Sunday: Day 1
Sharing a flight out of Denver with Chrencete from Kotaku and the editors of Electronic Gaming Monthly, we arrived in LA, which is still preparing for the big show to open on Tuesday. By the multitude of building sized banners and gaming advertisements displayed across the entire city, the expo’s grandeur was immediately obvious.
Anxious to get a head start on the coverage, JoeOneWing and I were able to get a semi-exclusive tour of the inside of the convention center before it opens to the public on Tuesday. Despite the expo’s policy for no photography before the event, we couldn’t resist sneaking a few shots around a few of the outer exhibits. However, due to a simple USB cable snafu, we are currently unable to upload the pictures until tomorrow’s update. However, based solely on what we could see from the outer edge, the more visible exposes teased the upcoming releases of Final Fantasy XIV, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, Ghost Recon’s Future Soldier, Need for Speed, and the new Force Unleashed 2. From what we discovered, a new feature of the event is the incorporation of an interactive digital map that will guide attendees to the various exposes through the use of what appears to be a table sized iPad. Video of its use will surely follow.
One thing that is confirmed from today is Microsoft’s highly anticipated Project Natal that was officially renamed Kinect as its final release title. As for unconfirmed suspicions at the moment, the following is a list of our predictions for the expo:
* A remake of Final Fantasy VII for PS3
* Following suite with Nintendo, next generation consoles will drop the numbering system and be given an actual name
* Kingdom Hearts 3 will be announced
* Metal Gear Solid 4 will be announced for the Xbox 360
In an hour we will be attending Kotaku’s annual Pre-E3 party at the Broadway Bar. Pictures and video will document the night, but depending on how the night goes, it won’t necessarily be in the interest of our egos to post those for the world. We’ll see.
