Electronic Entertainment Expo 2012 (E3)

[King Ellis]

Ladies, gentlemen, children, siblings, animals....I've got something that's really gonna brain you out!

What's going down?

Sunday 3rd June

Nintendo Direct - Pre E3 Presentation - 3pm (PST) 6pm (EDT) 11pm (GMT)

Monday 4th June

Microsoft - 9.30am (PST) 12.30pm (EST) 5.30pm (GMT)

Electronic Arts - 1pm (PST) 4pm (EST) 9pm (GMT)

Ubisoft - 3pm (PST) 6pm (EST) 11pm (GMT)

Sony - 6pm (PST) 9pm (EST) 2am (GMT)

Tuesday 5th June

Nintendo - 9am (PST) 12pm (EST) 5pm (GMT)

Where can I watch it?

E3 on Nintendo

E3 on Sony

E3 on Xbox

Gametrailers

IGN

Gamespot

E3 on Youtube

As well as online, there will be televised coverage, at least for the North Americas, Xbox 360 users will also be able to stream the show right on their consoles and Playstation 3 users can watch the Sony show inside Playstation Home.

E3 2012 - The big 3

Here we go again, it's time for perhaps the biggest event on the video game calendar and we're in store for more 'will they, wont they' speculation regarding Microsoft and Sony.

Whilst Nintendo have already announced their next console, the Wii U, their two rivals have yet to play their hand in the realm of the next-gen consoles. Speculation has been rife with rumours on anti-used game hardware and download only support but will we actually see anything new from either of these console giants? With this generation now going on some 7 years, plenty of people are itching for a change but many see them holding out just a little longer.

Last years Wii U introduction left many confused as to what exactly it was, a fully fledged console or just an add on for the Wii? It looks like the Wii U name is here to stay so whilst that might still leave customers flummoxed, this E3 might serve a re-debut of sorts with Nintendo hopefully showing more of it's capabilities. Indeed, Nintendo has gone so far as to hold a pre E3 show tonight to show off it's new hardware so they can explain it all first before features are demoed within individual conferences and on the show floor. With Gearbox software spouting that the Wii U version of it's Alien: Colonial Marines release will be the best of all the console releases thanks to utilising the superior graphical and hardware capibilities, will more third part developers be ready to jump on board with Nintendo's new system as it moves in line with the other HD consoles and potentially surpasses them? A revamped online system in the form of the Nintendo Network might be a new home to the likes of fully fledged versions of games Call of Duty, Madden, FIFA etc which are normally only released on the Wii in a watered down fashion. In the realm of returning franchises (from Nintendo? Surely not!) the word is Retro Studios will be bringing back Starfox, presumably for the Wii U launch.

Sony is said to have changes in store for it's Playstion Plus system, a premium subscription package that allows it's subscribers to download free games, partake in betas and utilise a cloud based save system, amongst other things. The Playstation Vita is set to benefit from Playstation Plus with Sony expanding the content it offers to include Vita content. Also, rumours indicate that a tier system may be introduced with various levels of subscription with upper tiers being able to download free 'A level' games whereas lower levels can only obtain 'B-C level' games. Elsewhere, Sony was rumoured to have secured a deal with a company such as OnLive or Gaikai to bring cloud gaming to the PS3 and Vita. The latest development speculates that Gaikai will be offering streamable PS1 and PS2 games, something often bemoaned by consumers after emulation of the PS2 via the PS3 was removed.

Outside of 'Xbox 720', there doesn't seem to be much in store for Microsoft and we can probably expect much of the same from their conference: New CoD (and some DLC exclusivity) Kinect by the boatload, Halo 4 and new Gears of War (as recently revealed). In the realm of the hardware billies, Microsoft is planning an application known as 'Smart Glass' which allows users to push media from their smart phones or tablets (be it Windows, Windows Phone, Android or iOS) to their 360, similar to Apple's AirPlay system.

Best of the rest

All eyes will be on Ubisoft to see just how much of a train wreck their conference will be. With recent highlights including host Jamie Kennedy, host 'Mr Caffine' and his best Wayne's World impression, pitching laser tag and a long, boring speech from James Cameron about Avatar or something.

One of the biggest games on the horizon, Grand Theft Auto 5, will no doubt make it's prescence felt, perhaps during either Sony or Microsoft's shows (or even Nintendo?!). But will Rockstar have anything else up their sleeve? Coming off the back of the reemergence of Max Payne 3, could we see the return of another franchise with Bully 2?

As is usually the case these days, in the build up to the conference, news is already trickiling about a whole bunch of upcoming titles including a new DC Comic fighting game (after the questionable Mortal Kombat vs DC crossover), a HD remake for Doom 3 (including it's add on pack as well as Doom 1 and 2), a sequel to the console Castlevania: Lords of Shadow as well as a 3DS release Mirror of Fate. EA has a new Need for Speed in the form of Most Wanted (not to be confused with the game of the same name from 2005), Sim City, Dead Space 3, Crysis 3, it's various sports sims and Battlefield Premium, said to be very similar to Call of Duty's ELITE subscription service. For $50 you will be able to download all 5 pieces of DLC as well as perks such as unique weapon camos, double XP weekends, 2 week early access to DLC packs etc etc etc. Armored Kill, the next DLC for BF3 is due in September.

And of course, the event everyone in the world is waiting with anticipation for: just what will the state of Rhode Island announce at their conference?!

[Cymbols]

I would love it if Bully 2 happens, it's probably my favorite game ever. I can't see it happening cause it got a lot of bad press about bullying and shit.

[deli]

Look who just turned up in Los Angeles...

[New Damage]

Hope more light will be shed on The Last of Us, as well as GTA5 - which goes without saying.

[Dan]

I love E3

[GoGo Yubari]

Holy shit, I forgot about E3. Exciting!

[Sousa]

Look who just turned up in Los Angeles...

Holy shit.

It's Reggie!

[Herr Matzat]

So sad, no time to watch the presentations.

[King Ellis]

Hah, Nintendo are doing a 360 controller!

Look familiar?

And now Hipster plays Wii U.

This is hilariously horrible.

[GoGo Yubari]

Okay, where can I watch this? IGN is annoying me.

[King Ellis]

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/nintendo_direct_pre_e3_2012/en/index.html

Whammy!

And oh god, now there's a old man involved!

Nothing at E3 will top that. Amazing.

[Damian WayLNKe]

http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo_direct

All I want is some Smash Bros footage.

[GoGo Yubari]

I can't believe I missed some of this. I love disastrous live demos.

EDIT: Oh gosh, so many new, innovative ways for gamers to inevitably just draw penises.

[Dxfan555]

I would love it if Bully 2 happens, it's probably my favorite game ever. I can't see it happening cause it got a lot of bad press about bullying and shit.

This would be amazing.

[Dan]

The way he said controller

[Cactus Drags]

Jamie Kennedy was Activision, ass.

Didn't Sony come out and say that the majority of the world's internet connection just aren't fast and stable enough to support a download-only console? That's obviously where we're headed, but I can't see it this generation. I also don't think it's a given that we have to have new hardware this year, the cycle's have been getting longer each time around, and there's STILL new PS2 games being put out. Given that Kinect and Move were only a year or so ago, I'd have thought there'd be at least a year or so to go yet. Add to that that everyone's too poor for a £400+ machine.

[TKz]

I guarantee despite the fact it'll probably be more popular, the Pro Controller will be useless when pretty much every game incorporates the Wii U Tablet. Is there a release date/price for the Wii U yet? Any info on what comes with it, too?

[The_Icon]

Nintendo usually don't announce dates and prices at E3, so expect those closer to TGS. As for what it comes with, all we know is that the box will include "2 controllers." One of them is certainly the Wii U Gamepad, while the other is probably a Wiimote, but could be Gamepad Pro.

[gunnar hendershow]

Since Microsoft is expected to have the boring show I fully expect them to come out with some huge surprises.

[Bobfoc]

You can expect Microsoft's press conference to be the source of the greatest number of memes, at any rate.