[Opinion] An E3 more necessary than ever

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We have already left behind the E3 of 2012 and 2013, two of those video game parties that promised to set the bar very high in terms of enthusiasm and expectation generated. And it was not for less: in one the protagonist was Wii U, the new Nintendo console and in the other it was Playstation 4 and Xbox One that attracted the spotlight.Today, with the three consoles on the market for months, it is strange see how everything is breathed in the environment except that illusion that should be experienced at the beginning of a new generation of consoles with all that that entails: new games, better technical sections, innovative experiences, etc.

For this and for added reasons that have weighed down on consoles such as the excessive price of Wii U, policies, originally draconian towards the user on Xbox One and a shortage of exclusive high-level games at a general level, This year's E3 is once again, for better or for worse, the most anticipated in recent years and, with regard to companies, the most needy. And is that Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, each with its own circumstances and all in improvable situations, they need to generate attraction and make the majority public, beyond the early adopters, want to buy their console at a fair that, despite multiple previous announcements and leaks, aims to be one of the most complete in recent years.

nintendo-e3

Nintendo It is the one that has the advantage in terms of time in the market so, following the logic and attending to the lapidary precedent of Wii, it would be understandable that it would be at the head, and without too many complications, in the sales tables. So a outdated hardware, a proposal that have failed to differentiate or make the public attractive that made Wii one of the best-selling consoles in history and, above all, the shortage of Nintendo's main capital, its games, make Wii U worse off than Gamecube ever was, the famous Big N commercial failure.

This year, again, the brand chaired by Satoru Iwata is backing the video presentation, in true Nintendo Direct style, as they did last year. Curious that, when they need to generate more interest and excitement, they ignore the repercussions of a great live conference. Be that as it may, the presentation of a new The Legend of Zelda borders on the mandatory and it is in all the pools beyond the rest of surprises that the company offers: new Metroid? The return of StarFox? Miyamoto working on a new IP? Retro Studios to the rescue? By studies, trajectory and number of intellectual properties, of course, it will not be. It remains to be seen if Nintendo really trusts Wii U and proves it. On the other hand, it is clear that support for 3DS will continue to be as excellent as the last couple of years, offering a more than remarkable catalog.

Microsoft

Microsoft, on the other hand, arrives at E3 after a few somewhat controversial weeks. After the fierce and massive criticism after the official announcement of Xbox One, the Redmond company backed down on all those policies questioned by its excessively tax collection and draconian look and, dismissal or resignation through, Don Mattrick, visible head of the Xbox division, jumped ship. Now, just a few days ago, Phil Spencer, new head of the division, announced the decision to remove Kinect (the once fundamental and inseparable part of the Xbox experience) giving, again, backwards with respect to its philosophy.

In addition to this, in the time spent with Phil Spencer at the helm, the players have been fortunate to see that the division chief bets on video games as the main core over other social and multimedia content. Known are their promises of an E3 that will deal with "games, games and more games" and of which they have already lightened their load by officially announcing Halo 5: Guardians and Forza Horizon 2, not exactly minor games. Microsoft is dangerously far from Playstation 4 in market figures so it also needs to revitalize its console sales. The first step, the € 100 discount to match prices, it is given; now we need what matters to all of us: "games, games and more games." In addition to setting dates for Fable Legends, Quantum Break and Sunset Overdrive, taking a look at the new Gears of War and, hopefully, being able to see some new IP, would be a more than notable (and necessary) push. Will they remember the Japanese public?

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Finally, in better but not optimal form, comes Sony with Playstation 4 and PS Vita. This second has been largely ignoring it and for a couple of years when it has been most lacking with what hopes of great support from the Japanese brand are quite scarce beyond certain titles cross buy and a new string of small independent works.

Playstation 4, meanwhile, is the best-selling new generation console so far thanks to the best hardware power / price ratio of the three. But it certainly is the console that is further behind if we talk about exclusive titles which are the ones who, after all, are there to unbalance the balance in pursuit of one brand or another. Knack and Killzone: Shadow Fall, it has become clear, are mere mediocrities that are far from great exclusive intellectual properties of the company such as God of War or Uncharted. Logic says that we will be able to know something more about this last one and its fourth installment but little else we know about what the future holds for owners of Ps4. The Order: 1886 and Driveclub, which should have arrived more than half a year ago, will be there in the final stretch of the year. But if you look at the competition, it becomes clear that Sony needs to add more troops to a catalog too scrawny at the moment. Will you see the new in Santa Monica? Will From Software's rumored Project Beast be a reality?

In short, since the long-awaited new generation stepped onto the streets, the predominant sensation is that of a scarcity of exclusive and eye-catching titles, the abuse of intergenerational development and the outright exploitation of that technical potential that was promised to us. That moment of the year is approaching, scratching the summer, in which it is time to be a child again, to get excited again and to live with enthusiasm the news of the world. E3 is coming, please be excited.


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