I have mixed feelings about E3 2015. There was some great stuff that was shown and some awesome games Iโm excited about — but overall, this yearโs E3 didnโt leave me with the same sense of excitement and wonder Iโm used to feeling during the yearโs biggest week in video games.
E3 2015 seemed to be one of the most awkward E3s Iโve ever seen. Between EAโs 10-minute conversation with Pele, Aisha Tyler demonstrating she didnโt know how memes work or Square Enixโs entire presentation, these awkward moments seemed to permeate throughout the conference. Due to this, I spent a good deal of time shaking my head in embarrassment rather than clapping my hands in excitement.
One of the other major themes I noticed during E3 2015 was the emphasis on remakes and nostalgia. I think itโs awesome that FFVIIย is getting a proper remake — and Iโm hopeful that the Gears of War games get the next-gen treatment they deserve — but I need more than an updated trip down memory lane to keep me excited. E3 is supposed to be a place where the future of gaming is revealed with new IPs or fresh ideas added in sequels; it feels wrong to keep pulling out old games from the vault and presenting them at E3 as part of the โfuture of gaming.โ Donโt get me wrong: Iโm completely cool with remakes and โre-mastered editionsโ of games; I was just not a fan of them taking center stage at E3.
On the positive side, I did notice a strong push for diversity in this yearโs show and it did not feel like a bro-fest. It really feels like the gaming community is finally starting to come together, which is awesome.
Now, onto the conferences!
Bethesda
They killed it! I found it hard to believe that was their first ever E3 showcase. Bethesdaโs showing was one of the most polished conferences at E3 2015 and was a great way to kick off the week. Fallout 4 is obviously a big deal, and Bethesda set the stage that it is going to deliver and innovate in ways no one was expecting. Too bad all the other conferences couldnโt capitalize on the momentum Bethesda created.
Microsoft
Microsoftโs show was decent. Iโm excited to see the potential of HoloLens, but a part of me is having Kinect flashbacks where the product showcased at E3 was nowhere near the final product. I think the first generation of HoloLens wonโt be as great as we want it to be — but by the second or third generation (if it lasts that long), itโll be a cool product worth having. Otherwise, the Microsoft show was very โmeh.โ We all knew about Gears of War and Halo, so those lacked any real โWOWโ power. Iโm not sure why they dropped a Ford GT from the ceiling for Forza; it seemed like a waste of time and effort. The one new IP Iโm excited to hear more about is ReCore. I wish they spent more time talking about their new IP than giving us a history lesson on the Ford GT. I also find it very difficult to be super excited for backwards compatibility. The entire premise basically follows a โyou donโt have to pay for things you already paid forโ model. So . . . yay? This feature should have also been there since Day One, so Iโm happy itโs finally happening. Good on Microsoft.
Electronic Arts
EA was all over the place. The show had no pacing or continuity. It kicked off with Mass Effect 4, which I was super excited about . . . because letโs face it, Iโm a Mass Effect fan boy. From there, EAโs conference went from Star Wars, to sports, to mobile, back to sports, then back to Star Wars — with some other stuff peppered in between. I will say that EA stole the show with Unravel. That game looked amazing. It seems to be EAโs response to Little Big Planet, and Iโm perfectly okay with that.
Ubisoft
Ubisoftโs presser was pretty entertaining. I enjoyed Aisha Tylerโs performances and how she directed the show from point to point. Ubisoftโs reveal of the next Ghost Recon was incredible. Iโve got to hand it to Ubi on that front; their reveals are always pretty awesome. In the same breath, Ubi also killed any excitement I had for The Division. Their emphasis on โanyone can (and probably will) betray you at any momentโ is not something Iโm fond of. A game that encourages that level of underhandedness will likely have a very toxic community, and I imagine that Ubisoft is going to have its work cut out for them trying to manage the chaos theyโve created. I loved South Park: Stick of Truth, so Iโm super stoked for The Fractured But Whole. Even the new Assassin’s Creed has a bit of modern flair to it, which Iโm interested in.
Sony
What a show. Sony isย probably going to be declared yet again the โwinnerโ of E3. Sony knows exactly how to appeal to the gamer in all of us — going all in, no-holds-barred during E3. Opening with The Last Guardian was a great way to kick things off. Even though I hadnโt followed the game much since its initial announcement, I could feel the energy from the crowd when they were showing the demo. I honestly donโt know which the crowd was more excited about: FFVII, The Last Guardian, or Shenmue III. I was very happy to see some of the new IPs Sony showcased, especially Horizon Zero Dawn. While I do think a good chunk of Sonyโs press conference was dedicated to nostalgia, they did have some new stuff to keep me entertained and interested.
Nintendo
Oh, Nintendo. I really donโt know what to say about this one other than โnext yearโs show is probably going to be amazing.โ Seriously though, what was up with those puppets? Why are we getting all these weird spin-off type games? Whatโs this mysterious new console youโre hinting at? Nintendo really dropped the ball this year, but I think thatโs because they really didnโt have much to show. Without a doubt, though, Iโm positive Nintendo will knock out of the park next year.
Square Enix
Why? Why oh why, Square Enix? What happened? This was the most awkward presentation I think Iโve ever seen. Why did you put a boring corporate narrator in the Just Cause trailer? Why did you preface Kingdom Hearts 3 with a mobile game? Why was that one guy wearing a mask? I have so many questions! Despite all the awkwardness, there were some promising things to look forward to. Iโm really stoked to get my hands on the next Deus Ex, and I know several people are excited for Kingdom Hearts 3 — so not all was lost.
PC Gaming Show
Lastly, the PC Gaming conference/show/expo/thing. This was the first time anything like this had been done before, which is surprising. PC Gaming has always needed a space at E3, and Iโm happy to see it start to happen. It was an odd mix of stuff. AMD obviously sponsored the event — so naturally, they had a big presence there and even showcased some new video cards. There were announcements made, such as No Manโs Sky coming to PC, and interviews about Steam Early Access. This show has some growing pains to go through — but all in all, I enjoyed it. Although it could have been better, it was entertaining.
All in all, this yearโs E3 was okay. While it was very awkward and nostalgic, it did give us an exciting glimpse into the next couple years of gaming.
Top games Iโm interested in: Mass Effect 4, Fallout 4, Unravel, No Manโs Sky, Horizon Zero Dawn, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Deus Ex, and The Last Guardian.