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Another year of the world famous Electronics Entertainment Expo — better known as E3 — is kicking off next week in LA. There, gaming big wigs from all around the world are gathering to show off their latest wares and yours truly will be in attendance, scouring the showroom floor in search of anything Android related. As an Android fanatic first, and “gamer” second, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jazzed at the prospect of playing the latest from Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo’s next-gen offerings. Like myself, I’m sure more than a few you guys out there are also gaming enthusiasts, so let’s get to talking about what we can expect from not only Android, but the Big 3 at this year’s E3.
Xbox One
At the Xbox One reveal, Microsoft received a lot of heat after they showed their system (a big, black box), revamped controller, and how could anyone forget — their TV features. Sure there was a nice featurette on the next Call of Duty game, but the de-emphasis on games (and over emphasis on TV) left a lot of gamers wanting and prospective buyers still wary.
Microsoft was left playing damage control, letting everyone know that with 15 exclusive titles coming down the pipeline and that their second E3 keynote on Monday would “kill” Sony. Big words from a company that only showed 3 games at their reveal. We’re not sure what they have up their sleeve but rumors point to unannounced titles like a Crackdown sequel, the leaked Titanfall, Banjo and Kazooie: Grunty Land, Fable IV, and more. We’ll have to wait and see what their E3 showing will be like, before making any judgments, but games might be the last of their problems.
A media firestorm of sorts was centered around Microsoft’s imposed DRM model where they briefly mentioned charging used game buyers a “fee” in order to transfer over ownership of a given title. It felt like Microsoft had been avoiding the issue since then, but they finally came clean, announcing all their games can be shared with up to 10 people, but need to connect to the internet every 24 hours or so in order to keep playing.
We still have no idea on pricing or release date for the Xbox One but it looks like we’ll have to wait a little longer before we get all the details. Stay tuned to XboxOneDaily for the latest from the Xbox One — including their own predictions — at this year’s E3.
PlayStation 4
Sony wasn’t immune to memes after their PS4 reveal forgot to reveal, you know… the actual console. No matter, gamers had their sights locked onto the promise of more than 40 different launch games. Titles like the confirmed Infamous Second Son, Knack, DriveClub, Watch Dogs, and Killzone Shadow Fall give Sony the slight upperhand, and arguably the best chance at having the strongest initial showing. I still feel like they’re going to have to leverage some of their bigger franchises if they’re hoping to hammer the final nails in Xbox One’s coffin (if that’s even possible).
Lack of backwards compatibility also isn’t sitting well with Sony fanboys who’ve built up a healthy PS3 game collection. Sony might offer a way out via their newly acquired Gaikai streaming service, but that’s all speculation at this point. Moreover, Sony has plans to release a few “free-to-play” on the PS4, with Planetside 2, DC Universe, and Warframe being the first freemium titles.
While Sony has been basking in Microsoft’s DRM sh*t storm, they’ve also announced they will follow a similar model for used games, one that’s entirely up to the publisher (who typically aren’t too keen about losing potential millions of dollars to used game sales). Exactly which publishers will be the first to implement a DRM system remains to be seen, but you can start placing bets where EA stands on the issue. We’ll have to wait for official details from E3 to learn more.
Of course, still very much up in the air are pricing and release date. Some are guessing Sony will do whatever it takes to strike first, and launch ahead of Microsoft, even expecting a summer release date. We actually talked about this in length during our GameFans podcast. Because Sony doesn’t have a mandatory motion camera bundled with their hardware, it makes sense to assume they might even undercut Microsoft on pricing. Just keep in mind they need a big enough pricing gap to push gamers from the already successful and inexpensive PS3 and PlayStation Vita consoles, and onto their next-gen system.
Wii U
While Sony and Microsoft are busy duking it out with their newly unveiled consoles, one might say Nintendo has it the easiest. They’ve already revealed their console at last year’s E3 and now can simply focus on games. The absence of an keynote at this year’s event was definitely surprising and has some feeling like it could be a bad omen for the Japanese game maker. Instead of a big keynote, Nintendo will be streaming all their new developments online via Nintendo Direct. There, Nintendo can do what they simply do best — hop on Mario’s back and let him do all the heavy lifting.
Make no mistake, Nintendo will still have a huge presence at this year’s E3 at their “booth,” bringing the magic with their biggest Nintendo franchises. We expect to see heavy hitters like an all new Super Smash Bros., Pikmin 3, The Wonderful 101, Yarn Yoshi, and more. If we’re really lucky, we may even get a glimpse at the next Legend of Zelda already in progress.
To top it all off, Nintendo has opened up booths in select Best Buy stores around the country allowing gamers to play their newly announced games the day after they’re announced. It’s a bold move, one that’s never been done before and could give consumers that little nudge they need to purchase a Wii U before the Xbox One and PS4 arrive on the scene.
NVIDIA Shield
We’ve been on top of the NVIDIA Shield since the device debuted in January back during CES 2013. NVIDIA’s venture into mobile gaming headed with their upcoming Tegra 4 processor, Shield progress on the device has continued on a steady pace with NVIDIA finally opening up pre-orders to the tune of $350. Only a vague “June” release date given, but we’re sure they’ll be announcing an actual shipping date in the coming days.
We’re expecting NVIDIA to go all out with Shield for E3 — it is, afterall, the world’s biggest gaming convention. We’ve already confirmed with NVIDIA that they’ll have a few new playable demos but they wouldn’t specify if these were from new titles, or just new levels to play from games we’ve already seen in previous conventions.
NVIDIA still has an uphill battle ahead of them. While the handheld has a lot of potential, going up against heavy weights like the PS Vita and Nintendo 3DS will be no easy task. But Shield’s use of the Android OS and full access to the 500,000+ games/applications from the Google Play Store could be the ace up their sleeve. Combine that with Google’s newly announced Google Play Games API, and they might just have themselves a full house.
OUYA
OUYA has been a huge success since it hit Kickstarter in the middle of 2012, and that momentum is still rolling. Aside from the $8 million the company already raised through early backers, OUYA has attracted a decent amount of pre-sale interest, and have even caught the attention of angel investors. Their recent $15 million round of funding means they’ll have all the capital they need to address all their aspirations, but what, exactly, is the company going to do in its first big showing since the gaming console’s conception?
Well, let’s get one thing out of the way right now — they won’t have a booth inside the main conference hall. Instead, OUYA is setting up shop right outside of E3, in a parking lot across the street from all the festivities. I know, I know. It sounds pretty whacky. But such a setup could give OUYA more visibility than they could possibly imagine compared to being on the show floor pitted up against heavy hitters like Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo and all the big game publishers showing off their latest wares with huge flashy booths.
We’ve already gotten an up-close and personal look at OUYA for ourselves, with coverage from the console’s earliest games being put up for your perusal. We know what the console is and what it’s all about, so now it’s time for the folks at OUYA to show us why it deserves the millions of dollars it has already earned.
OUYA still has a few surprises up its sleeve, with exclusive games from well-known gaming designers and industry veterans said to be on their way. We’re not quite sure if they will reveal anything on any of that quite yet, but it would be a “fail” not to.
After all, it’s E3 — if you’re not here to show your biggest guns and flex your biggest muscle, then what are you even doing there? We’ll be stopping by the booth to check out everything they have to show off, of course, so if there’s news to be made we’ll make sure you’re apprised on all the details.
WikiPad, Google TV, Android Gaming and Beyond
Let’s now forget the wildcards who could announce some big things at E3. We know WikiPad is gearing up to release their $250 7-inch gaming tablet on Monday, the same day E3 kicks off.
UK-based PlayJam and their GameStick — an Android micro-console — wont be in attendance at this year’s E3, but they’re currently booked for an alternate event dubbed EToo taking place in London on June 10th.
Google TV has huge potential to take Android gaming from the small screen and onto our televisions. Android’s television fork has finally been brought up to speed with the rest of the Android, recently receiving the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update. If Google could introduce a universal controller support API for their games, we could see Google TV becoming a real contender in console gaming.
We’re also hoping OnLive will come back with a vengeance. The company went though some financial troubles last year, finding itself bought by another company. Although there’s still a faint heart beat, we think a bigger focus on bringing game streaming to more mobile devices could be the defibrillator needed to bring the company back to life, and that could give Google TV some footing in gaming.
The latest company to jump onto the Android mini-console bandwagon is Mad Catz. During their earnings call, Mad Catz CEO let it slip that they’ve got plans to introduce an Android console of their own, dubbed M.O.J.O. Not much is known about the device, but if their recent recent partnership with NVIDIA is any indication, we’re hoping it’s — at the very least — packing a Tegra 4 inside and priced affordably (sub-$100).
Coverage
All-in-all, it looks like there will be a lot to see at E3 and whether you’re a die-hard Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo fanboy, we’ll have you covered with our sister sites XboxOneDaily, PS4Daily, and WiiUDaily, churning out the latest news as it happens. As always Phandroid will be holding it down on the Android front. Stay tuned for more, and let me know what you’re most looking forward to seeing from E3 this year.
Personally I’m hoping for news on a new Killer Instinct game finally!
That would be so awesome
But then I’ve been waiting on that news since 1996. Lol
we can only dream i had the wii just to get this game and it never came up in the online store well if it did it was long after i sold the thing i would love a new one ive downloaded it on a Android emulator but button mashers on touch screen don quite work too well
Didn’t come on VC as the KI IP is mostly owned by Rare and Microsoft bought Rare. So at best you’d see it on XLive Arcade. KI, if exists, will be on XBox One only.
Will they be streaming it live?
E3? No. Nintendo Direct? Yes.
But you can catch up on “live” E3 coverage through the usual outlets like IGN, Machinima, G4, etc..
Pretty sure G4 is dead lol. Best E3 live coverage will probably come through GameTrailers/Spike TV.
I haven’t had cable for over 2 years now ._.
I tried that. Had to go back for sports. :(
What? How are you not dead?
I am dead, Brian…. Dead inside.
Chris, I haven’t had cable for over 4 years. ;)
:O
SpikeTV is broadcasting Microsofts. However, any of the will be streamed via internet on respective websites. (xbox.com, e3.nintendo.com, playstation.com, etc)
You’re brief on the Xbox One is missing some important parts of that DRM policy. Frankly you no longer own anything. Buy a disc is worthless as its all 100% digital. Sure there are niceties with that, but you lose all freedom of ownership and what you do with that game later.
You will NOT be able to resell on your own unless you’ve been Live friends for over 30days and even then that game can only be sold/given once.
You will NOT be able to sell/trade-in with anyone unless the publisher has ok’d it AND you go to a specific set of retailers. Meaning the cost of used games will be almost identical to new prices making it a pointless venture.
If your system for any reason cannot connect in a 24hr period it is completely locked from ANY game play usage; yes that includes offline solo campaigns.
If you are at a buddies logged into their account, that time goes down to 1hr.
While its nice to be able to share your library with up to 10 “family” members, who knows how that is defined and you can’t share simultaneously.
We all need to hope Sony follows Nintendo and does not implement this DRM system and if they do not, then for the love of god please only buy a WiiU or PS4.
Yeah… the Xbox One is definitely going to be a failure if Microsoft doesn’t change this soon… For me, I’m sticking with PC gaming. Although the initial cost of build of the PC might be high, it’s easily upgrade-able to support the latest games. Plus with Steam and other websites, you can get games for dirt-cheap! I guess I got frustrated with the fact that when a new console is released, your old console is no longer supported, and no more games will be released on it.
That’s the key… digital distribution is fine if you lower the price. Problem is publishers and MS won’t do that like Steam.
Yup… $50-$60 per new game, on top of the lack of ownership of that games, kills the Xbox One imo.
I remember when I got Skyrim for $20. Add all the mods and filters in and that makes it worth having a PC over a console any day for me.
Say what!?! :O
It’s really not THAT restrictive and when it comes to trade-ins it’s just like Sony said: up to the publisher.
It kinda sucks, but both Sony and Microsoft are attempting to transition consumers into digital downloads. Just like Steam, it’s coming. Fast.
The 30-day restriction is for those that want to give a copy of a game to a friend, and doesn’t apply to trading it in at an “authorized retailer.”
I am curious to see how this is going to affect direct resales like on Craigslist. I can get WAY more for a game if I sell it to a stranger vs trading it in to Gamestop.
Sony has mostly been non-committal and via tweets made it sound like DRM could be out.
It is very restrictive as compared to typical physical media. A situation that does not exist in ANY other physical commodity.
I shouldn’t have to use an “authorized dealer”. I should be able to use eBay or craigslist, however, these rules make it impossible.
I should be able to give my game to my little brother who can then hand down to his kid or nephew or whatever. It my game.
As for up to the publisher… yeah. Meaning it very well likely won’t happen at all on certain games.
Sorry, but this is a horrible anti-consumer policy and you should not support it in any fashion. I sincerely hope Sony says it firmly won’t exist on their console and (as they already have done for the internet requirement) so MS can get pummeled in the market by Sony/Nintendo and publishers wake up to the realization we don’t want this.
The status quo with a retail and digital copy option is more than enough. They want to push no used games, just discount digital and it will naturally happen based on that consumers preferences.
Sony was quoted as saying it’s up to to publishers too: http://ps4daily.com/2013/06/sony-used-game-drm-is-up-to-game-publishers-on-playstation-4/
I totally agree that it’s restrictive, and dumb. I think Microsoft is doing this on purpose to drive people away from physical media and onto digital downloads where people can’t give away games to their brothers, nephews, friends, etc — not unless they’re their Xbox Live friend (strange policy).
I envision one day where consumers pay $50 a month and have unlimited access to all video games (similar to music subscription services).
Even as it stands, Microsoft has provided a pretty crazy loophole. I’m already gathering up some close friends (up to 10) who will split the cost of new games, then we can ALL download and install on our respective systems. Cheap new games for our little circle :)
Let’s just hope that there will be such a HUGE backlash from consumers if/when publishers try and limit physical copies of games. I’ll be the first to lead the charge.
You’re right and Sony did say that. However, various execs have praised the communities anti-DRM social presence as well as have not explicitly defined their process.
Also that loophole may not be as big as you think. They never defined what constituted “family”.
“I think Microsoft is doing this on purpose to drive people away from physical media and onto digital downloads where people can’t give away games to their brothers, nephews, friends, etc — not unless they’re their Xbox Live friend (strange policy).”
Point of clarification: not unless they’re XBox Live friends, have been friends for 30 days, and the game can only be given away once.
Sorry to drum up the old topic… but Sony did NO DRM and is now the clear choice for anyone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2G_f8YBy39M
Steam is the difference in PCs. Steam does amazing discounts for digital games. That is how digital and obviously restrictive game policy should be framed. However, consoles have never been like that and neither has DVD, BR, cars, houses, clothes, etc.. Hell even music industry switch to nearly 100% digital has sharing options as well as low prices. But something tells me video games on consoles will remain $60 (or rumored $70 XB1/PS4) for a lot longer than it should.
Agreed. Steam did a phenomenal job of keeping prices down. Why is that though? The whole Gamestop “crisis” is really to blame. Why wouldn’t a consumer go buy a used game when they go to buy a new game but are offered a used one for five bucks less? The main downside is the fact that the money from the purchase of that used game goes to Gamestop and not the publisher/developer. DVD/BR/Movies/TV Shows have several revenue streams where as a video game has (correct me if I’m wrong) two: Gamefly and consumer purchases. If you take the used game out of the equation, then publishers/developers won’t have to worry about lost revenue. Why do you think this generation started relying so much on DLC?
Personally, I hate the fact that I can’t let my friend borrow a game; if I can, I don’t want there to be hoops to jump through. If this does mean cheaper games, then I’ll bite. That’s how Steam has been doing it, in my opinion.
The idea that used games reduces income for devs/pubs is absurd. Used games allows more money to be spent on games in general and especially allows those without means afford games and get introduced to gaming/a game/a genre (especially kids) that they will then grow into and afford new later.
Removing this freedom of ownership will not increase revenue for pubs/devs in long run. It will harm the industry as the customers buy less games overall. The only way this will be different is if new game prices drop accordingly. We all know that is not going to happen.
I suspect we’ll see far more studios closing and market contraction this gen if MSony both have similar policies and 3rd parties unanimously avoid Nintendo as they are not adding this DRM.
its just like used cars… honda doesn’t make any money when i sell my used car to someone else, but they support the process because it’s the WAY THINGS SHOULD BE. things are NOT worth buying at a PREMIUM price if it looses ALL of its value when you drive it off the lot.
if it were illegal to sell a car then we would not see nearly any nice cars on the road, we would see the cheap stuff and thats it…
idk about you but when i buy a new game, i typically sell a game or two to help with the price, if im not allowed to do this anymore, guess what, im not buying any games then… stocking up on games i no longer play and not being able to sell them and put that money towards a new game is the breaker for me. i don’t understand how M$ missed that obvious use of selling games. i know im not the only one who brings in some old games to sell when i buy a new copy of Halo 4…
The thing is that cars depreciate in value, where as a game simply depreciates in demand. If there’s no such thing as a used game, then the price will go down faster. Once a publisher sees that a game’s sales start diminishing, then they’ll lower the price. It’s simply supply and demand.
They only lower price due to physical stock that is taking up space and that the retailer already paid for.
This is pushing to all be essentially digital stock. Something that takes up basically no space and is free for the retailer initially.
Meaning it won’t drop in price because it doesn’t cost them anything to store it. They’ll just toss out the worthless discs.
You want a product to sell. If it doesn’t sell then you lower the price. I’m a business major. It’s General Business (Business 101). If something is not selling, then the developer/publisher isn’t making money. That’s a halt on cash flow. All business want cash flow, whether it’s a lot or a little. If there isn’t any cash flow, then the business is dead. In turn, the business (in this case developers and publishers) would lower the price to entice consumers to purchase more and keep the cash flow/revenue coming from that game. Again, this is simple supply and demand; this is Business 101.
Also, used games cause the developer/publisher to lose money because of the game being traded in being turned around and sold. Everything has a whole sale/distribution price. I’m not sure what Gamestop pays for their games whole sale, but I can guarantee you that it’s less than the credit that you get for trading in a game. This is why they turn around and sell the game for as much as they can, but because it’s used they can’t sell it at full price. If you had the option to buy new or used at the same price, which would you buy? 9/10 it would be new. As a result, Gamestop sells it at $55 instead of $60. This is to entice the buyer.
You mentioned trading in two games to help off set the cost of a new one, but what if someone wants to purchase one of the two games that you traded in? For example, the retail price of the game is $30, because the price falls, as all things do naturally. Yet still, the consumer can purchase the same game for $20-$25 dollar if it’s used. The average consumer will go with the used copy. That $20-$25 goes to the store, not the publisher or developer because you brought that game in from your house. You already paid your $60 (whether through credits or just cash), so the publisher/developer doesn’t see any money from the consumer’s $20-$25 purchase. The money goes straight to the store. In turn, there’s no cash flow/revenue for the developer/publisher.
Like I said, simple business. Going all digital does affect cost because you want consumers buying your product. Personally, I didn’t get Read Dead Redemption until last month. It was the GOTY Edition and it was only $20 new. I saw it there, so I gave it a shot. Digitally, it’s the same price because of the natural cycle of a product. A business wants to keep getting as much cash as they can for their product. If lowering the cost (which is natural) helps, then they’ll take that course. Trust me, I run my own business.
sure “making money” is business 101, but so is good practice… locking your customers in and not giving them the freedom they would like to enjoy is a great way to push customers away from you for good. my point about selling my games to buy new ones is that that NEW revenue that i create by selling games is only happening because i sold my other games. and YES if someone else wants to buy my USED copy then they have every right to do so without the publisher making ANY money on it. they have no right to make money on second hand sales.
as i mentioned, when i sell a car, the original manufacturer makes no money from its second sale, neither does ANY OTHER FORM OF USED SALE transaction. but video game companies think they are special and deserve all profits from their title, even second hand used profits. this is wrong and should be illegal, i have every right to sell all the property i legally purchased, my house, my car, my furniture, my electronics… just because something doesn’t loose its value as rapidly as most things doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be able to be sold second hand. baseball card manufacturers don’t make any money someone sells a vintage Babe Ruth card that has COLLECTED value over time, should they start finding ways to halt sales and trades of collector cards????
Meh. It is what it is I guess. I have to agree to disagree with you. I will reiterate the fact that Steam has awesome sales on PC, and I see the consoles going in that direction of DRM. Frankly, I’m alright with it and I have no reason not to be. It seems like smart business. I’m not a huge PC gamer, but I do enjoy myself getting a relatively new game for $15 over the consoles over inflated $50 counterpart.
I think it’ll be a little harder for everyone in the video game industry (I mean consumers) to go to digital sales than any other industry (i.e. music, movies, books, etc.)
From what I know (and correct me if I’m wrong), once a game is traded in the store gives a credit ($35 for a brand new game). The store then turn around and sells it for $55 making a $20 profit. Where does that profit go? As far as I know that goes straight to the store and not the developer and publisher. Have you noticed that Gamestop has had multiple sales where you get a Buy-2-Get-1 free Used game sales? It’s because the store makes more profit from a used game than it does a new one. What business owner would lean more towards a business model with less profit? Consumer behavior always leans towards the cheaper of the two. Eliminating that chance or opportunity for a used game to thrive will change things. If something is too expensive, then wait. The price will drop, as it always does.
Don’t look at the grand scheme of things as a gamer, look at it all as a business and you’ll see why things are going they way they are.
I agree that there are some people who don’t have the means to afford new games, but the price is artificially inflated because of the lack of true demand. The publishers/developers will get as much out of you in one shot with so many used game running around. Again, look at the Steam model of business. There’s DRM that requires a constant online connection (I’m not saying that I want that. In fact I despise the idea) and there’s no trading in. Yet still, a game that was released a month ago is down to the $40 margin. Why is that? There are no used games to compete with.
I predict the complete opposite of what you stated. If there aren’t any used games to compete against, then there will be more revenue that goes straight to the developer and not to the Gamestops of the world. In doing so, there will be more money for studios to use to pay their employees and, in turn, develop more.
Where did I say the store did not make profit? I said used games don’t cause the dev/pub to LOSE profit. They simply don’t.
Instead, they give money to the person who bought it new who will more than likely buy new again. See the whole point is money continues to keep moving in the market.
If people cannot make up part of their upfront costs, then they will simply buy less… if at all.
Its a lose-lose scenario.
When you say, “You will NOT be able to resell on your own unless you’ve been Live friends for over 30days and even then that game can only be sold/given once.”……….. do you mean the owner of that game can only sell/give it once? and then the future owner of that game can only sell/give it once? and then the 3rd owner can only sell/give it once? or do you mean to say that if I am given or sold a game by a private seller, then I can no longer sell that game myself because the previous owner did so already?
Example: I buy a game for $60. I’ve known you and had you as a Live friend forever. I sell/give you the game. The game is now 100% yours (I no longer have ownership). The game is your permanently, you cannot trade-in, sell, give away, etc under any circumstance.
Thanks for clarifying !
I cannot wait for Nintendo’s demonstration. LOZ Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword were both amazing games; hearing that the newest Zelda game will not just be an update over the rest is huge news. I believe that Super Smash Bros. has got to be the best video game series in history. My Gamecube and Wii played their respective versions until they could do no more. At least I still have Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate for now.
I fear that the Ouya will be very disappointing. It really doesn’t “scream” Android to begin with. Ouya’s interface looks like a mess (perhaps if it came with a Wiimote it could work better). Google TV looks much better and runs on the same hardware. I don’t see why their own store will be better than the Play Store since Android scales to different screen sizes… and then there is the fact that OnLive (and the similar service that Sony bought) could make a dedicated Android console pretty useless.
Smash bros U, new 3D mario, Pikmin3, Zelda, Retro’s game, Mario Kart U, new Xenoblade, wonderful101, a great variety of 3rd party games like Watch_Dogs… so much to look forward too on Nintendo’s direct video and subsequent presentations.
Pretty hyped about Nintendo myself :D
I forgot the new Sonic games….
New Sonic games ALWAYS look good but fall flat. I’m cautious… O_o
That’s very true.
but but new Windoze with start button innovation at its best
Will this be the end of Game Stop stores?
Im sorta glad and sorta not. I feel bad for people that sell games on ebay or craigslist for a fair price. I DONT feel bad for and hope Gamestop takes a major hit.
Buying back a used $50 dollar game for $10 and then resell it for $45…go F useself. I hope this next gen consoles cause gamestop to go out of business. There plenty of places to buy games (besy buy, walmart, amazon, toyrus, etc..).