Microsoft’s E3 2008 Press Conference: The Highlights

Summary

In this article, we will be discussing the highlights of Microsoft’s E3 2008 press conference. The conference was divided into two parts: the first half focused on the hardcore gaming audience, while the second half was geared towards the casual gaming and Wii audience. Microsoft made several big announcements, including the fact that Final Fantasy XII would be coming to the Xbox 360, and that they were partnering with Netflix to offer a video on demand service through Xbox Live Arcade.

Final Fantasy XII Coming to Xbox 360
Emphasis on Hardcore Gaming
Focus on Casual Gaming and Wii Audience
Partnership with Netflix

Final Fantasy XII Coming to Xbox 360

One of the biggest bombshells to come out of Microsoft’s E3 2008 press conference was the announcement that Final Fantasy XII, which was supposed to be Sony’s biggest exclusive for the PlayStation, would now be coming out simultaneously on the Xbox 360 in North America and Europe. This was huge news for Xbox 360 fans and a major blow to Sony.

Emphasis on Hardcore Gaming

Microsoft kicked off the conference by showing that they had sewn up the hardcore gaming audience. They showcased games like Resident Evil, which had a Gears of War co-op feel to it, Gears of War, which looked incredible, Fable, which was a sophisticated and quirky RPG, and Fallout, which looked to be even better than Elder Scrolls in terms of its expansive game world. There was also lots of emphasis on online play with Gears of War and Fable, and even Resident Evil, which was surprising.

Focus on Casual Gaming and Wii Audience

The second half of Microsoft’s press conference was geared towards the casual gaming and Wii audience. They introduced a new Avatar system, which was similar to Nintendo’s Mii character, and was built into the brand new Xbox Live experience that they also showed off. Microsoft was going back in with a red ocean strategy, contesting the area that the other consoles had already owned. They introduced direct competitors to Wii’s Ito and SingStar, such as a trivia game and a karaoke game.

Partnership with Netflix

Microsoft also made some interesting announcements in terms of video and TV content at Xbox 360, including their partnership with Netflix. If you have a Netflix account and an Xbox Live Arcade account, you can watch Netflix’s library of digital movies on Xbox Live Arcade. This was a significant announcement, as it could be a game-changer in the world of video on demand services.

Conclusion

Overall, Microsoft’s E3 2008 press conference was a pretty good one. They made some big announcements, and it was clear that they wanted to be all things to all people. Whether they can actually manage to pull that off or whether they just end up getting stuck in the middle is anybody’s guess at this point. Only time will tell.