E3 - Alles ist Games!

E3 always reminds me of The World Cup. Ok, there are only four teams in it and it only lasts two days, no-one actually faces each other head to head and there’s no ref, but it still reminds me of the World Cup. Not only is it the highlight of the gaming calendar, it is the time when we get to see all the talent from around the world come together in one place and do their best to entertain us.

Fixture List

We know the line-up, we know the teams. We know who the star players are for each side. Microsoft is to be feared with their mega-signing, Halo 3. Sony has Metal Gear Solid 4: Sons of the Patriots, which is relatively new and untested but from what we’ve seen, it is not to be underestimated. Nintendo looking to experience, fielding their journey-man pro, Mario in Super Galaxy form. The PC with its spectacular Crysis, which has constantly dazzled spectators, although no-one has witnessed a ‘full 90’ just yet.

As you can see the big 4 are hogging the limelight as usual, but let’s not forget the formidable teams of EA, Ubisoft and Konami, all wrestling for the coveted trophy of Best Game.

Mexican Wave

The fans play their part in this carnival atmosphere too. People will be sitting with their fingers hovering over their keyboards just waiting to comment or tease their friends and collegues about their rival brands’ misfortunes. The banter will be flowing around the web as armchair supporters across the globe are glued to their LCDs for the full three days of the event.

However, it’s not just the die hard supporters that E3 attracts. The neutral can gain as much, if not more pleasure from the games on show, as they won’t have the nervous feeling that their gaming platform of choice might come out the loser. Being a neutral, it’s almost impossible not to choose a side, though the mentality is usually is “may the best man win,” or sometimes just hoping for a giant killing.

Let us not forget the purists. They can sit and bask at the deft skill, creativity and natural talent on show, just pleased that great games are being made, and the industry is healthy and moving forward. Or conversely, sitting with their arms folded, duly unimpressed at how playing it safe gets results, and that no-one is willing to take a risk for fear of loss. How the same old games get the most attention and no-one is paying attention to the minnows plying their trade.

The Beautiful Games

So whatever mindset you take into this year’s championships, whether you watch through the whole thing live, or would rather wait for the edited highlights, you can be sure the carnival atmosphere will delight and distract us from the daily monotony of sales figures and the trudging of the “Rumour Mill”. Although the respective managers will be talking up their protégés, the battles will be fought and won on the pitch, as it were. There will be winners, loses, surprises, disappointments. Most of all however, there will be games, and lots of them. I for one can’t wait.

Kick off is tonight (Wednesday 13th July), at 4:30am GMT.