E3 2007 Liveblog Archive

Welcome to N-Sider's E3 liveblog! Our away-team will be convening shortly, having all finally arrived in California, and will pepper this area with bits and pieces of their exploits. Be sure to tune in later tonight for the Microsoft preshow event, and tomorrow morning for Nintendo's and Sony's own extravaganzas.

Remember, this area will update automatically, so there's no need for you to refresh the page! Once the preshow festivities are through, though, do make sure to refresh periodically for our regular news coverage, which will sit snugly beneath the blog for the remainder of the show.

Greetings from Brandon and Jessy in Los Angeles! Matt, Dean, and Amy should be here any minute and then we're off to pick up our E3 badges. An entire family just came in from Minneapolis for a reunion, had like twenty bags all splayed out around the floor. Thanks, LAX!

We are taxi-ing our way down to Santa Monica to our hotel, then from there we'll go get pre-registered for the Sony show and pick up our E3 badges. The taxi-meter grows, ravenous and bloated with our dollars...

We've checked in at the hotel, we're about to head down to the Sony press registration and get our badges.

We shall report back once we have acquired our wares.

Dean patiently explains the ins and outs of the Big Blue Bus to anyone who is interested.

Sony's press conference registration is here.

Registering to get those magical E3 badges.

Into the Pixel is set up outside the Fairmont Miramar Hotel where we just picked up our E3 badges... and P.S... open bar starts in five minutes!

Did someone say whiskey sours and complimentary beef Wellington? Microsoft can wait... for now.

More chocolate than I've ever seen. And all free! Plus BOOZE!

Just wanted to update everyone; we've got our badges, we're registered for Sony, and we are about to embark on yet another bus ride to Microsoft's Press Event.

We'll be blogging live, and barring any WiFi issues at the event, we'll update you when we're about to begin.

A big to-do outside the Microsoft conference, walkways lined with white orbs and bright green lights, flourescent arrows painted all over the sidewalk. Inside we can barely catch a glimpse of neon green and blue tubes lining outdoor bleachers. The show looks like it will be outside in the ampitheater as previously rumored...

The ampitheater is tricked out with a big screen projecting Live tags, foam seats and, curiously, a trap set and electric guitars set up just off stage.

We are seated second row from the front, amongst a big pool of water and a large screen.

Both Brandon and my names appeared on the gamertag screen, we're ready to jump in.

For all N-Sider history buffs, we just ran into Fran Mirabella (he started the site)

Curiously just off stage left we have four pedestals, containing a 360 Core, a Premium, an Elite, and a mysterious vacant pillar. Could the rumors of a new, redesigned 360 come true tonight?

Amongst the stage there are many LCD screens, a full band setup to the right of us, and pedestals (look a few posts down for picks) with an empty space, for the presumably new Falcon 360 system.

Silver balls lay ontop of velvet in front of us - we ARE outdoors, quite fancy, and the music is pumping... There goes the disco.

Stadium is getting fuller by the minute - we sit atop special foam seats, which we presume we can take with us (photo to come).

These are the fancy little foam seats that we'll presumably be taking home at the end of the show (they have handles built in).

We've added the Microsoft liveblog image, just so you, our readers, know where we're at.

Even though the loop continues on, it seems to grow every time - I am of course, referring to all the gamertags on screen.

As more and more people check in, the web seems to get larger and larger, looking almost like the continents.

Hey guys, I think we're on TV - everyone here has cameras, you might see us somewhere online, if you've got a livestream going.

The "briefing" WiFi access point here appears to have crumpled under the weight of all the laptops logging on to update...

If this bass-heavy musical preludery keeps up for much longer, my ears are going to start bleeding profusely.

I keep seeing this BDaiker fellow's name appearing on the big screen... over and over. He must be quite important.

Fifteen minutes to showtime and the place continues to fill up. Loud techno-y beats drone on endlessly. The sun's beginning to set, ensuring the numerous green neon lights bathe everything in an eerily iridescent glow. Various media outlets confront mounting frustration over the still-broken WiFi.

Mysterious fog has begun to pour out of the two stage entrances. It's really mysterious!

I can feel Microsoft's soothing vapor action working!

Five minutes to go, they say.

A video camera on a huge boom is swinging menacingly over the crowd.

Show's about to begin. Being told to turn off the phones et al.

The Halo school band people are playing the Halo theme at the instruments... a Youtube favorite from a few months ago. Montage of Halo screens filling the projection screen mixed with live footage of the band.

Peter Moore coming out.

Peter Moore's taking the stage, thanking the band. All demos tonight come this year. Rock Band! Being demoed.

Peter's joining in the Rock Band fun.

Peter's playing too... he failed already. Haha.

Peter accidentally paused the apparently live demo... twice.

What's this, Viva Pinata Party?

Viva Pinata party-style game called Viva Pinata Party Animals demoed. 50 minigames and races.

Mass Effect trailer shown. Looking real good in realtime. Mass Effect hits retail this November.

Peter claiming credit for industry growth, based on install base. They are outselling Wii on games by quite a bit.

Talking about sales, Halo 3, GTA 4 and Madden all this holiday for 360.

Lots of sequels driving 360 lineup. Beautiful Katamari among them.

Scene-it with a new buzzer controller... made for young and old, game and 4 controllers for normal game price.

Reggie Bush playing Madden with some really lame Microsoft guy... seems scripted since we can see their lines on the prompter... Reggie just wasted him.

Live has reached 7 million. Predicting ten for next year.

New Live Arcade games... Bomberman. Wing Commander Arena, old Sega stuff... new Marathon Durandal.

Quite the assortment for Live Arcade. Can WiiWare keep up?

125 million spent on Live. Disney films now coming as well.

All Disney films in high def. All online for download tonight.

Elite to launch in Europe August.

Live for Windows is going to be built go to Unreal Engine 3. Sega, Eidos, THQ signed on to do Live on Windows.

Lots of demos, new GTAIV trailer... running on a 360.

I can't get over the frame stutter in these videos. Impressive looking, sure, but at what cost?

New trailer for Resident Evil 5 coming in 2008.

New Halo 3 styled 360 coming this fall with Halo-themed accessories.

And we're done. With a Halo 3 trailer, of course. (Expect any less?)

Hey everyone, we've just risen from a night of slumber - the big day is today.

In about an hour we're going to head down to the Nintendo registration for the press conference today, and as always, providing the WiFi doesn't crash, we shall be live!

I am told by our Canadian friends that this is a "French bagel".

We've just gotten our invites for the Nintendo conference... the check-in lists were fairly small as he thumbed through to find my name. It's graciously vacant here compared to previous years at the Kodak.

Delicious Nintendo hospitality just inside the lobby with some large generically styled Wii stand-ups adorning the sides. People are milling about waiting to see where to line up. Some larger Nintendo DS stand-ups also sit near a wall. It's really eerily quiet, completely empty compared to previous years, again.

Still waiting around for them to open the doors to the main auditorium. Show starts in 45 minutes. Really filling up in here now.

Camera crews going in. Big screen says Nintendo.

First thing we notice when we get indide.

There is a man with a large metal headpiece in front of me. I think his name is Yavier.

And we're inside. Lots of people. "I'm a Believer" playing over the loudspeakers. Big central setup of computers and HD video cameras no doubt for live streams. Generic publicity art on the upper walls. Pretty classy.

We've taken our seats, fifth row from the front on the right.

Should begin in about 20 minutes.

Lots of "oldies" music being played... I wonder if this has any indication of what's to come?

Just had a chat with the head of marketing for Activision - we have a theory that "E for All" this fall (in the LACC) is actually an event put on by the ESA.

ESA is contracted through 2012 with the LACC, and with the amount of marketing involved thus far for E for All, it's likely that this is an event, backed in secret, to complete that contract.

Some of the promo shots kicking around on the wall. Nothing too out of the ordinary.

Oh John Mayer.. why must you wait for the world to change?

I am really believing that this music is representitive of the show to come.

Mr. Destructoid (we're seated behind their team) took off his mask... He is human after all.

Just wanted to take the time to say hello to all our readers back home and our friends cheering us on.

Come join us in the chat, irc.opa-ages.com channel #n-sider

Or if you don't have an IRC client: http://forums.n-sider.com/chat/

The auditorium is filling up quick - back rows are starting to get full, looks to be almost capacity crowd..

Show will begin in 5 minutes.

We anxiously awaiting the start of the conference. There is a mystery fog--show starts in five!

Perrin... from the back, I guess.

Two minutes to showtime.

Destructoid put his helmet back on, auditorium still has a few empty seats, but not many.

Tons of cameras once again; excitement rises!

Lights are dimming, show is beginning.

Music has stopped. a Talking NES greets us talking about videogamers.

Video montage of pop cultuire

Soutpark, Colbert, Wall Street, home videos

Talking about lots of nintendo success, how the DSlite is selling, the Wii in culture.. how hackers are using the remote, making robots.

Baby laughs, conan o'brien in the background, more and more media videos.

REGGIE on stage.\

His Mii is behind him, his name is reggie.

"And I am happy"

Today is a celebration, for everyone.

E3 marks a conclusive turning point for the videogame market. Welcoming more players and more opportunitiy.

Reggie is happy!

E3 2007 is a coming out party for the industry.

The moment when videogames would take hteir place beside TV and movies, and music. As a staple of leisure and entertainment.

Everyone is a gamer.

Reggie takes the stage.

46% increase in video market in USA.
UK growth is 42% thru the first half of this year.
Japan growth (Current industry drivers) yearly growth is up 114%

Reggie attributes this to the new expanded market, talks about families using the Nintendo systems.

Taking credit for overall industry growth. Wonder what Peter would say. Expansion is the key.

These moments happen every minute of every day.

Nintendo accounts for 69% of all gaming growth this year.

Portable and Console sales are 50/50 in 2006

DS is 23% of that 50% -- rest is other portables (phones, etc)

in 07, projected is 25% of all hardware sales in USA, is DS.

21% of all dollar sales come from 18-24yr olds.

25+ is 32%

17 under is 47%

Reggie cites potential, in the 25 plus crowd.

2005 = 14%
2007 YTD = 23%

all NOA's sales.

Industry male to female ratio: 80/20 for this year, for everyone but nintendo.

Nintendo's split: M/F 67/33.

95% of all males between 6-24 are playing Wii.

66% men of 25-49 in Wii households, report playing regularly.

Women, 3/4 say they've tried it.. and 1/3 are regular users.

"Thats a lot of soccer moms"

"Industry appeal has always worked the same way"
"Pitch a game to the core players, and push appeal as fast and far as you can"


He's now talking about nongames as satellites in the gaming universe.

Older guys like me driving Nintendo's market now. I feel so loved!

They help enlist new players and make the mass market bigger.

Reggie speaks about the Wii being a fad.

He says the reality is, DSlite flew by the 40m worldwide sales mark, months ago.

Best selling game system on the planet

The wii has been sold out for all 33 weeks thus far, around the world.

Current level of demand makes the Wii the #1 world wide generation console, very soon.

Nintendo is not a fad... Nintendo IS the future.

North America shows 60 games in the Wii catalogue.
300 for the DS.

Between now and the holidays, NA players can expect a new 140 new games for the DS, and another 100 for the Wii.

3rd party sales represent more than half of all unit volume on Wii.

Wii videos playing, more fanmade stuff.

Constant Wii sellouts still. Wonder if they'll be on shelves any time soon-Reggie ain't sayin'.

Some guy cradling his Wii as his baby..

These videos are all the fan submissions from their short film contest a few months ago.

The first offspring of the wii remote.

WII ZAPPER!!!!

Zapper used in RE: UC... get to play it this week.

These Youtube videos are quite possibly the best montage ever.

The Wii Zapper... housing for nunchuk and Wii Remote. This week use it with RE Chronicles at the show.

Medal of Honor is designed around using this new zapper.

Lots of other 3rd parties will talk about their plans for it this week.

A wii zapper project is well along in development..

The Wii Zapper will come with this software.

Available at 19.99

Zapper looks incredibly comfy to hold. Looking forward to the $20 package.

Soul Calibur Legends, Smack down vs raw 08, showing a bunch of 3rd party stuff.. Wii and DS.

Not all core gamers are fighters.

Maybe we're deep... Squeenix Dragon Quest will be out next year.

Mario and Sonic at the olympics -- 4p go for gold, racing for the track to the poll (pole?)

One more title to mention..

SSBB! Talks about the dojo.. you cant wait to battle with Gigabowser

Talks about how we can power up our attack with four different controller options.

WHEN? WHEN?

Well.. Not next year.. Not next spring... I can announce today

SSBB: DEC 03

There's 'more than enough action coming'

here's a video of people walking on a beach..

Talking with Nintendo people at thehylia.com

This is all stuff we already know, so really.. not sure what this is doing here.

Mike and Bill Trinen are going to demo Phantom Hourglass

This guy plays his DS with his mouth open.. probably not the most flattering thing to be showing on the big screen.

PH is one of the fastest selling Zelda games in Japan.

Jackie is going to demo prime 3.

Game looks beautiful, actually.

Using gesture based controlls, you can switch visors on the fly, holding the minus button and gesturing to different places on screen.

Battle is where the controller shines.

You simply aim and fire at the enemies you encounter.

There's "lock on free aiming"

You lock on with Z, and you strafe around the orbit point.. WHile you're locked on, you can still aim anywhere you want on screen.

Hyper mode is a new state where you inject an energy tank into her suit.

It's devestating for weapons, but you'll become corrupted if you stay in this mode too long.

Jackie is done, Reggie comes back.

He's talking about a conversation he had today.

about how "Audience expansion" came out of nowhere.

here comes online talk..

Talking about DS games using WFC, Mario Kart on DS, the webbrowser, more videos from the Media about the Wii and the internet capabilities.

5.5m DS owners have used their WiFi connection.

112 classic games now on VC... 5.6M downloads.

WiiWare is now the focus.

You can but the silence in the room while Reggie touts WFC.

New channel: new Mii channel.

"Check Mii out"

Enter Miis youve created, and have them voted on, and find most popular ones.. Take home the ones you like best.

Contests and Promotions, Creating Mii's based on real celebrities, etc.

REAL online gaming - he talks about Wii Pokemon using WFC.

Players in america will be playing online, with Mario Strikers Charged.

There's more...

Madden 08. fifa 08, online as well this fall.