I’ve been a Microsoft fan all my life. I’ve never owned a Sony console and have been a loyal Xbox and Xbox 360 owner throughout the years. Thus, I went into E3 eager to hear what the company had in store for us. My allegiance had been tested quite a bit, what with the botched reveal on May 21st that showed just how little us loyal fans were cared for. Between the DRM stuff, the always-on issue, the used game market debacle and everything else, Microsoft was really rubbing us the wrong way.
But then E3 happened and though the $499 price tag is a bit upsetting, and our concerns about the above mentioned issues still aren’t resolved, I’ll be the first to admit that the company has some pretty impressive games on the way. They also have managed to secure some very exciting exclusives. And let’s be honest, when it comes down to it, you buy a console for its games. That’s what these consoles are primarily designed for, the games.
Microsoft’s showcase quickly eased my concerns of DRM and how I’m going to purchase used games. Instead, my focus was shifted towards titles like Titanfall, Project Spark and Ryse. Of course, there’s also Halo 5, Dead Rising 3, Quantum Break…the list goes on. What really pushed me back onto Microsoft’s side of the fence was their games, most notably, their exclusives.
There’s just so much to look forward to and I simply can’t help but to feel excited again about the Xbox One, despite flirting with Sony’s camp after hearing all that nasty stuff that Microsoft was saying about how they plan to deal with DRM, the always-on Kinect issues, the region lock etc. Sure, I’m not happy about that, and I still can’t help but to feel like it’s a bit of a slap in the face to us, the gamers, but still, their slate of upcoming titles are hard to ignore.
Now, in no way am I downplaying Sony. I’ll be the first to admit that the PlayStation 4 is a great system, and the lower price tag definitely makes it an appealing purchase. Plus, with the lack of Microsoft’s DRM policies and all that other BS, Sony’s offering is looking more and more impressive by the day. And then when you throw in some killer exclusives like inFamous: Second Son and Killzone: Shadow Fall, among others, you have a really stellar console.
For me, the problem with Sony, at E3 at least, was that their presentation damn near put me to sleep. So much of it was focused around things that I think most of us gamers just don’t care about. All that stuff about movies and media and apps, who cares? Not I. Yea, I’m a huge film buff, but I’m not buying a PlayStation 4 for those reasons. Focus on what matters, Sony. There’s also the fact that their hardware seriously looks like a VCR. I mean, come on, that is one ugly piece of machinery.
Still, it’s hard to overlook the significance of Sony’s welcome policies for used games and online connectivity, something that scored them a lot of points with me. There’s also one title they have that has me very, very interested, more so than the other exclusives. And that is Knack. I don’t know what it is about that game but I simply cannot wait to get my hands on it. Plus, the last portion of their press conference did pick up quite a bit and the games that were demoed were very impressive.
Finally, we come to the Big N, or should I say the Little N, as they didn’t hold their own press conference this year, opting for a Nintendo Direct session instead. I know many people were excited by Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros., Super Mario 3D World and all the other first party releases they announced, but I still lack confidence in the Wii U. The support from developers just isn’t there and their library of games doesn’t really do much for me. I’m a hardcore gamer and while I appreciate Reggie and co.’s attempt to please people like me by offering more Zelda titles and whatnot, I’m still not on board. Never have been and probably never will be. Sorry, Reggie.
- Microsoft
- Sony
- Nintendo
So there you have it, our picks for who won E3 2013. Tell us, who won in your mind?
