When’s It Happening?
Monday June 6, 5:30pm. Be sure to check out our JOE LIVE tracker as and when the event unfolds.
Why Should I Care?
Good question. Unlike Nintendo and Sony, Microsoft doesn’t have a brand new console to show off, so we shouldn’t expect it to be on a par with the expected Wii 2/Project Café or PSP 2/PS Vita reveal.
On the other hand, so little is known about Microsoft’s plans for the rest of the year, not to mention the future of Kinect, that potentially no other major press conference will see as many world exclusive reveals than this. This has been an unusually watertight operation from the corporation, with no major pre-event leaks whatsoever.
After last year’s bizarre Cirque de Soleil-starring Kinect event and casual gamer-heavy conference, we’ll be getting a much keener sense of Microsoft’s future direction and in particular, its plans for the hands-free motion sensor.
Will they launch a core gamer-targeting Kinect title (a spin-off of Gears of War has been mooted) or are instead they readying Kinect Sports 2 and Dance Central 2? Luckily, it won’t be long until we find out.
What Should I Look Out For?
Gears of War 3 – Initially set for a late 2010 release, then delayed until April 2011 and finally announced for a September launch this year, all signs are pointing towards Gears 3 being the finest in wunderkind Cliff Bleszinkski’s revolutionary cover-based shooter series.
Though many of us were slightly disappointed by the derivative Gears of War 2 sequel, which opted to replace the original’s ruined cityscapes with underground battles, this year’s trilogy closer is offering Waterworld-style flooded environs, four-player co-op and a ‘Beast Mode’ that should resemble Dead Space 2’s creature V human battles.
Forza Motorsport 4 – One of the strangest aspects of last year’s press conference was the sight of a Kinect-enabled Forza 4 reveal in which a member of developers Turn 10 Studios ‘walked around’ his on-screen vehicle, opened a few doors and sidled off stage after a bit.
We remember watching the live feed, completely unimpressed, thinking that at any second he would use a waving motion and utter the line, “You can even… wash your car!” This year, however, expect to see the first in-game glimpses of this October’s racing title and considering the game’s partnership with BBC’s Top Gear, perhaps even an appearance from Jeremy Clarkson.
Star Wars Kinect – Amid montages of cuddly pets (Kinectimals), poor Mario Kart clones (Joy Ride) and ‘urban’ dance titles (Dance Central), there was just one game that piqued the interest of the Xbox 360 core gamer – a sneak peak at the sure-to-be-renamed ‘Star Wars Kinect’.
While we’ve struggled to find any Kinect software that holds our attention for longer than a boozy weekend, the prospect of a lightsaber duel with online strangers, while holding regular household objects (A broom? An Fruit Pastille lolly?) sounds irresistible. Hopefully LucasArts can live up to the myriad of possibilities we’ve been imagining for the last 12 months.
What Not to Expect?
With the complete debunking of rumours that EA had gotten their hands on development kits for the Xbox 360’s successor (reported by, ahem, us), don’t expect to see any sign of the Xbox 720 or whatever silly name Microsoft finally decide upon. Perhaps we’ll have to wait until E3 for that announcement, though we’d settle for tech specs or even a blurry logo this year, guys.
Any Crazy Rumours?
Halo fans could be in for a double treat, or receive nothing at all. Though it is widely known that 343 Industries are working on the latest in Bungie’s space marine saga, it is not yet known what form their project will take – will we saw the much-whispered remake of Halo: Combat Evolved, or even Halo 4? Or how about another Halo Wars-alike genre shift – anyone for Super Halo Kart?
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
