Now that the E3 2013 expo has been and gone, we’ve finally had some time to calm down and think about everything that we’ve seen and heard. The general consensus across the internet is that Sony smashed Microsoft into a messy pulp; but what do you think?
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If you need a bit more information before you make your mind up, take a look at our E3 rundown of all the goings-on. Below are opinions from the 1001-Up.com team and a couple of our friends…
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P-Diddy: “Excellent progress by Sony and Microsoft, PC is still where it’s at”
“A new generation of consoles only happens roughly twice a decade so this year’s expo is an important one. I feel I should have been more excited about the new titles that were shown, but nothing has really grabbed my attention more than the announcement of PlanetSide 2 now coming to PlayStation 4. The original PlanetSide was a very underrated game that didn’t get enough press so it’s great to see the sequel getting the attention it deserves. Putting it on a next generation console will definitely make it a better game on the PC thanks to the additional resources it will receive.
“Back onto the subject of the new consoles: as many gamers are finding, I am definitely sticking with Sony in the next generation. The last generation was difficult for PlayStation as the unique PS3 architecture and lack of online features gave the Xbox 360 the edge when it came to popularity and therefore developer attention. With the PS4, it’s great to know that Sony will be supporting the gamer with features that make the titles themselves more accessible.
“The online features introduced at the PS4 reveal allow us to not only get straight into the game but will also make the experience more social with video streaming, player-to-player assistance and Facebook-like interaction (for those who have enough gamer friends to make use of it).
“Personally, I haven’t considered pre-ordering the console at all and will wait until we’re closer to the release date to make my mind up. I’m more likely to stick with PC gaming, where indie titles are more accessible and games are much cheaper; there is a lot of new technology on the horizon from both Intel and Nvidia that will enhance the experience.
“By the time the new consoles are released, there will already be PC hardware available that is more powerful. As most PC titles can be played using a control pad, there is no longer anything holding console gamers back apart from the higher costs of PS4 / XB1 equivalent PC hardware.
“Sony have had made a big impact at E3 this year, and I just hope they can continue this with the release of the PS4 and onwards into 2014. The promise of fourty exclusive titles is very appealing; considering the high quality of games developed by Sony studios around the world, we have a lot to look forward to.”
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W1ngman: “Nintendo made the right decision with no press conference”
“Nintendo’s decision not to hold a press conference this year was a true reflection on how the company sees themselves now. They know that their brand isn’t the most popular any more, with its child-friendly titles not catching hardcore gamers’ attention and the lower-than-expected Wii U sales – and add to that the poor reception they received after last year’s E3 event. I think the way they presented themselves this time around was the right way to go.”
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Kimmy: “Villager and the Wii Fit female trainer? Really??”
“I was right when I said previously that if Sony handles the situation carefully they could have a massive advantage when it comes to the hearts and minds of a lot of gamers. It certainly seems like they’ve captured attention across the world with their E3 press conference but I don’t necessarily think that the applause received after the announcements of no used game restrictions and internet authentication was completely justified.
“Admittedly the cheap shots at Microsoft were amusing, but the amount of cheering from the crowd for things that we’ve already been doing for years seems a bit unwarranted. The main concern of Microsoft and Sony is their profit line, which isn’t necessarily wrong as they’re both big companies with an aim is to make money, but it’s scary that consumers get caught up in the hype so much and allow themselves be fooled into thinking otherwise.
“I’m still undecided as to which next-generation console I’ll be siding with as none – and I’m including the Wii U here – have really caught my imagination. Despite Sony saying back in April that they were looking to attract a bigger female audience with the PlayStation 4, I haven’t really seen much evidence of this just yet; neither of the other big companies have done much on this front either (and let’s face it, that rape joke from Microsoft didn’t make the situation any better). I know that Nintendo tried by including Villager from Animal Crossing and the Wii Fit female trainer in their Super Smash Bros character line-up but really: is that the best you can come up with?
I’m not saying that all games should focus on women protagonists and I agree that they wouldn’t be suited to every role – some plots could only be progressed by a male character as a woman would react to the given situation completely differently. But it would have been nice to see some additional releases at E3 that focused on suitable, strong, central female leads and showed us that our demographic isn’t being forgotten. As it currently stands I can’t say I feel that any of the next generation consoles are particularly that interested in my loyalty, or even my money for that matter. I think I’ll be sticking with my PC for a bit longer.”
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Future contributor TheElusiveBeaver: “430 reasons not to get the Xbox One.”
“This year’s E3 expo has been like the final of an international sporting event between Microsoft and Sony. They’ve been fighting for premier position on the console league tables and in my opinion, the latter has won the cup. The Xbox One’s sports-orientated focus and push for profits has cost Microsoft dearly and, if the online wars are anything to go by, Sony has taken the majority of the market share. I for one will be purchasing a value for money PS4 as I want a console that does exactly what they’re designed for: games.”
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Our good friend 3dg3d3m0n: “I can see myself getting a Wii U.”
“While there were some good points and bad points to this year’s E3 2013 expo, I think it’s safe to say that Sony came out on top. The fact that they presented after Microsoft allowed them to pitch their response directly at all the areas in which their competitor was considered to have failed.
“The best thing is that both consoles are running the game architecture and, from a developers’ point of view, this makes it easier to code for and I expect far more cross-platform titles over the coming years. It also opens up the PC franchises as it’ll be easier to port them over for the consoles. However, I was a bit underwhelmed by the games that we know about; there wasn’t a single release for the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One that made me sit up and think ‘Wow, I have to have that.’ It’s not the subject matter, it’s more that they all look the same – there’s nothing truly different out there at the moment and it’s just more variation of the same old.
“The DRM situation looks better for Sony but this doesn’t apply to everything. Only first-party games from studios affiliated with the company will be DRM free while others will have the option if they want to include it, so this could be an interesting way for studios to differentiate themselves. I’ll predict that anything EA related will have DRM as they seem addicted to bleeding gamers for every last penny.
“For me, not needing to connect to the internet every twenty-four hours is a massive plus for the PS4. It means that I can take a console down to a cottage with some friends all weekend and the Xbox One won’t currently let me do that; I also love the fact that Sony continue to support independent developers as well because, although graphics tend to be basic, they have some really original gameplay ideas.
“Strangely, the one big thing from Microsoft that did impress me was the Kinect. The level of sensitivity the device has is truly amazing and, as one is to be shipped with every One, I’m expecting to see some really cool ideas for it in a couple of years once the developers have to grips with it. I know I’ll be buying one for the PC next year.
“The biggest thrill for me was the news of the additions of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U, along with new Mario and Zelda titles. Yes they have cartoony graphics, but if you want games that are just so damn enjoyable to play then anything that Shigeru Mayamoto has a hand in has to be worth a serious look. There’s a reason he’s a legend.
“I have a PS4 on pre-order, but I can see myself getting a Wii U because I know there are four titles I’ll love and enjoy. You only have to go back and read the reviews for the previous versions to see that they are among the highest scoring games for any franchise.”
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General consensus is that Sony won the war of the press conferences at this year’s E3.
With a number of months still to go before the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are released in time for Christmas, there’s still lots of time for gamers to think about which next-generation console they’ll be going for (and to start saving those pennies). What are your thoughts after E3 2013? Leave us your comments below.
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