nature to Bastion, and that cannot be a bad thing. The music seems to be as unique as its predecessor. Transistor is slated for console debut on the PS4 in 2014.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni02F7l4lAg[/youtube]
This is where the Sony Press Conference started getting nasty. The confirmation of self-publishing rights by indie developers, and the highlighting of specific indie studios that Sony is courting was the first of the body-blows leveled at Microsoft. “They were convinced we wouldn’t bother talking to them, so we put them onstage.” A dozen indie games were showcased, and announced as exclusive console titles for the PS4.
Ouch.
The confirmation of exclusive items in Diablo III is somewhat predictable, but newsworthy.
An exclusive Square Enix announcement, on the other hand, is a Sony fan’s dream come true. But two? Two announcements? Final Fantasty Versus XIII has now been retitled Final Fantasty XV, and has a new home on the PS4.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6jLw1iDCwI[/youtube]
And the long awaited Kingdom Hearts III!
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJFq6xykNrQ[/youtube]
Assassin’s Creed 4 – Just about as pirate-y as possible. Gorgeous fire and water effects abound, and there’s no question in my mind that this will be the title to re-ignite the public’s passion for the franchise.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzdarWf6orA[/youtube]
Watch_Dogs impresses with another phenomenal game-play trailer. This is still the one to watch this holiday season.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPYgXvgS6Ww[/youtube]
Uncanny Valley Lebron Talking to Real Lebron . . . or is it the real Lebron? NBA 2k14.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADfjrh12L38[/youtube]
A huge, out of nowhere surprise, the Elder Scrolls Online with be launching on both consoles as well as PC/MAC. Crossplay between PC and MAC is confirmed, the consoles will not, however, been cross-play in any direction. The ESO Beta will be available first on PS4.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYYdHyTodzc[/youtube]
Another huge bomb is dropped with Mad Max!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCR4Bs5NHn8
Jack Tretton is back. Over 140 games currently in development for the PS4. 100 of these in the first year. 40 of these titles have exclusivity or major exclusive content on the PS4.
Jack Tretton: “We’re equally focused on delivering what gamers want most, without imposing restrictions or devaluing their PS4 purchases. For instance, Playstation 4 won’t impose any new restrictions on the use of [pre-owned games]. We believe in the model that people embrace today with Playstation 3 and continue to demand. When a gamer buys a PS4 game, they have the rights to use that game. They can trade that game in at retail, sell it to another person, lend it to a friend, or keep it forever.
This was met by thunderous applause and a chant of “Sony, Sony, Sony.”
Jack Tretton: “In addition, Playstation 4 games don’t need to be connected online to play. [More cheers and applause]. Or for any type of authentication. If you enjoy playing single-player games offline, PS4 won’t require you to check in periodically. And it won’t stop working if you haven’t authenticated within 24 hours.
(Skip ahead to the 1:56:30 mark to watch this section, it’s worth it).
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmoZAPDV3ew&oref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DDmoZAPDV3ew&has_verified=1[/youtube]
Slipped in amongst all this brutal one-two against Microsoft was a subtle hint that Playstation Plus will now be required for online play, at $5 a month, but with the same brilliant value it currently holds, meaning free games and discounts. Your current membership will apply to the PS4, PS3, and Vita for online play, instant game collection, and #DriveClub as a free title at launch, as well as indie darlings Don’t Starve, Outlast, and The Secret Ponchos.
Bungie’s Destiny looks excellent, all of the polish, gorgeous artwork, and huge, sweeping environments we’ve come to expect. World Gameplay Premiere:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Jx5__c1lY[/youtube]
What’s possibly most surprising is the degree to which it feels like an RPG, a marriage of Halo and Borderlands, with heavy MMO elements and a strong element of co-operational gameplay mechanics.
The partnership with Gaikai seems arcane, but does mean that there will be a lot of PS3, PS4, and VITA titles streamed across the consoles, and will possibly address the concern surrounding the lack of backwards compatibility.
The final coffin nail resounds with an officially established price point of $399 in Holiday 2013.
The degree to which this conference was structured in response to, and targeting Microsoft cannot be overstated. And it was an incredibly effective bit of marketing on their part. The internet exploded in reaction, the PS4 already tops the list in pre-orders on Amazon, and today’s stock reactions for both media giants reflects the situation.
Well played, Sony. Well played.
Be sure to stick around for all of our E3 2013 Content right here at PixelatedGeek.com