So Microsoft, you look as though you're doing quite well. Sold some systems... had a little hardware problem but even managed to escape that dibacle. The West is nearly won, but the East offers a grim reminder of how new you are to this game, and how much work is left to be done to solidify yourselves as a true power.

Allow me to introduce you to a great Japanese developer, a legend in all parts of the world, and one that has a portfolio of franchises, of which most have been long forgotten. Microsoft, this, is Sega. Not only is their portfolio expansive, they hold the rights to one of the most iconic characters in video gaming history. Yes, that would be Sonic the Hedgehog. This is also the company that employed a certain former employee of your own company, a certain Peter Moore. The same Peter Moore who launched Sega's last attempt at a console, and your current attempt at a console.

The paralells, are well, unparalelled. You owe it to yourselves to purchase the company that was essintally your entire inspiration for the Xbox brand and Xbox Live. You need a foothold in Japanese consumer's minds. They need the financial backing to go back to their hayday and start making great games again. They were pioneers in the arcade, when 3D first started to become possible. Virtua Fighter was a defining game for the 3D fighting genre, and is still an excellent franchise. Shenmue, for its time, was a graphical and gameplay marvel. It spawned a sequel, and is still in high demand, with many people still waiting for a third installment. It had a huge Japanese following, and with an MMO version of this game, would basically secure a hardware sale to many a Japanese gamer, since your console would be the only place it could be played. The same would apply for other great franchises. Here's a short list, in no paticular order.

• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Virtua Fighter
• Sega Rally/ Sega GT
• Shenmue
• Vectorman
• Streets of Rage
• Phantasy Star

Imagine the implications for your Live Arcade service. Imagine a series of Sega classics remade into HD, much like Rez and Ikaruga. Streets of Rage HD, Sonic HD, Vectorman HD, Kid Chameleon HD, NiGHTs HD, etc. Arcade perfect ports of Virtua Fighter, Virtua Racing, Virtua Cop, Star Wars Arcade, Sega Rally, Daytona USA, etc. all with online play/leaderboards and achievements. Imagine some of your favorite classics like Gunstar Heros, Ranger X, and Ristar, with leaderboards, online play, and cutting edge graphics and sound.

With your money and marketing savy, and their portfolio and reputation, the possibilities could be nearly endless, not to mention fairly profitable.

P.S. Windows Live Space blade and integration. Get it done after you take care of that whole Sega thing. Or even before, either way.

E3 Press Conferences and Other Stuff:

First, I would like to just say, that half way through E3, my wife is thoroughly upset with me. I have literally spent 8 hours or more over the past two days following every bit of E3. This is the first E3 that I can truly sit down, and get excited about games. I have an Xbox 360, a Wii, and have been waiting for the price reduction to now go out and purchase the shiny black behemoth, Playstation 3.

Oh, before I forget, the Playstation 3 did drop $100 in price. Some were attempting to say this was not so. The original $499 PS3 lacked HDMI, WiFi, and the card reader. It also was shipped with a measly 20GB hard drive. The system now priced at $499 offers much more, and is the reason I am now purchasing one. Sony's strategy is working quite well, I believe.

All that aside, I would like to cover the press conferences, and hopefully shed some light on some things I loved about each one, and other things I found down right ugly. Like Phil Harrison's avatar in a Daxter costume, dancing.

Microsoft

Overall, the most entertaining conference of E3. Microsoft really understands one thing, that gamers like you and I are watching. From the opening of the conference with a down right amazing, live performance of the Halo theme song, to Peter Moore attempting to play Rock Band with some of the developers, it was a great show. Of the 3, they easily showed the most games. They also stayed within 2007, rather than their fiscal year (with the exception of Resident Evil 5) which is greatly appreciated when they are showing some of the most anticipated games, and you know you'll be playing them by the end of the year.

The worst part of the conference, was the announcement of a Halo 3 Edition Xbox 360. I said I'd point out things I found ugly, and boy was it ever ugly. The inclusion, but lack of, PC games was also surprising, and it doesn't sound as though the "Games for Windows" brand is really taking off like they thought it would. People that want conformity and simple interfaces have already given up and migrated to consoles, and I don't see the majority of them looking back.

Sony

A little unfocused. They really bounced around from subject to subject. I would have to say though, that it was easily on par with Microsoft's conference. The PSP montage at the beginning was great, and showed alot of system selling games. The redesign of the system, while adding TV out, which is a great feature, still lacks a second analog stick, which continues to make me go... huh? The Playstation Home software looks promising, in that it will hopefully help to build a true community. Xbox Live is excellent, but the prospect of being able to walk into a lobby that holds a bunch of people that want to play the same game as you is exciting. PSN as whole really seems to be looking up. The software being released on the network really does look promising. A game like echochrome really shows the creativity and ingenuity of the games being released on PSN.

There were some low points. Sort of exclusive titles (UT3 and Haze). New footage of Killzone 2 and Metal Gear Solid 4 is great, still not having a release date 2 years later isn't. Making a prologue to Gran Turismo is also kind of blah. And to top it off, most of their third party titles were shown the night before at Microsoft's conference, giving Sony's conference a "been there, done that" feel at times. Did I mention Phil Harrison's avatar dancing around in a Daxter costume?

Nintnedo

Uninspired. Lacking. I am starting with the negatives because I really didn't like Nintendo's conference. Reggie droned on and on about sales this, and sales that. I can understand that they are proud of their newest system, but this isn't a stock holder's meeting. The absolute lack of games was also suprising. I would think that, out of those hundred or so games that are supposed to be out in North America alone, that they would've showed a few more than they did. Also, the use of the DS and Wii sales statistics was a bit underhanded, since the DS already outsells the PS3 and the 360 on its own.

When they did show games and products, they were mostly great. My wife and I are already planning on purchasing Wii Fit. Its a great idea as a motivational tool and is yet another excuse to play video games. What is more exciting, is what developers could do in games with a combination of the balance board and Wiimote/nunchuck. I salivaited at the thought of playing new games in Nintendo's major franchises while watching Metroid Prime 3, Mario Kart Wii and Super Mario Galaxy in action. The added multiplayer to some games is great, especially in Mario Kart. The Wii zapper and Wii Wheel were about to be written off, until they announced that they would be packaged with the games, and extra ones were $19.99. When they were on, they were on. When they were off, they were arrogant and most of all, not very entertaining.

The one problem I have with everyone's conference, is the inclusion of sales in their presentation. Send out a written report to your retail partners. E3 is about the latest and greatest in gaming, and I for one, am tired over the continuous bickering and pointing and gloating. Sega killed their own company over this. They felt if they couldn't be first, then they just wouldn't be. Gaming and being a gamer is about the games, not how many games company A can sell, or how much hardware company B pushed out the door. These aren't sports teams. If the system you own doesn't sell the most, so what? E3 is proof that EVERY system is getting a slew of good games by year's end. Sure sales matter to the company itself and its retail partners, and that is why it should be kept between them and their stock holders, the common man has no such need for this information.

The disappointing side effect to these sales figures always being made public, is the fanboyism running rampant all over the gaming community. I remember when I was younger, there were mainly arcade games, and there was Nintendo and Sega and Atari. I remember it was such a shock when my brother and I found another gamer. There weren't alot of us. I remember we were pretty much the only two people we knew that were into gaming enough to actually know what E3 was, and be able to tell everybody we knew that gamed about the new games coming out. It was a time of excitement. The fanboys are destroying this, and at a rapid pace.

The continuous taunting, arguing, and slamming of other people because of what they enjoy playing and the system they own has gotten out of hand on these forums and elsewhere in the gaming community. Not to mention, the amount of ignorance and lack of respect for one another is sickening sometimes. It may be an issue of maturity, or it may be a sign of things to come. It is also to blame for the downsizing of E3. With all of the retailer's employees able to enter the show floor, fanboyism was on full force display, with people running around like morons, and probably standing around arguing amongst themselves and basically making the entire gaming community look like idiots.

Please, show some common respect for your fellow man or woamn. You know that this is not how you act in person, and the e-thugging is not necessary to make a point or tell someone what you like or dislike about a game. E3 is a wonderful time of year for every gamer, and lets not forget why we're members of this site. Lets not forget why we stand outside in adverse weather for hours in front of some generic box store. Lets not forget why we put up with nagging spouses and disapproving parents. Because we are gamers, its what we love, and what we share with each other.

Peace, I'm out.
Luka

    Well, I have picked one hell of a time to start what I hope to be, a weekly blog. With the launch of the Sony PS3 and the Nintendo Wii looming, and the Tokyo Game Show just around the corner, there is quite a bit going on in the gaming world. Lets get right into it.

    It has proven hard to sound unbiased to any Sony fan lately, with all the problems arising with the PS3 launch. Every comment I have posted about this subject has placed me in someone else's camp, when in reality, I was right behind Sony when they announced the PS3. I have always made an attempt to own every system from each generation. I own an Xbox, PS2, Gamecube, and a 360 currently, and it dates back all the way to the 16-bit days, when I owned both a Super Nintendo and the Sega Genesis. I can't include 8-bit, since I did have the NES and an Atari 7800, but never even knew about the Sega Master System. Sony has made alot of mistakes lately, and I am merely pointing it out to others.

    The latest news is from an analyst who claims that, of the available PS3's at launch, 80% of them will be the $599 version. If he is correct, it will be a big mistake by Sony. As a company, you should not expect the consumer to pay a premium, even if they are not looking for the premium version of your product. People such as myself, who still use their PC for media, will see no need for a 60GB HDD, unless they are still avid PS One fans and want to purchase those games for download. However, you will also not recieve the HDMI port on the $499 version, which to me, seems like a ploy to get people to purchase the $599 version, even though they don't need the extra space on the HDD.

    If I were Sony, my PS3 versions would go something like this. Both would have HDMI ports, but the $599 version would come with 100GB HDD and an extra controller. Better yet, the HDMI cable could be seperate, and merely package the console with component cables. If consumers wanted to go to HDMI in the future, it would be a simple purchase after the fact. That way you could include the cable with the $599 version, much like the Xbox 360 Premium coming with HD Component cables, while $499 users would have the option to upgrade in the future.

    I am big on getting the most for my money, espically when it comes to electronics, which is why I would never purchase an iPod, or a $599 game console that only includes an extra 40GB of storage and an HDMI port. That to me, is ridiculous. With all the amazing games coming to the PS3, Sony needs to offer the consumer and their fans more for their money when they purchase a console, since it will be a mainstay in their entertainment rack for at least 4 years.

    There are many other topics I could go on and on about, but I want this to be a weekly blog, so that's all for this week, see you next week.