Microsoft's E3 Press Briefing

You know you're in the right spot when the buzz from hundreds of jaded journalists is electric. Music thunders. Folks hurriedly locate their seats. The anticipation is tangible.

I was at Graumon's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, and the excitement for Microsoft®'s pre-E3 press briefing reached a near breaking point before the show finally got underway. What follows are the highlights from the show: the moments that shocked, the moments that surprised, and the moments sweet enough to make a grown gamer cry.

Click on any of the following links to more quickly navigate to your subject of choice:

• Halo® 3 Trailer
• Gear of War® Demo
• Xbox Live® Arcade's Future
• Newly Announced Games and Accessories
• Live Anywhere

The Halo 3 trailer had the audience cheering.

Master Chief in the House
It's all over the Web and, even better, it's all over Xbox.com: The epic and ominous Halo 3 trailer (courtesy of Bill Gates himself) debuted at the press briefing, and if you're slavering to get a glimpse of your favorite franchise, hop over here and get that eyeful of Master Chief you crave.

Eyes on Gears
Not one to start out on a soft note, Microsoft began the E3 proceedings by unleashing Gears of War in a live demonstration given by the famed CliffyB (lead designer for Gears).

For those excited by previous trailers, the live demonstration solidified the unprecedented graphical quality and cinematic experience as wholly authentic, and it would appear to play just as good as it looks in those trailers. You've never seen a game quite like this before. The highlights of the demonstration included:

• You're immersed immediately in a war-torn environment, and it's clear that heavy devastation lurks around every corner. When an enemy explosion rips apart a towering building nearby and you witness it deform and crumble around you, you realize the insane level of graphical wizardry in play.
• Seeing an attack helicopter bearing down on you after exiting a vehicle brings the cinematic scope and epic scale of Gears of War into sharp relief. While technically the graphics are stunning, it's the way Gears presents them to you that impresses.

Blasting aliens is the name of the game.

• The first time you see the combat shotgun literally tear an enemy apart will live in your memory as a landmark gaming milestone.
• No doubt CliffyB was waiting for the reaction, but when he literally shredded an enemy with the circular-saw-like attachment nestled on the underside of the gun, the oohs, ahs, and cheers erupted for a classic "E3 moment."

Arcade's Future
It's clear that not even the powers-that-be at Microsoft fully appreciated the reaction Xbox Live Arcade would get, but it's also clear that they're actively bolstering the service for the long haul. Specifically highlighted at the briefing were:

• Pacman and Ms. Pacman
• Contra (and yes, according to Peter Moore, the classic Contra codes will work on Xbox 360™)
• Frogger
• Mortal Kombat 3
• Scramble
• Galaga
• Dig Dug
• Sonic the Hedgehog

More important than the specific titles, though, was the announcement that Microsoft has reached agreements with NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., Konami Digital Entertainment, SEGA®, and Midway Games, Inc. to further draw on the companies' vast catalogues of classic games for Xbox Live Arcade. What's more, Microsoft is working with more than 100 independent developers to create and publish unique, original content for the service.

Announced Titles and Accessories
Every E3 offers it share of surprise game/product announcements, and Microsoft's E3 press briefing was no exception. Officially unveiled:

• Fable® 2: With Microsoft acquiring the services of Lionhead Studios (Peter Molyneux's development house), it should come as no surprise that Fable 2 is in the works, but confirmation at E3 along with a delicious trailer (featuring a taste of the sequel's gothic, mysterious mood) is great news nonetheless.
• Forza Motorsport™ 2: The franchise may have been born on Xbox®, but it's being reinvented on Xbox 360. While graphically the trailer was stunning, its visually dynamic focus on radically comprehensive customization possibilities was impossible to ignore.
• Shadowrun: Developed for both Windows Vista™ and Xbox 360, this first-person adventure brings to life the classic FASA pen-and-paper roleplaying game, filled with cybernetics, wizardry, big guns, and fantasy races (e.g. dwarves, elves, and trolls), and fuses all of these into equally robust single- and multiplayer experiences.
• Grand Theft Auto IV: Unlike with previous versions, the Xbox family will be home to the next Grand Theft Auto game on day one. Better yet, Microsoft has reached an agreement with Rockstar (GTA's developer) to create exclusive episodic content for download via Xbox Live® Marketplace.
• Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel: Spring-boarding off the Forza Motorsport 2 announcement, Peter Moore revealed the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, an ideal complement to Forza and, no doubt, any other racing game. Moore was also able to confirm that force feedback will be present in the wheel and, as the name states, it will be wireless.
• Xbox Live Vision Camera: Also finally officially unveiled is the oft-rumored-of camera for Xbox 360, now named Xbox Live Vision Camera. Its ability to offer gesture recognition and provide top-tier video chat was also confirmed, and, better yet, the first game to employ the new accessory was revealed as well: World Series of Poker®: Tournament of Champions for Xbox 360 will allow you to literally see and read your opponents as you view them live during matches.

Live Anywhere
First-time E3 attendee and surprise guest Bill Gates appeared on the stage to announce Microsoft's Live Anywhere concept, which will allow for one seamless and all-inclusive Live experience on Xbox 360, Windows Vista, and mobile phones. Here are the highlights:

• All under one roof: Your gamertag, your achievements, your gamer profile, and your friends list will all live under one global Live service across Windows Vista, Xbox 360, and mobile phones.
• Cross-platform gaming: Not only will you be able to find and communicate with friends across all platforms, you'll be able to play games online with friends whether they use the Xbox 360 or Windows Vista version of certain games (newly announced Shadowrun will be the first to showcase this functionality).
• Vista from the get go: When Windows Vista launches in January, many of the Live Anywhere features will launch with it, so expect a massive boost to the gaming community come the end of the year.

To close the show, Bill Gates introduced (in nonchalant fashion) the now famous Halo 3 trailer, and from there it was off to the lavish after-party.

The above highlights are just that—highlights. Remember, the show is just beginning, and so are the much-cherished details and hands-on reports. Stay tuned to Xbox.com for much, much more throughout E3 and beyond.

Article by Ryan Treit