Microsoft plays it safe at Xbox 360 E3 briefing

Despite big name titles, Microsoft failed to capture the imagination of E3 attendees at its media briefing. Is it their turn to learn you don't stay at the top by standing pat?

Garnett Lee

June 6, 2011 3:30 PM

Last year Microsoft put on two pre-E3 press shows--their usual 360 briefing, and the dramatic Cirque du Soleil produced Kinect debut. We knew the two would merge into one this year, but few would have predicted that Kinect would dominate the spotlight in its first year sharing the stage. But that's exactly what happened. In a program bookended by two legendary shooter franchises--Modern Warfare to open the proceedings, Halo to close--Kinect dominated the post-show conversation. It seemed to be part of nearly everything else. At one point I realized I couldn't recall how long I'd been watching games demoed on stage without seeing a controller. Kinectapalooza got really going with Microsoft showing some of its answers for how the system works with more serious games. Voice control seems to be the entry level for many games. Speaking the dialog options in Mass Effect 3 hints at the potential for interaction in role playing and other story-driven experiences. But my experience points to potential pitfalls using voice commands to issue teammate orders, or call audibles at the line in Madden. In the heat of battle, I need to know my squad is going exactly where I need them to and so far sticks and buttons have been the only setup precise enough for that. And let's be honest, I get excited enough playing Madden as it stands, the last thing anyone needs to hear is me yelling plays at the TV in the middle of the night.

Talk is great for conversations but when the bullets fly will it work as well?

Gesture controls were up next with a demonstration of gun modding in Future Soldier using only hand motions. Clever, but the most useful thing I saw was the ability to tell the game which of my builds to use by speaking their name, like "loud setup" or "long-range setup." Watching the convenience of navigating TV and media with Kinect in the next segment of the show it was easy to see how the designers made the jump to doing the same thing in games. The difference, though, is that when I'm playing a game, I'm already holding a controller. Not to be overlooked was the "proof" put on the stage that Kinect can do a couple things people have been asking about. The Fable: The Journey demo started with the person playing the game comfortably sitting on a couch like you or I might have in our den. This worked fine while he was virtually driving a wagon but when the action heated up, he had to stand up to keep up with the action. And with Kinect Fun Labs Microsoft shows some progress on promises like the elusive finger tracking capabilities. But these tricks still take the form of tech demos, not real tools being used in games.

Cliff and Ice-T

As ordinary as these Kinect features sound, the sequel-heavy software lineup couldn't muster enough umph to overcome them. That definitely counts as the surprise of the morning. Blockbuster names had their time with a brand new Modern Warfare 3 demo at the start, Cliff and Ice-T playing Gears 3 in the middle, and the reveal of Halo 4 at the end. In contrast to the innovative atmosphere of Kinect, they felt like aging superstars. Accentuating that sense was the lack of new blood on display. Where are the Halos and Gears of the future? Without the promise of new games, the standards felt all the more like grasping attempts to hold on to former glory. The trailer for Ryse, the Kinect-controlled game that lets players become Roman centurions, held some promise, but the highly produced video left many questions how it would be to play. And compared to grandeur with which designer Peter Molyneux the last installment of Fable, watching a character driving a cart only left me wondering if I'd be taking my vegetable harvest to market at some point in the game. After working so hard to establish its place in the videogame world, and earning the accolades to prove it, Microsoft appears to have fallen prey to the very same false sense of security that left its competitors Sony and Nintendo open to a challenge in the first place. No tease of an exciting new Xbox to come in the future, no new games that brimming with creativity that demand attention, heck, not even a price drop. After clawing its way to the top, it could be Microsoft's turn to learn that you don't stay there by standing pat.

Garnett Lee

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E3 2011

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Shacknews

 reply
June 6, 2011 3:30 PM

Garnett Lee posted a new article, Microsoft plays it safe at Xbox 360 E3 briefing.

Despite big name titles, Microsoft failed to capture the imagination of E3 attendees at its media briefing. Is it their turn to learn you don't stay at the top by standing pat?
- Utukku
  
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  June 6, 2011 3:34 PM
  
  Great, so instead of chilling on the couch, every decent game coming out is going to require me to dance like a retarded monkey in front of my TV. Thanks Microsoft!
  - purekillforce
    
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    June 7, 2011 2:58 AM
    
    none of them looked decent. and stuff like ghost recon you will be able to do the same with the controller.
- InfernoAblaze
  
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  June 6, 2011 3:44 PM
  
  Totally agree, I don't think Microsoft is stupid and most people don't either and that's why a lot of people thought that Microsoft would announce some new IP's due to they’re obvious lack of. It's sad and very disappointing for people who gave the Xbox 360 a chance and took it as a serious gaming machine to be let down like this when it comes to actual video games. I seriously hope Nintendo comes out with something really exciting and I think they were really smart in not committing to a 10 year console cycle.
- MHSilver
  
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  June 6, 2011 3:46 PM
  
  I think they're taking the approach that worked for Halo and Gears of War. Wait until the launch of a new platform, when there's little to no competition in the marketplace to launch a new property.
  
  That way, even if the experience takes some time to get rolling in the public consciousness (Halo) or is pretty bare bones (the original Gears), it still has a chance to prove it's worth based on new ideas.
  
  If they launched a new property now, it would get crushed by the CoDs, Assassin's Creeds, and Uncharted's of the world.
- Wray77
  
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  June 6, 2011 3:50 PM
  
  No sense dropping price when they're atop the NPD charts. That can be saved to provide a spike in demand. Ironic that you say they're standing still, but their games make you flail around. I'd say they're guilty of not giving their full attention to the people that put them in the position they're in. Still there are more than enough games for me when you include 3rd party. Disappointment seems to be the hardcore majority's sentiment. We'll see if MS can hear it over the noise they hope to create in the casual market.
- Runnermatt
  
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  June 6, 2011 3:53 PM
  
  I had a similar thought of 'Wow, microsoft is really being arrogant'. Not in an evil way, mind you but in a "our console is selling great so we don't have to push the limits". This is a big change from the early days of MS.
- Gentlegamer
  
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  June 6, 2011 3:56 PM
  
  My take away: with the Kinect, you can turn your Xbox into the OnRailsBox.
  
  *fist bump*
- sticktastic
  
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  June 6, 2011 3:56 PM
  
  Hey guys, check out our new kinect lineup
  
  GameOnRails!
  
  Check out our other games coming out!
  
  GameOnRails 2!
  GameOnRails 3!
  
  Jesus fucking christ....
  
  Im all for technology advancement etc...but the shit they are doing is embarressing. Why cant someone in a position of power in a gaming company simple say "this concept is cool...and we have the technology to do it...but maybe we should hold off a couple years until we can put out some games where we can really get the player involved"
  
  This waving your hands around and "light saber!" yelling is fucking dumb when its all your bringing to the table as far as gameplay.....
  
  Sorry Im just so disaapointed in this E3 so far....with the exception of skyrim and BF3 I totally dont give a fuck about anything else Ive seen today. I hope Im not in the minority, and that a large number of gamers are in my camp.
  - InfernoAblaze
    
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    June 6, 2011 4:06 PM
    
    Did you see Far Cry 3 or Mass Effect 3? Note the 3's, I wouldn't be surprised if MS doesn't turn to the hardcore until their next launch, until then they're happy to pay Activision for early map packs rather than launch a new IP that can take on the likes of Uncharted. I've been so close to buying a PS3 just because of its IP's, I always thought that hay MS is still new to the game they'll come out with something but now... Looks like I'll be getting the new Nintendo since Sony doesn't even bother to encrypt details of its users.
- jbug617
  
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  June 6, 2011 3:59 PM
  
  I guess you can argue that Microsoft is the one who is always innovating when it comes to entertainment features to home consoles. I wished they would of talked about XBLA because XBLA has been great this year with the exclusives.
  
  Also Microsoft really never had a great 1st party and they always depended on 3rd party and exclusive DLC. Even now when Sony is the one with exclusive content, the 360 version most of the time still outsell the PS3 version.
  - thebigbeefsandwich
    
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    June 6, 2011 4:30 PM
    
    XBLA is great but it would kind of ridiculous to headline it. They should be coming up with retail IP as interesting as Summer of Arcade, in a perfect world.
- threeup
  
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  June 6, 2011 3:59 PM
  
  Honestly I'm only disappointed in Lionhead. Crytek has a new IP for xbox, we knew epic was making gears, we knew 343 -> halo, we knew turn10 -> forza4 , i'm not sure where this new IP is supposed to come from? Insomniac has a new IP, Bungie should have a new IP but I dont know who in MS has the capacity.
  - threeup
    
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    June 6, 2011 4:09 PM
    
    actually i am disappointed in radical for making prototype 2, it seems unnecessary, i can just play the first one.
  - InfernoAblaze
    
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    June 6, 2011 4:10 PM
    
    Rare? What have they been working on? Even Viva Pinata for Kinect would have been something.
    - threeup
      
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      June 6, 2011 4:15 PM
      
      rare is on kinect sports, while isn't exciting, could be an easy sell to many consumers.
      - Carnivac
        
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        June 6, 2011 7:10 PM
        
        They actually said it was Big Park (Joy Ride devs) had been working on Kinect Sports 2, although it seems while working closely with Rare. Apparently Rare have been doing a lot of behind the scenes Kinect work on the voice support etc.
- halokitty343
  
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  June 6, 2011 4:05 PM
  
  As a core 360 user and huge Halo nerd, who also owns Kinect (though doesn't use it much yet), the show delivered everything I could ask for. More Halo and the promise of further evolving what Kinect can do for the core gamer. I had no issues with it at all.
  
  Dismiss Halo if you will, but there's about 4 million of us who will suck dry any Halo shooter they put before us, and as long as it does 4 million units plus (and as of now, it's still tracking toward 10 million for Reach), I will keep getting my fix, and I will keep paying for Live and buying the next console.
  
  i like my PS3, I download from Steam, I play my casual games. But Halo and Live are like my lifeblood.
  - Thresher
    
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    June 6, 2011 7:13 PM
    
    I'm there with you, but one or two games don't really make for an action packed rollout. Especially when one of them is a year and a half off.
  - purekillforce
    
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    June 7, 2011 3:05 AM
    
    the kinect games were poor on-rails games. Nothing exciting, nothing worth buying a kinect for. Same for the kinect features in forza4 etc. Can do the same things with a pad, not worht buying a kinect for.
    
    Gears3 - great, Day1 buy. love the series. But i knew about it ages ago, not an exciting thing for e3.
    Halo4 - it was always coming. It's still 18months off without any delays. Not going to get hyped yet over a 15second video.
    Halo1 remake - looked good. didn't play the first so i will probably pick it up, but again, it had been rumored for a while.
    
    E3 presentation was pretty dull. But i guess they showed what they could. I still enjoy my xbox.
- hanged_man
  
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  June 6, 2011 5:25 PM
  
  did they show Star Wars Kinect ?
  - kikilupo
    
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    June 6, 2011 5:29 PM
    
    yes, it looked terribad
  - Madwacker
    
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    June 6, 2011 5:29 PM
    
    Yes
  - riptyde
    
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    June 6, 2011 7:20 PM
    
    Yes and it looks like crap
  - Degenerate
    
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    June 7, 2011 7:19 AM
    
    Yes and it looks riptydes favorite game
- SOTGAce
  
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  June 6, 2011 7:07 PM
  
  We know Garnett Lee prefers the PS3 so I'm not surprised by his review of Microsoft's presentation.
  - theWhite
    
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    June 6, 2011 7:17 PM
    
    fanboi RAAAAAAAGE!!!!!!
    - SOTGAce
      
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      June 7, 2011 11:05 AM
      
      Because I own a PS3? I want to hear about what Microsoft is bringing to the table and not how safe someone feels they were. If anyone is a fanboi (sp?) then that would be you and Mr. Lee.
- Thresher
  
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  June 6, 2011 7:11 PM
  
  If I actually wanted to move, I'd go outside.
- Pettytheft
  
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  June 6, 2011 7:16 PM
  
  It's kind of a lull in action before the next console release which we'll learn more of next year. Why hint at anything big in the near future and make people ignore what you have coming out? Sony didn't come up with anything huge either, we are all just waiting to see the next Nintendo. It's the end of the life cycle of the consoles we have, it will take a lot to wow us.
  - purekillforce
    
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    June 7, 2011 3:06 AM
    
    Vita looks awesome. Don't own a PS3 and don't intend to, but i watched the conference for the Vita stuff.
- opengl128
  
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  June 6, 2011 7:35 PM
  
  XBL cloud storage and remote profile login, isn't that pretty huge?
  
  http://majornelson.com/2011/06/06/cloud-storage-and-more-coming-to-xbox-live/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MajorNelson+%28Major+Nelson+%28Xbox%29%29
  - Haxim
    
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    June 7, 2011 7:18 AM
    
    That and the beacon thing are pretty huge and cool. Maybe they should've mentioned them in the damn E3 briefing.
- apocreg
  
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  June 7, 2011 2:36 AM
  
  Leave Pat alone :-)
- Voradors
  
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  June 7, 2011 7:09 AM
  
  Honestly E3 in general was disappointing (sorry, counting out Nintendo already after last year). But i am definitely glad that neither MS or Sony even hinted at a new console. Kind of surprised the author is counting that against them.........
  No new games is a bit disappointing....but not entirely surprising. Wont see alot of daring new ventures while the economy is hurting...
- MatthewPhillips
  
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  June 7, 2011 7:17 AM
  
  No Alan Wake 2 w/ Kinect-support news makes me :(
  - baron calamity
    
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    June 7, 2011 7:34 AM
    
    Thank goodness they didn't announce another game kinect support.
  - Haxim
    
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    June 7, 2011 7:40 AM
    
    I was hoping for an exclusive kinect-only LA noire case so I could rotate a bunch of empty beer bottles and hairbrushes without a controller.