So yesterday E3 had its unofficial kick off with conferences from Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft and Activision. As there wasn’t a feed available I didn’t watch the Activision event, the fact that it was at 5am may have contributed as well, but I managed to catch most of the three other conferences. Whilst EA was actually a very good event that focused on games, both the Microsoft and Ubisoft conferences were pretty weird.
Ok so we know that the Microsoft conference was a little underwhelming, but what was weird about it? Well for a start the ESPN skit that led into their section was pretty odd. The guys from ESPN were probably the best presenters once they got onto stage, but it just seemed a very odd way to introduce them. Beyond that there were the presenter choices. I know these guys are trying to sell a product to journalists and consumers, but do they have to be so happy to do it? It felt like they’d all be dosed up with something before they came on stage.
However, whilst Microsoft felt a little weird in places, it paled in comparison to the insanity that was the Ubisoft conference. Whilst I only got the last thirty minutes or so, I’m informed that bits of it felt like a ‘bad acid trip’ accompanied with questions like ‘How is this a game?’, ‘Why is his suit so shiny?’ and ‘Why are people dancing to Michael Jackson? Is this a game? The conference is over? What? Has someone put something in my drink?’.
The Michael Jackson quote is pretty much my instant reaction to the last ten minutes of the conference where Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot announced that they had signed a deal with a ‘legend’ to produce a game of some sort, a Michael Jackson logo was shown on screen and then a group of street dancers came out and danced. By this point I wasn’t actually sure if I was still watching a press conference or if someone had hijacked the stream. In fact, it was so weird that, combined with my sleep deprivation, I spent the next ten minutes giggling like a maniac.
Of course, last night wasn’t alone, games companies are often bizarre. Remember Kudo and ‘BAM!’ last year? Anyway let’s keep it simple, what are you recollections of crazy press events? Let us know.
nofi
Nintendo last year was pretty terrible. Crazy? Not really, but pretty poor.
And then, of course, there’s /that/ Sony one… :/
shields_t
Was that the one with the Wii band on stage? I think it may have been ’08, that was pretty odd.
Jones81
Maybe they’ll include a free sheet of acid with copies of the game, might help in the fight against the pre-owned market
TSBonyman
I didn’t get why ubisoft chose a comedian ( who i’ve barely seen on anything since whose line..) instead of one of their own, someone who would know what they were talking about and indeed give that impression too.
Winkle
I think a lot of the trouble is most people who are watching these conferences live are hardcore gamers and we expect to be shown games funny enough. Not fitness or shovelware even though these products will probably sell by the bucket load!
bunimomike
That, good sir, sums up the entire situation we have. It almost feels like E3 should become the casual gamers exhibition and TGC (sp?) and GDC should cover our more serious needs.
KeRaSh
TGS? Tokyo Games Show, right?
Raen
I don’t even mind the casual stuff, it was just the weirdness. Ubi was insane, I think sleep deprivation didn’t help much.
YOURMUMANDME
I kinda thought that all the Sony staff looked Knackered last year, the guy that showed Move looked like he’d been on the lash all night and had just got out of bed walked on stage. I’m sure he even had an ollie !
Which I guess isn’t bizarre but when you seen everyone else…..
newsky87
EA’s conference was the business. They came on, said they would show us 10 games, and that’s exactly what they did. Simple and effective, and some bloody impressive games shown off as well! I thought the Ubi conference was pretty funny in places. The “Ubisoft White Cubes (from France)” made me LOL. But it was worth it for the AC Brotherhood demo which was great, the new Driver looks interesting too. I just hope Sony don’t dedicate as much time to Move as MS did to Natal or we’re in for another borefest tonight.
proog
I didn’t even understand that the Michael Jackson thing was going to be a game. After Yves Guillemot spent a year talking about how technology could perhaps teach you to do the things that they would show others do what technology could help you do, I didn’t have a clue what it was supposed to mean. EA’s conference was good, but I still found it to be a little too focused on the Active 2 “game”. ALRIGHT, IT’S FITNESS, WE GET IT.
cc_star
Last year, Microsoft wheeling out Macca & Ringo, the 2 money grabbing whores making a mockery of The Beatles name
But that was nothing to Ubisoft’s Michael Jackson antics last night night, WTF?