History of E3 - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The history of the E3 began with its creation in 1995 and has continued through the latest expo in 2011 The conference was known as the Electronic Entertainment Expo from 1995 to 2006. In 2007 and 2008, the conference was known as the E3 Media and Business Summit. The 2009 event's name was reverted back to the Electronic Entertainment Expo.

1995

The first E3 featured the start of Sony

Sony

, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....

's entrance into the video game industry with its PlayStation

PlayStation

The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...

. Sega

Sega

, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...

's Saturn

Sega Saturn

The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...

was ready to try and take advantage of the year head start it would have over Nintendo

Nintendo

is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....

, who at the time had announced its Ultra 64 system (later renamed Nintendo 64

Nintendo 64

The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...

) would be released in the summer of the following year. Nintendo used the event to unveil its Virtual Boy

Virtual Boy

The was a video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was the first video game console that was supposed to be capable of displaying "true 3D graphics" out of the box. Whereas most video games use monocular cues to achieve the illusion of three dimensions on a two-dimensional...

system, which turned out to be a commercial failure. Some of the games that were showed and garnered attention were Battle Arena Toshinden

Battle Arena Toshinden

is a weapons-based fighting game for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn and PC in 1994. It was one of the first fighting games to boast polygonal characters in a 3D environment, and it is credited for taking the genre into "true 3-D" due to its introduction of the sidestep maneuver.It was an early killer...

, Ridge Racer, Panzer Dragoon

Panzer Dragoon

is a rail shooter video game released for the Sega Saturn in 1995; and later released on PC, PlayStation 2, and as a bonus in its sequel Panzer Dragoon Orta for Xbox...

, Virtua Fighter, and D

D (video game)

is a survival horror puzzle-oriented adventure game released in 1995 by WARP. The first entry in the D series and one of the first games released by the company, it dealt with taboo content such as violence and cannibalism, featured 3D CGI full-motion video and a first-person perspective, and...

. Several game videos were shown for both the PlayStation and Saturn.

SNK

SNK

SNK is a former name of SNK Playmore, a Japanese video game company . This may also refer to:* SNK European Democrats* SNK Union of Independents* Southeast Airlines ICAO code...

also showed and announced the release of the Neo-Geo CD. Though it was only the first year for E3, the show proved to be the premier event for gaming in the US.

1996

The event continued to grow and become a common place for the unveiling of new products. In 1996, Nintendo's press conference unveiled the Nintendo 64

Nintendo 64

and Super Mario 64

Super Mario 64

is a platform game, published by Nintendo and developed by its EAD division, for the Nintendo 64. Along with Pilotwings 64, it was one of the launch titles for the console. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, and later in North America, Europe, and Australia. Super Mario 64 has sold over...

in the U.S. Capcom

Capcom

is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...

previewed the first game

Resident Evil (video game)

Resident Evil, known as in Japan, is a survival horror video game by Capcom. The first installment in the Resident Evil series, it was originally released in 1996 for the PlayStation and was subsequently ported to the Sega Saturn and PC. In 2002, a remake of the game was released for the Nintendo...

of their survival horror franchise Resident Evil, as well as their first 3D fighting game for PlayStation, Star Gladiator

Star Gladiator

is a weapon-based 3D fighting game released by Capcom for the PlayStation-based ZN-1 arcade hardware. It was Capcoms first polygonal fighting game, preceding the original Street Fighter EX by a few months. A PlayStation port was released on November 1996. It was followed by a single sequel,...

. Namco

Namco

is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...

showed its PlayStation version of Tekken 2

Tekken 2

Tekken 2 is the second installment in the popular Tekken fighting game series. It was first released in arcades in 1995, and later released for the PlayStation in 1996...

. Naughty Dog

Naughty Dog

Naughty Dog, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin in 1986 as an independent developer, the studio was acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2001...

showed its first PlayStation offering, Crash Bandicoot and Sega showed its next mascot with NiGHTS into Dreams...

NiGHTS into Dreams...

Nights into Dreams... , is a video game released by Sega in 1996 for the Sega Saturn video game system. The game's story follows two children entering a dream world, where they are aided by the main character, Nights...

for the Saturn (also debuting its analog controller). Eidos showed off its multiplatform star in Tomb Raider. The Unreal Engine

Unreal Engine

The Unreal Engine is a game engine developed by Epic Games, first illustrated in the 1998 first-person shooter game Unreal. Although primarily developed for first-person shooters, it has been successfully used in a variety of other genres, including stealth, MMORPGs and RPGs...

was shown for the first time by Epic MegaGames

Epic Games

Epic Games, Inc., also known as Epic and formerly Epic MegaGames, is an American video game development company based in Cary, North Carolina. Its most recent success has been the Gears of War series of games, although it is also known for its Unreal Engine technology. It is the parent company of...

, but no actual Unreal

Unreal

Unreal is a first-person shooter video game developed by Epic MegaGames and Digital Extremes and published by GT Interactive in May 1998...

gameplay. StarCraft
StarCraft
StarCraft is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The first game of the StarCraft series was released for Microsoft Windows on 31 March 1998. With more than 11 million copies sold worldwide as of February 2009, it is one of the best-selling...

also had its debut in a very early build of the game. Square

Square (company)

was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. It merged with Enix in 2003 and became part of Square Enix...

showed its first PlayStation offering with Tobal No. 1

Tobal No. 1

is a fighting game for the PlayStation developed by DreamFactory and published by Square in 1996. The game was DreamFactory's first release, as well as Square's first release on the CD-based console....

(a fighting game to everyone's surprise) and showed video of the most anticipated role playing game of the time, Final Fantasy VII

Final Fantasy VII

is a role-playing video game developed by Square and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was originally released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation and was re-released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers and in 2009...

. The event ran from May 16 through May 18 in Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

1997

In 1997, E3 was held in Atlanta, Georgia

Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

, where some of what would become the most popular first-person shooter

First-person shooter

First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...

games were unveiled, such as Half-Life and Unreal
Unreal
Unreal is a first-person shooter video game developed by Epic MegaGames and Digital Extremes and published by GT Interactive in May 1998...

. Other first person shooters included SiN
SiN
SiN is a computer game first-person shooter based on a modified version of the Quake II engine developed by Ritual Entertainment and published by Activision in late 1998...

, Daikatana
Daikatana
John Romero's Daikatana, or simply Daikatana, is a first-person shooter computer game developed by Ion Storm and published by Eidos Interactive. Released on May 23, 2000 for Windows, it was led by John Romero. The game is known as one of the major commercial failures of the computer game industry....

, Prey
Prey (video game)
Prey is a first-person shooter video game developed by Human Head Studios , and published by 2K Games. The Xbox 360 version was ported by Venom Games. The game was initially released in North America and Europe on 11 July 2006...

, Quake II
Quake II
Quake II, released on December 9, 1997, is a first-person shooter computer game developed by Id Software and distributed by Activision. It is not a sequel to Quake; it merely uses the name of the former game due to Id's difficulties in coming up with alternative names.The soundtrack for Quake II...

and Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II is a first person shooter computer game. It was developed and published by LucasArts and released on October 9, 1997. It was made available on Steam on September 16, 2009. It is based on the Star Wars franchise and is a sequel to Star Wars: Dark Forces...

. In addition, the stealth action game Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid
is a videogame by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake...

for the PlayStation was unveiled as well as Panzer Dragoon Saga
Panzer Dragoon Saga
is a critically acclaimed role-playing video game released exclusively for the Sega Saturn in 1998. It was the third game released in the Panzer Dragoon series , and so far remains the only game in the series that is not a rail shooter...

for the Saturn. Superman, The 1999 video game for Nintendo 64

Nintendo 64

, was also shown at E3 1997 and has been considered "one of the worst video games of all time".

1998

In 1998, Half-Life made an appearance at E3, in its final development stage. Duke Nukem Forever
Duke Nukem Forever
Duke Nukem Forever is a 2011 first-person shooter video game for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 developed by 3D Realms and Triptych Games and finished by Gearbox Software and Piranha Games...

was shown for the first time. A Prey
Prey (video game)
Prey is a first-person shooter video game developed by Human Head Studios , and published by 2K Games. The Xbox 360 version was ported by Venom Games. The game was initially released in North America and Europe on 11 July 2006...

trailer was also shown. Monolith Productions

Monolith Productions

Monolith Productions is a Kirkland, Washington-based computer game developer. Monolith is also known for the development of the graphical game engine Lithtech, which has been used for most of their games...

exhibited two new first person shooters, Blood II: The Chosen
Blood II: The Chosen
Blood II: The Chosen is a first-person shooter computer game developed by Monolith Productions and distributed by GT Interactive, which was later purchased by Infogrames. Released on October 31, 1998, it featured Monolith's new fully 3D engine Lithtech, which was previously used in Shogo: Mobile...

and Shogo: Mobile Armor Division
Shogo: Mobile Armor Division
Shogo: Mobile Armor Division is a first person shooter video game released by Monolith Productions in 1998. It was the first game to use Monolith's flagship Lithtech engine. It has heavy influences from Japanese anime, particularly Patlabor, Appleseed, and the various Gundam series...

. The final version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998...

was also presented. The event was again held in Atlanta, Georgia.

1999

1999 saw the dawn of a new generation of consoles. The Dreamcast, the first sixth generation era

History of video game consoles (sixth generation)

The sixth-generation era refers to the computer and video games, video game consoles, and video game handhelds available at the turn of the 21st century. Platforms of the sixth generation include the Sega Dreamcast, Sony PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and Microsoft Xbox...

console, was featured. The event from here on ran usually in Los Angeles, California.

2000

In 2000, the PlayStation 2

PlayStation 2

The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...

and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
is a stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima, developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2001....

were featured, as was the Xbox

Xbox

The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...

early dev and Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo: Combat Evolved, frequently referred to as Halo: CE, or Halo 1, is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The first game of the Halo franchise, it was released on November 15, 2001 as a launch title for the Xbox gaming system, and is...

when it was still a 3rd person PC game. The Dreamcast showcased its second gen games including Marvel vs Capcom 2. Nintendo was still backing the N64 and some rumors of the Game Boy Advance

Game Boy Advance

The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...

had started. Epic Games

Epic Games

, as they were named from then on (they dropped the "Mega-" to make the name more catchy), showcased Unreal Engine 2 for the first time, and also started the rumors of Unreal Warfare.

2001

In 2001, the Nintendo GameCube

Nintendo GameCube

The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...

and the Xbox

Xbox

, two new systems, were featured. They would both be released later in the year.

Microsoft held its press conference unveiling their first season of games for the Xbox. Some notable mentions include: Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee
Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee
Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee is the third game made by Oddworld Inhabitants. Originally announced as a title in development for PlayStation 2, it was instead released exclusively as one of the launch titles for Microsoft Xbox. It is the second chapter of the Oddworld pentalogy, following Abe's Oddysee...

, Enclave, Jet Set Radio Future
Jet Set Radio Future
Jet Set Radio Future is a video game developed by Smilebit and the sequel to Jet Set Radio. The game is also known as Jet Grind Radio. It was published by Sega. It was released on February 25, 2002 in the United States, near the beginning of the Xbox's lifespan...

, Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding
Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding
Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding is an Xbox exclusive snowboarding video game. It is the first of the Amped video game series....

, Mad Dash
Slaughter's Mad Dash
The Mad Dash, or Slaughter's Mad Dash, refers to an event in the eighth inning of the seventh game of the 1946 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox.-Background:...

, Project Gotham Racing
Project Gotham Racing
Project Gotham Racing is a racing game, the first in its series, developed by Bizarre Creations and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox gaming console, and released on 9th November 2001 in North America, and 14th March 2002 in Europe.The first title in the franchise, Project Gotham...

, Project Ego
Fable (video game)
Fable is an action role-playing video game in the Fable series. It was developed for Xbox, Mac OS X, and Windows platforms, by Big Blue Box, a satellite developer of Lionhead Studios, and was published by Microsoft. The game shipped for Xbox on October 14, 2003...

, Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault is a first-person shooter computer game developed by 2015, Inc. and created by Steven Spielberg. It is the 3rd installment of the Medal of Honor series...

, Dead or Alive 3
Dead or Alive 3
Dead or Alive 3 is a fighting game in the Dead or Alive series. It was released exclusively on the Xbox as a launch title.-Gameplay:...

, GunValkyrie
GunValkyrie
is an alternate history/science fiction video game developed by Smilebit and published by Sega for the Microsoft Xbox.-Gameplay:The gameplay is very different from most third-person shooters, due to a unique dual analog control scheme, which is the main contributor to the steep learning curve of...

and the heavily anticipated Halo: Combat Evolved

Halo: Combat Evolved

Halo: Combat Evolved, frequently referred to as Halo: CE, or Halo 1, is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The first game of the Halo franchise, it was released on November 15, 2001 as a launch title for the Xbox gaming system, and is...

.

Nintendo also made its first American unveiling of the GameCube in this event. Some notable games included Luigi's Mansion
Luigi's Mansion
Luigi's Mansion, known as in Japan, is an action-adventure game published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in Europe on May 3, 2002. The game was a launch title for the GameCube...

, Pikmin
Pikmin
is a strategy video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube video game console in 2001. Pikmin is the first game in the Pikmin series of video games, and the third game for the Gamecube overall. It was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto. Pikmin was released on October 26, 2001...

, Wave Race: Blue Storm
Wave Race: Blue Storm
Wave Race: Blue Storm is a wave runner racing game released as a launch title for the Nintendo GameCube on September 14, 2001. A sequel to the 1996 Nintendo 64 game Wave Race 64, Wave Race: Blue Storm was developed by Nintendo-owned development studio, NST and published by Nintendo.-Championship...

, Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBM or simply as Melee, is a crossover fighting game released for the Nintendo GameCube shortly after its launch in . It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 game Super Smash Bros., and the predecessor to the Wii game Super Smash...

, Cel Damage
Cel Damage
Cel Damage is a video game for the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube. It was developed by Pseudo Interactive and published by Electronic Arts. It was released as Cel Damage Overdrive for the PlayStation 2....

, Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem is a psychological horror action-adventure video game released for the Nintendo GameCube. Developed by Canadian developer Silicon Knights and originally planned for the Nintendo 64, it was first released and published by Nintendo on June 24, 2002 in North America...

, Super Monkey Ball
Super Monkey Ball
Super Monkey Ball is an arcade platform game developed by Amusement Vision and published by Sega. The game debuted in Japan in 2000 as an upright arcade cabinet called Monkey Ball and was released the following year as one of the launch titles for the Nintendo GameCube.-Modes:Super Monkey Ball...

, and Star Fox Adventures
Star Fox Adventures
Star Fox Adventures is an action-adventure video game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube as part of the Star Fox series. It was released in North America on 23 September 2002, Japan on 27 September 2002, Australia on 15 November 2002 and Europe on 22 November 2002...

. Nintendo's Game Boy Advance

Game Boy Advance

, unveiled at an earlier Spaceworld was almost absent from E3 2001.

This year was also the last E3 appearance of the Sega Dreamcast. Some games included Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic Adventure 2 is a platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Dreamcast video game console. It was released in North America on June 19, 2001 and in Japan on June 23, 2001 to mark the 10th anniversary of the release of the first Sonic the Hedgehog game. It is the sequel...

, Ooga Booga
Ooga Booga
Ooga Booga is an online multiplayer game for the Dreamcast, focusing on the combat of "Kahunas" using thrown shrunken heads, riding animals, staffs, or using spells. The storyline is that Ooga Booga is a volcano goddess that creates islands, and has leaders of tribes, the Kahunas, that battle for...

, and Bomberman Online
Bomberman Online
Bomberman Online is a multiplayer game for the Dreamcast. It adds new ideas to the original formula with online play, new playing fields, and other extras. Bomberman Online's servers were shut down in 2003...

.
It was held in Los Angeles.

2002

Despite the loss of Sega as a platform holder, the 2002 E3 continued the trend of bigger and bigger shows. Along with unveiling Xbox Live

Xbox Live

Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...

, Microsoft hosted numerous games like Blinx: The Time Sweeper

Blinx: The Time Sweeper

Blinx: The Time Sweeper is a platform game developed by Artoon and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was released for the Xbox on October 7, 2002...

, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, Dead to Rights

Dead to Rights

Dead to Rights is a third-person shooter produced by Namco. It was released on June 3, as a timed exclusive for the Xbox, and releases for the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube followed thereafter. A year after its console debut, the game was released for Microsoft Windows...

, Unreal Championship

Unreal Championship

Unreal Championship is a first-person shooter video game co-developed by Epic Games and Digital Extremes. It was published by Infogrames and released on November 12, 2002, for the Xbox. Unreal Championship is essentially a console version game of the PC-based Unreal Tournament 2003, developed...

, Panzer Dragoon Orta

Panzer Dragoon Orta

Panzer Dragoon Orta is a rail shooter video game published by Sega for the Xbox. The game was released in Japan in December 2002, the following month in the United States, and three months later in PAL territories. It is the fourth console game in the Panzer Dragoon series, after three such games...

, Ninja Gaiden, and the never to be released B.C.

Nintendo GameCube

Nintendo GameCube

games previewed on this show included Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario Sunshine
is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan in July 2002, in North America in August 2002, and in Europe and Australia in October 2002...

, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, released as in Japan, is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 2, 2003, and in Australia on...

, Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in North America on November 17, 2002...

, Star Fox Adventures
Star Fox Adventures
Star Fox Adventures is an action-adventure video game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube as part of the Star Fox series. It was released in North America on 23 September 2002, Japan on 27 September 2002, Australia on 15 November 2002 and Europe on 22 November 2002...

, Timesplitters 2
TimeSplitters 2
TimeSplitters 2 is a first-person shooter video game available for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube game consoles. The game was published by Eidos and developed by Free Radical Design. The game was first released in October 2002 in North America and Europe, and later in Japan...

, Resident Evil Zero, Wario World
Wario World
is a platform game developed by Treasure and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Europe on June 20, 2003, in North America on June 23, 2003, in Australia on July 10, 2003, and in Japan on May 27, 2004. It marks Wario's first starring appearance on a home games console...

, Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc is the third major platform game installment in the Rayman series. It tells the story of how Rayman stops André, an evil black lum, from taking over the world with his army of sack-like "Hoodlum" soldiers. The game has sarcastic self-referential undertones and pokes fun at...

, Aggressive Inline, Phantasy Star Online
Phantasy Star Online
Phantasy Star Online is an online multiplayer action RPG title, originally released for the Dreamcast in 2000, bundled with a demo of Sonic Adventure 2. Another edition, entitled Phantasy Star Online ver.2, was released for Dreamcast the following year...

, and 1080° Avalanche
1080° Avalanche
1080° Avalanche is a snowboarding game for the Nintendo GameCube, developed by Nintendo's in-house development studio, NST, and published by Nintendo. Avalanche is a sequel to 1080° Snowboarding for the Nintendo 64. The game has an emphasis on racing, rather than doing tricks, in contrast to other...

. They also unveiled the first major wireless controller, the Wavebird

WaveBird

The WaveBird Wireless Controller is a radio frequency based wireless controller manufactured for the Nintendo GameCube video game console. Its name is a reference to Dolphin, the GameCube's codename during development...

, with Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario Sunshine
is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan in July 2002, in North America in August 2002, and in Europe and Australia in October 2002...

being played with it. Nintendo also supported the Game Boy Advance

Game Boy Advance

with The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, known as in Japan, is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console, and the third installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was first released in Japan in 1991, and was...

, Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland, Doom II, Reign of Fire
Reign of Fire (video game)
Reign of Fire is an action-adventure video game released in 2002 by Kuju Entertainment. The game is based on the movie of the same name, in which dragons have annihilated the majority of the human race, and the survivors attempt to fight back using scavenged military hardware.-Gameplay:The game...

, and Super Monkey Ball Jr.
Super Monkey Ball Jr.
Super Monkey Ball Jr. is a puzzle game for the Game Boy Advance that is modeled after Amusement Vision's console game Super Monkey Ball. It is one of the few games on the GBA to make use of its 3D capabilities. The series is copyrighted by Amusement Vision Ltd. and Sega Corporation. The game was...

. They also showed how you could connect with the Nintendo GameCube

Nintendo GameCube

for special content, as demonstrated in a co-op mode for The Wind Waker.

PlayStation 2

PlayStation 2

games featured included Colin McRae Rally 3, Ratchet & Clank, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus is a platform stealth video game created by Sucker Punch Productions, and released on the Sony PlayStation 2 in 2002, subsequently republished as a "Greatest Hits" title. The game was followed by two sequels, Sly 2: Band of Thieves and Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves...

, Red Dead Revolver
Red Dead Revolver
Red Dead Revolver is a western third-person shooter video game published by Rockstar Games and developed by Rockstar San Diego. It was released in North America on May 4, 2004, for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox....

, The Getaway
The Getaway (video game)
The Getaway is a video game series focused on gang life and the police in the city of London. The series was created by Brendan McNamara and is developed by Team Soho for the PlayStation 2...

and Kingdom Hearts.

PC game makers also made an appearance, revealing Doom 3
Doom 3
Doom 3 is a science fiction horror video game developed by id Software and published by Activision. An example of the first-person shooter genre, Doom 3 was first released for Microsoft Windows on August 3, 2004. The game was later adapted for Linux, as well as being ported by Aspyr Media for Mac...

for the first time. Age of Mythology
Age of Mythology
Age of Mythology , is a mythology-based, real-time strategy computer game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios...

and Warcraft III were also previewed.

2003

In, 2003, Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 , the sequel to Half-Life, is a first-person shooter video game and a signature title in the Half-Life series. It is singleplayer, story-driven, science fiction, and linear...

was unveiled, a Halo 2
Halo 2
Halo 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie Studios. Released for the Xbox video game console on November 9, 2004, the game is the second installment in the Halo franchise and the sequel to 2001's critically acclaimed Halo: Combat Evolved...

single player demo using an experimental lighting engine (which was not used in the final game) was shown and the PlayStation Portable

PlayStation Portable

The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...

was first mentioned. During this E3, exhibitors emphasized the rise of the MMORPG

Massively multiplayer online role-playing game

Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....

genre. The Sims 2
The Sims 2
The Sims 2 is a strategic life simulation computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It is the sequel to the best-selling computer game, The Sims, which debuted on February 4, 2000. It was first released on September 14, 2004 for Microsoft Windows. A port to Apple Mac OS X...

was also unveiled.

2004

The last year to focus primarily on the sixth generation of consoles was 2004. A Halo 2
Halo 2
Halo 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie Studios. Released for the Xbox video game console on November 9, 2004, the game is the second installment in the Halo franchise and the sequel to 2001's critically acclaimed Halo: Combat Evolved...

12 person capture the flag

Capture the flag

Capture the Flag is a traditional outdoor sport generally played by children, where two teams each have a flag and the objective is to capture the other team's flag, located at the team's "base," and bring it safely back to their own base...

multiplayer demo was shown taking place on Zanzibar

Zanzibar

Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...

. The PSP

PlayStation Portable

and Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS

The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...

were featured. The first trailer for the second sixth generation

History of video game consoles (sixth generation)

Zelda

The Legend of Zelda series

, occasionally called Legend of Zelda or simply Zelda, is a high fantasy action-adventure video game series created by Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is developed and published by Nintendo, with some portable installments outsourced to Flagship/Capcom, Vanpool, and...

game, later named The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series...

was shown. F.E.A.R. was unveiled, a teaser trailer being released shortly after. Unreal Engine 3

Unreal Engine 3

Unreal Engine 3 is a computer game engine developed by Epic Games. It is the third generation of Unreal Engine, designed for DirectX 9/10/11 personal computers , the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, the PlayStation Vita, the Wii U, Android and OpenGL-based operating systems such as iOS and Mac OS X...

was demonstrated for the first time.
Sony also announced that the PlayStation 3

PlayStation 3

The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...

would make an appearance at the next E3.

2005

This was the first time the E3 convention was aired on television and all future conventions are now slated to air on the G4

G4 (TV channel)

G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...

network.

In 2005, the shift in focus continued with Sony debuting the PlayStation 3

PlayStation 3

, albeit in unplayable form. Many of the games shown for the system were pre-rendered video. Nintendo

Nintendo

unveiled their seventh generation console codenamed "Revolution" (later known as the Wii

Wii

The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...

) along with the Game Boy Micro

Game Boy Micro

is a handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in September 2005 in the market. The system is the last console of the Game Boy line...

. However, Nintendo chose to keep the console's motion controllers secret until the 2005 Tokyo Game Show

Tokyo Game Show

The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...

. Microsoft also unveiled the Xbox 360

Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...

at their press conference, and a game which was not released until 2010, Alan Wake

Alan Wake

Alan Wake is a story-driven action game in the psychological thriller genre, developed by Remedy Entertainment and published by Microsoft Game Studios, released for the Xbox 360 video game console in 2010...

.

E3 2005, the 11th annual E3 summit, attracted 70,000 attendees.

2006

The 2006 E3 show focused on the upcoming releases of Sony

Sony

, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....

's PlayStation 3

PlayStation 3

and Nintendo

Nintendo

's Wii

Wii

, along with the next wave of games for the Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS

, Xbox 360

Xbox 360

, PSP

PlayStation Portable

, and mobile phones. Several websites such as the Washington Post noted in retrospect that Nintendo 'stole the show'. They cited the long lines for attendees waiting to play the Wii.

Although these new seventh generation era consoles were exhibited, attendance was 60,000 attendees, 14% lower than E3 2005.

Microsoft: Microsoft

Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...

, holding its conference at the Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, announced its plans for its current system, the Xbox 360

Xbox 360

. Bill Gates

Bill Gates

William Henry "Bill" Gates III is an American business magnate, investor, philanthropist, and author. Gates is the former CEO and current chairman of Microsoft, the software company he founded with Paul Allen...

, founder of Microsoft, spoke of plans to integrate several Microsoft services into one entity with Live Anywhere

Live Anywhere

Games for Windows – Live is an online gaming service for Games for Windows-branded PC titles. It enables Windows PCs to connect to the Live service, which will eventually include other devices including Windows Mobile and Zune...

. This service was planned to allow multiplayer games and communication possible between Xbox 360 and the (then unreleased) Windows Vista

Windows Vista

Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...

operating system for the PC

Personal computer

A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...

. Microsoft also announced a significant expansion of its Xbox Live

Xbox Live

arcade service, promising many more arcade favorites in the near future. Upcoming games announced for the Xbox 360

Xbox 360

included Halo 3
Halo 3
Halo 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie for the Xbox 360 console. The third installment in the Halo franchise, the game concludes the story arc begun in Halo: Combat Evolved and continued in Halo 2...

, Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 open world action video game published by Rockstar Games, and developed by British games developer Rockstar North. It has been released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles, and for the Windows operating system...

, Hitman: Blood Money
Hitman: Blood Money
Hitman: Blood Money is a stealth game developed by IO Interactive and published by Eidos Interactive. It is the fourth entry in the Hitman game series....

, The Sopranos: Road to Respect
The Sopranos: Road to Respect
The Sopranos: Road to Respect is a 2006 video game based on the HBO series The Sopranos, which aired from January 10, 1999 to June 10, 2007...

, Fable II, Gears of War
Gears of War
Gears of War is a military science fiction third-person shooter video game developed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios...

, and Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 game)
Sonic the Hedgehog is a 2006 platform video game for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 that was made to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise...

.

Nintendo: On Tuesday, Nintendo

Nintendo

held their pre-E3 press conference at the Hollywood and Highland Centre. The firm announced the US launch date for the Nintendo DS Lite

Nintendo DS Lite

The is a dual-screen handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It is a slimmer, brighter, and more lightweight redesign of the Nintendo DS, designed to be aesthetically sleeker, while taking styling cues from the Game Boy Advance SP, and to appeal to broader commercial audiences...

. Nintendo decided not to announce the price for the Wii

Wii

during E3, stating they preferred to announce it closer to the console's launch in Q4 2006. The very first game for the Wii was Wii Sports

Wii Sports

is a sports game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch title for the Wii video game console , and part of the Touch! Generations. The game was first released in North America along with the Wii on November 19, 2006, and was released in Japan, Australia, and Europe the following month...

, which was also the pack-in game

Pack-in game

- Characteristics :Pack-in games are intended to be system-selling games that make good use of the positive features of a given system. Sometimes a pack-in game will be changed to a more popular game, or another game will be added, along with the original pack-in, if it is perceived that a newer...

. Upcoming games announced for the Wii

Wii

included The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series...

, Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...

, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a first-person action-adventure game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It is the tenth game in the Metroid series, and the final entry in the Metroid Prime trilogy—excluding two spin-off titles. It was released in...

, Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy
is a 3D platform game developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was released in most regions in November 2007, and is the third 3D original platformer in the Mario series, after Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. The game follows the protagonist, Mario, on a...

, Sonic and the Secret Rings
Sonic and the Secret Rings
is a video game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega as part of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It was released exclusively for the Wii on February 20, 2007 in North America; March 2 in Europe; and March 15 in Japan. It is the first Sonic game for the console, released in place of an...

, Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors
Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors
is a first-person adventure game by Square Enix exclusive to Nintendo's Wii game console. The game is a spin-off from the Dragon Quest series.-Battle system:...

, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
is an action-adventure game for the Wii and was first announced to the public at E3 in May 2006. The game was released on November 12, 2009, in Japan and on December 26, 2009, in North America.-Gameplay:...

, Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, Red Steel
Red Steel
Red Steel is a first person shooter video game published by Ubisoft for Nintendo's Wii console. It was developed by the Ubisoft Paris studio and was unveiled in the May 2006 issue of Game Informer. It was released on November 19, 2006 in North America, the date of the first Wii launch...

, Disaster: Day of Crisis
Disaster: Day of Crisis
Disaster: Day of Crisis is a video game developed by Monolith Soft and published by Nintendo. It is an action-adventure survival game, where the player must survive through various natural disasters, all the while also battling terrorists and rescuing civilians...

, Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Project H.A.M.M.E.R. is a beat 'em up game that Nintendo Software Technology was developing for the Wii. The game was originally announced at E3 2006. No information regarding the game has been released to the public or media since the game's original announcement...

, and Excite Truck
Excite Truck
is a video game published by Nintendo and developed by Monster Games for the Wii video game system. It features malleable environments and tilt-based controls. The game was one of the Wii launch titles in North America. It is a spiritual successor to the Excitebike series...

. Upcoming games announced for the Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS

included Final Fantasy III, New Super Mario Bros.
New Super Mario Bros.
is a side-scrolling platform video game published and developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. The game was released in North America and Japan in May 2006 and in Australia and Europe in June 2006...

, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
is the fourteenth game in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. It was released after The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Wii and before The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for the Nintendo DS...

, Children of Mana
Children of Mana
Children of Mana, known in Japan as , is a 2006 action role-playing game for the Nintendo DS handheld game console, part of the Mana series and, more specifically, of the World of Mana project launched by Square Enix...

, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team
and are a matched pair of Pokémon games for the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance, respectively. These two games were developed by Chunsoft and were published by Nintendo....

, Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime
Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime
is an action-adventure video game developed by TOSE and published by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console. It is the sequel to Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest: Shōgeki no Shippo Dan for the Game Boy Advance. It was first released in Japan, and later in North America...

, Yoshi's Island DS, Star Fox Command
Star Fox Command
is the fifth game in Nintendo's Star Fox series which was published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS in 2006 and 2007. Released in Japan on August 3, 2006 and in North America on August 28, 2006, it was first announced at the E3 2005 conference, under the name Star Fox DS...

, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates
is an RPG for the Nintendo DS developed and published by Square Enix. It is a prequel to Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles for the Nintendo GameCube. The game takes advantage of both the local wireless and Wi-Fi capabilities of the system and features voice acting.-Gameplay:Most of the gameplay...

, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, known in Japan as , is an action video game developed and published by Konami. The game was released on November 16, 2006 in Japan, and in the US on December 5, 2006 for the Nintendo DS handheld game console...

, Disney's American Dragon: Jake Long, Attack of the Dark Dragon
Disney's American Dragon: Jake Long, Attack of the Dark Dragon
Disney's American Dragon: Jake Long, Attack of the Dark Dragon is a video game for the Nintendo DS based on the animated series American Dragon: Jake Long....

, Diddy Kong Racing DS and Mario Hoops 3-on-3
Mario Hoops 3-on-3
Mario Hoops 3-on-3, known in Europe and Australia as Mario Slam Basketball and in Japan as , is a sports game developed by Square Enix and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS in 2006....

. Upcoming games announced for the Game Boy Advance

Game Boy Advance

included Final Fantasy V
Final Fantasy V
is a medieval-fantasy role-playing video game developed and published by Square in 1992 as a part of the Final Fantasy series. The game first appeared only in Japan on Nintendo's Super Famicom . It has been ported with minor differences to Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo's Game Boy Advance...

, Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VI
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square , released in 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as a part of the Final Fantasy series. Set in a fantasy world with a technology level equivalent to that of the Second Industrial Revolution, the game's story focuses on a...

, and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team
and are a matched pair of Pokémon games for the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance, respectively. These two games were developed by Chunsoft and were published by Nintendo....

. Upcoming games announced for the Nintendo GameCube

Nintendo GameCube

included Super Paper Mario
Super Paper Mario
is a platform style console role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. Originally developed for the Nintendo GameCube, it was released for the Wii in 2007. The style of gameplay is a combination of the previous Paper Mario titles and Super Mario Bros. titles...

, DK Bongo Blast, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series...

, and Baten Kaitos Origins
Baten Kaitos Origins
is a 2006 role-playing video game first unveiled at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show by Namco and Monolith Soft. The official name was revealed at E3 2006 on May 10, 2006....

. The first two of these were instead released on the Wii, and the third released on the Wii and the GameCube.

Sony: On Monday evening, Sony

Sony

, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....

Computer Entertainment held their pre-E3 press conference at the Sony Pictures Studio in Culver City. The company announced the prices of two versions of its upcoming PlayStation 3

PlayStation 3

console for which the release dates were previously confirmed. The PlayStation 3 would retail for $599. The company said they would release the console in 20GB and 60GB versions. Sony also revealed the Sixaxis

Sixaxis

The Sixaxis Wireless Controller was the official gamepad for the Sony PlayStation 3 from launch until 2008 when it was succeeded by the DualShock 3....

controller, which was announced to include motion sensing technology. Upcoming games announced for the PlayStation 3

PlayStation 3

included Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 open world action video game published by Rockstar Games, and developed by British games developer Rockstar North. It has been released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles, and for the Windows operating system...

(which wasn't released until 2008), Warhawk
Warhawk (PlayStation 3 game)
Warhawk is a quick-paced multiplayer third-person shooter, vehicle and flight combat game developed by Incognito Entertainment exclusively for the PlayStation 3. It is a remake of an aerial warfare game of the same name, which was a launch title on the original PlayStation. Apart from the...

, Eyedentify
Eyedentify
Eyedentify is a PlayStation 3 video game where the player is the controller of a team of game characters using the PlayStation Eye. The game was first announced at E3 2005 in a trailer. A release date hasn't been announced and no further news on development has been released....

, Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIII
is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. Released in 2009 in Japan and 2010 in North America and PAL regions, it is the thirteenth major installment in the Final Fantasy series...

, MotorStorm
MotorStorm
MotorStorm is a 2006 racing video game developed by Evolution Studios and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the Sony PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system. First announced at E3 2005, the game was released in Japan on 14 December 2006 and the rest of the world in March 2007....

, Vision Gran Turismo (later named Gran Turismo HD Concept
Gran Turismo HD Concept
Gran Turismo HD Concept was the first installment of the Gran Turismo racing series to be released on the PlayStation 3. It was made available as a free download which was released on the PlayStation Store on December 24, 2006...

), and Genji: Days of the Blade
Genji: Days of the Blade
Genji: Days of the Blade, known in Japan as , is an action game that was released on the PlayStation 3 platform.Genji: Days of the Blade takes place three years after the end of Genji: Dawn of the Samurai...

. Upcoming games announced for the PSP

PlayStation Portable

included Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
is a stealth game directed by Masahiro Yamamoto and written by Gakuto Mikumo, with series creator Hideo Kojima acting as a producer. Portable Ops was developed by Kojima Productions and published by Konami in 2006 for the PlayStation Portable. It is the third Metal Gear title for the PSP and the...

, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix for the PlayStation Portable. First released in 2007, the game is a prequel to the video game Final Fantasy VII and is also the sixth installment in metaseries Compilation of Final Fantasy VII which includes products related to the game...

, Killzone: Liberation
Killzone: Liberation
Received IGN's award for Best PSP Offline Multiplayer Game of 2006 .-External links:**...

, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters , is a platform game in the Ratchet & Clank series for both the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. It is the first Ratchet & Clank game on the PSP handheld, and the 5th, chronologically, in the series...

, Tekken: Dark Resurrection, LocoRoco
LocoRoco
is a platform video game released worldwide in 2006 for the PlayStation Portable handheld game console, and developed and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The game was developed by Tsutomu Kouno, striving to create a game that was different than other titles being released for the PSP at...

, Monster Hunter Freedom
Monster Hunter Freedom
Monster Hunter Freedom is an action role-playing game for the PlayStation Portable. The game's aim is to complete quests given by various people in the goal of attaining higher and more prestigious hunting ranks. This game is the third installation in the Monster Hunter series and is based mostly...

, Gangs of London
Gangs of London
Gangs of London received mainly negative reviews, though it received some praise for its graphics. Sound, voice acting and gameplay were harshly criticised, the worst being the voice acting, described as being on the verges of pantomime....

, Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
is a console role-playing game developed by tri-Ace and published by Enix for the PlayStation. It was released on December 22, 1999 in Japan and on August 29, 2000 in North America...

, Sonic Rivals
Sonic Rivals
Sonic Rivals is a game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series in late 2006. It is the first Sonic game developed by a Canadian company, Backbone Entertainment exclusively for the PlayStation Portable...

, Silent Hill: Origins (working title), Lemmings
Lemmings (video game)
Lemmings is a puzzle computer game developed by DMA Design and published by Psygnosis in . Originally developed for PC and Commodore Amiga, Lemmings was one of the most popular computer games of its time, and several gaming magazines gave it some of their highest review scores at the time...

, and Ridge Racer
Ridge Racer (PSP)
Ridge Racer for the PSP is an arcade racing video game developed by Namco. It is named after the eponymous Ridge Racer video game series to which it belongs. The game was released in Japan as...

.

In the days following Sony's conference, the presentation and historical inaccuracy of the game Genji: Days of the Blade was criticised and mocked by certain members of the gaming community, resulting in the Giant Enemy Crab

Giant Enemy Crab

Giant Enemy Crab is an Internet meme created in video game forums in 2006. It achieved notable popularity in the gaming press and was also referenced by video game developers.- History :...

meme.

E3 Media and Business Summit (2007–2008)

On July 31, 2006, the ESA announced that the expo would be downsized and restructured due to the overwhelming demand from the exhibitors. On October 13, 2006, the new format of the show was detailed. Although E3 was originally envisioned as an expo open only to game industry professionals, it has grown in recent years to include greater numbers of bloggers and attendees who were not perceived to be industry professionals. Many of these persons were excluded from the revised event, as the ESA announced that the new E3 would be by invitation only.

It was originally speculated that because of these changes, independent developers may have been excluded, and subsequently damaged, in preference for larger game companies. But the ESA ultimately provided invitations for independent developers with "The Indie Games Showcase" booth. This was made possible through industry supporters, IndieCade and the International Game Developers Association.

The move was widely criticized by those both within and outside the gaming industry, notably by SimCity
SimCity
SimCity is a critically acclaimed city-building simulation video game, first released in 1989, and designed by Will Wright. SimCity was Maxis' first product, which has since been ported into various personal computers and game consoles, and spawned several sequels including SimCity 2000 in 1994,...

and Spore
Spore (2008 video game)
Spore is a multi-genre single-player god game developed by Maxis and designed by Will Wright. The game was released for the Microsoft Windows and Macintosh operating systems in September 2008 as Spore...

creator, Will Wright;

2007 (July 11–13)

Attendance to E3 2007, the 13th annual E3 summit attracted only 10,000 attendees due to the scaled back nature of this show. The summit was in Santa Monica

Santa Mônica

Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...

, from July 11–13.
Microsoft: Microsoft announced that Disney

The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...

movies would be coming to Xbox 360 Live Marketplace. Gears of War
Gears of War
Gears of War is a military science fiction third-person shooter video game developed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios...

was announced to be coming to the PC. New trailers were shown for Halo 3
Halo 3
Halo 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie for the Xbox 360 console. The third installment in the Halo franchise, the game concludes the story arc begun in Halo: Combat Evolved and continued in Halo 2...

and Halo Wars
Halo Wars
Halo Wars is a real-time strategy video game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 video game console. It was released in Japan and Australia on February 26, 2009, in PAL territories on February 27, and in North America on March 3...

. A Halo-themed Xbox 360 was also announced. Details on Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution
Civilization Revolution
Civilization Revolution is a 2008 iteration of Civilization developed by Firaxis with Sid Meier as designer for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, and iOS. A Wii version was originally expected but was put on indefinite hold...

and Fallout 3
Fallout 3
Fallout 3 is an action role-playing game released by Bethesda Game Studios, and the third major installment in the Fallout series. The game was released in North America, Europe and Australia in October 2008, and in Japan in December 2008 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360...

were given. BioShock
Bioshock
BioShock is a first-person shooter video game developed by 2K Boston and designed by Ken Levine. It was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on August 21, 2007 in North America, and three days later in Europe and Australia. It became available on Steam on August 21, 2007...

, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a 2007 first-person shooter video game, developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii. A handheld game was made for the Nintendo DS. The game was released in North America, Australia, and...

, and Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed is an award-winning historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The bulk of the game takes place during the Third Crusade, with the plot revolving around a sect known as the Secret Order of...

for Xbox 360, as well as Crysis
Crysis
Crysis is a science fiction first-person shooter video game developed by Crytek , published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, and released in November 2007. It is the first game of a trilogy. A separate game entitled Crysis Warhead was released on September 12, 2008, and follows similar...

for the PC were demoed. It was also announced that the Xbox 360 Elite would be coming to Europe on August 24, 2007. It was announced that the Xbox Live Video Marketplace would be released in Canada and select European countries in late 2007.

Nintendo: Nintendo announced and demoed three new peripherals; the Wii Balance Board

Wii Balance Board

The Wii Balance Board is a balance board accessory for the Nintendo Wii video game console. Along with Wii Fit, it was introduced on July 11, 2007 at the Electronic Entertainment Expo...

, Wii Zapper

Wii Zapper

The Wii Zapper is a gun shell peripheral for the Wii Remote. The name is a reference to the NES Zapper light gun for the Nintendo Entertainment System...

and Wii Wheel. The Wii Balance Board

Wii Balance Board

The Wii Balance Board is a balance board accessory for the Nintendo Wii video game console. Along with Wii Fit, it was introduced on July 11, 2007 at the Electronic Entertainment Expo...

was announced to come packaged with the exercise-based game Wii Fit
Wii Fit
is a video game developed by Nintendo for the company's home video game console, Wii, designed by Hiroshi Matsunaga. It is an exercise game consisting of activities using the Wii Balance Board peripheral...

. The Wii Wheel was announced to be packaged with the newly announced Mario Kart Wii
Mario Kart Wii
is a racing video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It is the sixth installment in the Mario Kart series and the second Mario Kart title to use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The game was released worldwide...

. The Wii Zapper was announced to come packaged with its own software at a low cost. Nintendo dated Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...

for December 3, 2007, (though later in October 2007, the launch was delayed until February 10, 2008 and delayed again to March 9, 2008) and Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy
is a 3D platform game developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was released in most regions in November 2007, and is the third 3D original platformer in the Mario series, after Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. The game follows the protagonist, Mario, on a...

for November 12, 2007. De Blob
De Blob
de Blob, known as Blob: Colorful na Kibou in Japan, is a platform-puzzle video game that allows players to explore and liberate an alien city from the evil, monochromatic INKT Corporation that has taken over the city and outlawed all color and fun from daily life...

, Contra 4
Contra 4
Contra 4 is a 2D action game for the Nintendo DS and the eleventh original installment in the Contra series. The game was released in North America on November 13, 2007...

, and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a first-person action-adventure game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It is the tenth game in the Metroid series, and the final entry in the Metroid Prime trilogy—excluding two spin-off titles. It was released in...

were demoed, the last in near-complete form. A trailer for Soulcalibur Legends
Soulcalibur Legends
is an action-adventure game for the Wii console. It is a spin-off of Namco Bandai's successful Soul fighting game series and primarily features two of its most popular characters: Ivy and Siegfried. It was released on November 20, 2007 in North America and was released in Japan on December 13,...

was shown at the conference. Nitrobike
Nitrobike
Nitrobike is a dirt-bike racing video game for the Wii and PlayStation 2. It is published by Ubisoft and was developed by Left Field Productions, the developer previously responsible for, among other games, Excitebike 64, MTX Mototrax and Dave Mirra BMX Challenge...

and Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 were announced, the latter including 32-player online play.

Sony: Sony announced that the 60 GB PlayStation 3 would be getting a US$100 price cut and a new 80 GB PlayStation would be coming packaged with MotorStorm
MotorStorm
MotorStorm is a 2006 racing video game developed by Evolution Studios and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the Sony PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system. First announced at E3 2005, the game was released in Japan on 14 December 2006 and the rest of the world in March 2007....

for US$600 before E3 had started. An announcement made during E3 said that the price cut was be made so Sony could clear all existing stock with the 60 GB PS3 and discontinue it (in America) when the 80 GB PS3 was released. A slimmer, more compact version of the PlayStation Portable

PlayStation Portable

was announced and demoed. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
is a video game developed by Kojima Productions for the PlayStation 3 console. The game was directed by Hideo Kojima and made its worldwide release on June 12, 2008, ten years after the release of Metal Gear Solid and twenty years after the North American release of Metal Gear.Guns of the Patriots...

, Gran Turismo 5
Gran Turismo 5
is the fifth edition of the Gran Turismo racing video game series. Developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, it was released for PlayStation 3 on November 24, 2010...

, Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5, known in Japan as , is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed and published by Capcom. The game is the seventh installment in the Resident Evil survival horror series, and was released on March 5, 2009 in Japan and on March 13, 2009 in North America and Europe...

, and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a multimedia project developed by LucasArts along with Dark Horse Comics, Lego, Hasbro, and Del Rey Books...

trailers were shown. Heavenly Sword
Heavenly Sword
Heavenly Sword is a video game developed by Ninja Theory exclusively for the PlayStation 3 console and published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe...

, Killzone 2, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, and Burnout Paradise
Burnout Paradise
Burnout Paradise is the seventh game in the Burnout racing video game series. It was developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts. It was released in January 2008 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and on February 5, 2009 for Microsoft Windows...

were demoed. Silent Hill 5
Silent Hill 5
Silent Hill Homecoming is the sixth installment in the Silent Hill survival horror video game series, developed by Double Helix Games. The game was announced on July 11, 2007 by Konami at their E3 press conference, and was originally entitled Silent Hill V...

was announced with a short teaser trailer.

2008 (July 15–17)

Attendance to E3 2008, the 14th annual E3 summit had a reduced attendance once more of only 5,000.
Microsoft: Microsoft released demos for Fallout 3
Fallout 3
Fallout 3 is an action role-playing game released by Bethesda Game Studios, and the third major installment in the Fallout series. The game was released in North America, Europe and Australia in October 2008, and in Japan in December 2008 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360...

, Gears of War 2
Gears of War 2
Gears of War 2 is a third-person shooter video game developed by Epic Games with lead design by Cliff Bleszinski, and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360. It is the second installment of the Gears of War series. The game was officially released in North America, Europe and...

, Fable II, Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5, known in Japan as , is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed and published by Capcom. The game is the seventh installment in the Resident Evil survival horror series, and was released on March 5, 2009 in Japan and on March 13, 2009 in North America and Europe...

, and Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2 is an open world action-adventure video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 systems. It is the second title in the Saints Row series, after the release of Saints Row in 2006. It is succeeded by Saints Row: The...

, among other games. Though not all demos were available for download on Xbox Marketplace, new trailers for them were added. Also, an Xbox 360 dashboard update scheduled for fall 2008, with a new user interface and avatar system, was previewed. Additional television and movie content from NBC Universal

NBC Universal

NBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...

and other providers was announced for Xbox Live, including support for Netflix instant-watch titles. A television-style gaming feature known as Primetime was shown with a game based on the game show 1 vs. 100
1 vs. 100
1 vs. 100 is a game show created by Endemol that is aired in several countries. The game pits one person against 100 others for a chance to win a large cash prize. The game first aired in the Netherlands as Eén tegen 100, sponsored by the Nationale Postcode Loterij .- General format :In all...

shown as an example, there were also hints at a Big Brother
Big Brother (TV series)
Big Brother is a television show in which a group of people live together in a large house, isolated from the outside world but continuously watched by television cameras. Each series lasts for around three months, and there are usually fewer than 15 participants. The housemates try to win a cash...

type game and also a Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which was the Dutch Miljoenenjacht produced by Dutch producer Endemol. It is played with up to 26 cases with certain sums of money...

one. Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIII
is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. Released in 2009 in Japan and 2010 in North America and PAL regions, it is the thirteenth major installment in the Final Fantasy series...

was also announced to be released for Xbox 360 in Europe and North America.

Nintendo: Wii MotionPlus

Wii MotionPlus

The is an expansion device for the Wii Remote video game controller for the Wii that allows it to more accurately capture complex motion. According to Nintendo, the sensor in the device supplements the accelerometer and Sensor Bar capabilities of the Wii Remote to enable actions to be rendered...

was announced by Nintendo on July 14, 2008. It connects with the expansion port at the bottom of the Wii Remote

Wii Remote

The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...

to boost its precision, and can render every movement in the wrist or arm to allow for a real-time response in gameplay when used in conjunction with the Sensor Bar and the Wii Remote's built-in functionality. A demo for Wii Music
Wii Music
is a free form music game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game was released in Japan and North America in October 2008, and in Europe and Australia in the following month...

was unveiled on July 15, revealing support for the Wii Balance Board

Wii Balance Board

The Wii Balance Board is a balance board accessory for the Nintendo Wii video game console. Along with Wii Fit, it was introduced on July 11, 2007 at the Electronic Entertainment Expo...

, as well as the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. The Wii Speak peripheral was also introduced, a microphone device that allows remote communication between players that would debut with one of the announced games, Animal Crossing: City Folk, and be compatible with The Conduit
The Conduit
The Conduit is a first-person shooter video game developed by High Voltage Software for the Wii console. The Conduit was first revealed by the developer on the video game website IGN on April 17, 2008, and on October 29, 2008, the developer announced that Sega had signed on to be the game's...

, both games for the Wii. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is a video game for Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, and iOS, developed by Rockstar Leeds in conjunction with Rockstar North. It is the thirteenth game in the Grand Theft Auto series, and the very first for Nintendo DS and iOS.-Gameplay:Chinatown Wars has a...

was announced alongside Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades
Guitar Hero: On Tour series
Guitar Hero: On Tour is a series of music video games based on the Guitar Hero series for the Nintendo DS handheld game system. The series is developed by Vicarious Visions and distributed by RedOctane and Activision...

and details on Spore Creatures
Spore Creatures
Spore Creatures is the Nintendo DS and iPhone OS spin-off of Spore, developed by Foundation 9, in which a player controls and evolves a creature of their creation.-Plot:...

, all games for the Nintendo DS. A sequel for Wii Sports
Wii Sports
is a sports game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch title for the Wii video game console , and part of the Touch! Generations. The game was first released in North America along with the Wii on November 19, 2006, and was released in Japan, Australia, and Europe the following month...

, titled Wii Sports Resort
Wii Sports Resort
Wii Sports Resort has received generally favorable reviews, with an average score on Metacritic of 80%. IGN gave it a 7.7 out of 10, citing the impressive fidelity of the controls and how the graphics, as compared to the majority of Wii games, were superb. GameTrailers gave an 8.6 out of 10....

, was revealed to be in development and to be released next spring. At a private roundtable conference, development of a new Pikmin game was confirmed, along with research for a new The Legend of Zelda game and two new Mario games.

Sony: Sony started its E3 presentation with a demo of Resistance 2
Resistance 2
Resistance 2 is a science fiction first person shooter video game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. The game was released in North America on November 4, 2008, Japan on November 13, 2008, and in Europe on November 28, 2008...

. Details about an updated PlayStation Network were also released. These included Life With PlayStation and a new video download service that allows users to buy or rent movies from a large selection of movie publishers including Sony Pictures, Lionsgate, Warner Bros, Fox Home Entertainment, Disney, and MGM. Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty
Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty
Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty is the second in the Ratchet & Clank Future trilogy. It was released on PlayStation Network in Japan, North America and Europe on August 21, 2008 and on Blu-ray Disc in Europe on September 12, 2008 and in Asia on September 25, 2008...

, a downloadable title from PSN, was previewed. Brief trailers of God of War III
God of War III
God of War III is an action-adventure video game released by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division for the PlayStation 3 in March 2010...

and other games were shown for the system. Sony announced the restart of the "Greatest Hits" list of games, releasing titles with high sales performances such as Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed is an award-winning historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The bulk of the game takes place during the Third Crusade, with the plot revolving around a sect known as the Secret Order of...

, Fight Night
Fight Night (EA video game series)
Fight Night is a series of video games created by EA Sports. The series consists of* Fight Night 2004** Updates: Total Punch Control.* Fight Night Round 2...

, Resistance: Fall of Man
Resistance: Fall of Man
Resistance: Fall of Man is a first-person shooter video game for the PlayStation 3. It was developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The game is set in an alternate history 1951, and follows Sgt...

and more for $30 U.S. Other new titles were revealed including Resistance: Retribution
Resistance: Retribution
Resistance: Retribution is a third-person shooter handheld game developed for Sony's PlayStation Portable. It was announced on July 15, 2008 at Sony's E3 press conference and released on March 12, 2009 in Japan, March 17, 2009 in North America, March 20, 2009 in Europe and March 26, 2009 in Australia...

for the PSP and MAG for the PS3. Sony also revealed they would be releasing a PSP bundle pack that included an Ice Silver PSP Slim and Lite, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters , is a platform game in the Ratchet & Clank series for both the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. It is the first Ratchet & Clank game on the PSP handheld, and the 5th, chronologically, in the series...

, National Treasure: Book of Secrets on UMD

Universal Media Disc

The Universal Media Disc is an optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on their PlayStation Portable handheld gaming and multimedia platform...

, a voucher for Echochrome
Echochrome
is a puzzle game created by Sony's JAPAN Studio and Game Yarouze, which is available for PlayStation 3 from the PlayStation Store and for PlayStation Portable on either UMD or from the PlayStation Store. Gameplay involves a mannequin figure traversing a rotatable world where physics and reality...

, and a 1GB Memory Stick Duo. Sony also announced an 80GB version of the PlayStation 3 was to be released for PAL and NTSC regions in August 2008, for the same price as the current 40GB model.

Electronic Entertainment Expo (2009–)

Electronic Entertainment Expos beginning from 2009 reverted to the show's previous format before its 2007 restructuring. The show was greatly expanded in terms of size from previous years, it has been reopened to all qualified computer and gaming audience. The first show to revert to this format, E3 2009, was widely well received by game makers who were rather disappointed by E3 2007 and 2008.

2009 (June 2–4)

E3 2009 was the 15th Electronic Entertainment Expo held. It was held June 2–4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Attendance of E3 2009 had attendance which was similar to that of E3 summits from before 2007. The attendance was up by 820% on the previous years summit (E3 2008) to 41,000 attendees, which itself is only a decline of 32% on E3 2006's attendance.

New motion sensing devices were revealed for the PlayStation 3

PlayStation 3

and Xbox 360

Xbox 360

, the PlayStation Move and Project Natal

Project Natal

Kinect, originally known by the code name Project Natal, is a motion sensing input device by Microsoft for the Xbox 360 video game console. Based around a webcam-style add-on peripheral for the Xbox 360 console, it enables users to control and interact with the Xbox 360 without the need to touch a...

respectively. Crysis 2
Crysis 2
Crysis 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Crytek, published by Electronic Arts and released in North America, Australia, and Europe in March 2011 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360...

, Halo: Reach
Halo: Reach
Halo: Reach is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 console. Reach was released in North America, Australia, and Europe on September 14, 2010. The game takes place in the year 2552, where humanity is locked in a war with the...

, New Super Mario Bros. Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
is a 2009 side-scrolling platform video game published and developed by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game was released on November 12, 2009 in Australia, November 15, 2009 in North America, November 20, 2009 in Europe and December 3, 2009 in Japan...

, Golden Sun DS
Golden Sun DS
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, released in Japan as , is a role-playing game for the Nintendo DS developed by Camelot Software Planning. It is the third title in the Golden Sun series, and is set 30 years after the events of the first two games. It was featured in Nintendo's E3 2010 presentation, where its...

, Wii Vitality Sensor, WarioWare D.I.Y., Wii Fit Plus
Wii Fit Plus
is a fitness video game by Nintendo for the Wii console. The game is an enhanced version of Wii Fit and was announced at Nintendo's E3 2009 media briefing on June 2, 2009. The game was released in Japan on October 1, 2009 and in North America three days later on October 4. It was released in South...

, Super Mario Galaxy 2
Super Mario Galaxy 2
is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was first announced at E3 2009 and is the sequel to Super Mario Galaxy. It was released in North America on May 23, 2010, in Japan on May 27, 2010, in Europe on June 11, 2010, and in Australia on July 1,...

, Metroid: Other M
Metroid: Other M
is an action-adventure video game for the Wii developed by "Project M", a team which consists of staff members from Nintendo, Team Ninja, and D-Rockets. A part of the Metroid series, it features gameplay in both first- and third-person perspectives, and is the first installment of the franchise to...

, Final Fantasy XIV
Final Fantasy XIV
, also known as Final Fantasy XIV Online, is the fourteenth installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in September 2010 for Microsoft Windows, with a PlayStation 3 port in development. The game is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game and is developed and published by...

, ModNation Racers
ModNation Racers
ModNation Racers is a kart racing game developed by United Front Games for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. User generated content will be a central aspect of the game, such that it uses the same "Play, Create, Share." adage as LittleBigPlanet to convey its basis in online user-generated...

, and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
is a video game produced by Konami and Kojima Productions that was released for the PlayStation Portable in 2010. Peace Walker is the fourth Metal Gear title for the PSP, although it is only the second to be considered part of the series' main canon, following Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops...

were announced at the show. Sony's new portable device, the PSP Go

PSP Go

The PSP Go is a version of the PlayStation Portable handheld game console manufactured by Sony. It was released on October 1, 2009 in American and European territories, and on November 1 in Japan. It was revealed prior to E3 2009 through Sony's Qore VOD service...

, was also announced.

2010 (June 15–17)

The 2010 show was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Nintendo

Nintendo

revealed The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
is an action-adventure game for the Wii console and the sixteenth entry in the Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, it was released in Europe on November 18, 2011 in North America on November 20, 2011, in Japan on November 23, 2011, and on November...

, a Wii MotionPlus

Wii MotionPlus

-compatible title in the The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda, originally released as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo, and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Set in the fantasy land of Hyrule, the plot centers on a boy named Link, the playable protagonist, who aims to collect the eight fragments...

series, as well as the Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS

The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software...

handheld. THQ

THQ

THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...

's Danny Bilson stated that Saints Row: The Third would debut at E3 and dubbed it as "mind-blowing". Also, THQ

THQ

has announced the debut for Red Faction: Armageddon
Red Faction: Armageddon
Red Faction: Armageddon is a third-person shooter video game developed by Volition, Inc. and published by THQ. It is the fourth and final installment in the Red Faction series, and was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in various countries around the world between June 7...

at E3. As well as this, Kingdom Hearts 3D
Kingdom Hearts 3D
, is an upcoming game developed and published by Square Enix exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS, revealed at E3 2010. It is being created by the same development team that worked on Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, currently part of Square Enix's 1st Production Department. The game will be an entirely...

has been revealed. Microsoft

Microsoft

has announced Kinect, (formerly known as Project Natal

Project Natal

) and unveiled its new Xbox 360

Xbox 360

S model, while Sony displayed its upcoming motion-sensing game controller

Game controller

A game controller is a device used with games or entertainment systems used to control a playable character or object, or otherwise provide input in a computer game. A controller is typically connected to a game console or computer by means of a wire, cord or nowadays, by means of wireless connection...

for the PlayStation 3

PlayStation 3

named PlayStation Move. About 45,600 attendees were present for E3 2010, an 11% increase over E3 2009's attendance.

2011 (June 7–9)

E3 2011 was once again held at the Los Angeles Convention Center from June 7, to June 9. Nintendo announced the Wii U, their newest home console, it also announced the newest game the Mario Bros. Series for the Nintendo 3DS. Nintendo also celebrated the 25th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda by giving attendees a brand new trailer, including a bit of the story in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Nintendo also announced the release of Mario Kart for the 3DS, a new 3DS Star Fox game and much more. Square-Enix revealed more of the much anticipated Final Fantasy XIII-2 and it announced Hitman: Absolution. Microsoft also announced 2 new games in the Halo franchise, Halo 4

Halo 4

Halo 4 is an upcoming video game and the eighth installment in the Halo franchise. Halo 4 is intended to be the first of a new trilogy of Halo series games, named the "Reclaimer Trilogy". Whereas the previous Halo games were developed by Bungie, Halo 4 will be developed by 343 Industries...

and Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary edition, both which are in development at 343 Industries
343 Industries
343 Industries, usually shortened to 343i, is an American video game developer located in Kirkland, Washington. It was established in 2007 by Microsoft Game Studios to oversee development of the Halo science fiction media franchise, which includes video games, novels, comics, and other multimedia...

. Sony unveiled the final name for the NGP, the PlayStation Vita. It is set to come out in North America around Christmas costing about $249 for the WiFi version and $299 for the 3G version. Other notable games including BioShock Infinite
BioShock Infinite
BioShock Infinite is an upcoming first-person shooter video game, and the third game in the BioShock series. Previously known as "Project Icarus", it is being developed by Irrational Games for a 2012 release on the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms...

, Mass Effect 3
Mass Effect 3
Mass Effect 3 is an upcoming action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3...

, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3 is the upcoming sequel to the 2008 video game Far Cry 2. It is currently in development and is due to be released in February 2012....

, Assassin's Creed: Revelations
Assassin's Creed: Revelations
Assassin's Creed: Revelations is a video game in the Assassin's Creed franchise developed and published by Ubisoft Montreal. The game was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on November 15, 2011. For Microsoft Windows, the game is delayed until December 2, 2011...

, Gears of War 3
Gears of War 3
Gears of War 3 is a third-person shooter video game developed by Epic Games and published by Microsoft Studios exclusively for the Xbox 360. Originally due for release in April 2011, the game was delayed and eventually released on September 20, 2011....

, Forza Motorsport 4
Forza Motorsport 4
Forza Motorsport 4 is a racing video game released by Turn 10 Studios for the Xbox 360. It is the fourth installment in the Forza Motorsport series, and was released in North America on October 11, 2011 and in Europe on October 14, 2011...

, Prototype 2
Prototype 2
Prototype 2 is an upcoming video game set for release on April 24, 2012 in North America. It is currently under development by Canadian developer Radical Entertainment and is the sequel to 2009's Prototype. Like its original, the game is set to be published by Radical Entertainment's owner,...

, Tomb Raider, SSX
SSX (2012 video game)
SSX is an upcoming snowboarding video game in the SSX series of video games from Electronic Arts. First revealed at the Spike Video Game Awards in 2010 under the working title SSX: Deadly Descents, the game's trailer appears to show a much darker direction to the series than previous entries, and...

, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Prey 2
Prey 2
Prey 2 is an upcoming first-person shooter video game developed by Human Head Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks, due for release on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 in 2012. It is the sequel to the 2006 video game Prey. The game is presented in open world format.-Plot:The...

, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is the third game in the Uncharted series, created by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation 3, and was released in North America on November 1, 2011, Europe on November 2, 2011 and Australia on November 3, 2011. It is the sequel to 2009's Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. It was...

, Sonic Generations
Sonic Generations
is a 2011 platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, produced by Sonic Team for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Nintendo 3DS...

, Need for Speed: The Run
Need for Speed: The Run
Need for Speed: The Run is a racing video game, the 18th title in the Need for Speed franchise, and developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. The Wii and 3DS versions were developed by Firebrand Games, the team behind Undercover and Nitro...

, Rage
Rage (video game)
Rage is a first-person shooter video game by id Software which was released on October 4, 2011 in North America. It uses the company's new OpenGL based id Tech 5 engine. The game was first shown as a tech demo on June 11, 2007, at Apple's WWDC, and was officially announced on August 2, 2007, at...

, WWE '12, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fifth installment in The Elder Scrolls action role-playing video game series, following The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion...

were shown. Approximately 46,800 people were present at E3 2011, a 3% increase from E3 2010 and a 22% decline on E3 2006 attendance.

External links

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