Game Over's E3 Preview

CNN's Game Over column has a preview of what you're likely to see at this year's E3, and what's probably not going to make a showing. From the article: "For the first time in years, Microsoft will shine some of its gaming PR spotlight on the PC as it prepares for the launch of Windows Vista. While we'll almost certainly see a couple of games that take advantage of the system's improvements, we'll probably also hear a fair bit about how Vista gamers will be able to interact with Xbox 360 players."

Re:Microsoft pushing PC gaming?

[__aaclcg7560]

Microsoft is pushing for games to be developed exclusively on Vista to force consumers on Windows XP to upgrade. This is no different when Microsoft encouraged developers to develop for Windows XP instead of Windows 98 to get consumers to upgrade. Microsoft's bread and gravy comes from upgrades. No upgrades, no money.

Re:Microsoft pushing PC gaming?

[PhoenixOne]

Ding! Ding! Ding! You win!!! :)

Microsoft learned long ago that people will upgrade for games. I'm guessing that, outside the business world, it's the main reason early adopters upgrade their home OS.

I laugh when I see people on gaming forums bitch that their not going to upgrade to Vista (because of DRM, bugs, slow code, etc.). They may hold out for a while but, unless Microsoft changes its mind and releases DX-10 for XP, they'll have to upgrade when game developers stop supporting DX9.

Re:Microsoft pushing PC gaming?

[BloodAngel_Au]

It'll still take a while for DX-10 only games to start appearing outside of M$ labeled games, and unless a new super-must-have MMO comes out with DX10 only support, I'll happily play what games I do have on my non-DX10 laptop :) (A assorted variety & Auto Assault, Matrix Online and World Of Warcraft.)

And on my god, the laptop users!! how many will make the switch to Vista do you think :P

Re:Microsoft pushing PC gaming?

[PhoenixOne]

"And on my god, the laptop users!! how many will make the switch to Vista do you think :P"

I've not sure which god you want me to swear on but, unless something major happens (e.g. Apple or Linux finally figures out how to get the gamer market), all Windows gamers will make the switch to Vista *in time*.

You're right however in that this will not happen overnight. Last word I got was that the first Vista machine will probably not even have the hardware to run DX10. But Microsoft is playing the long game her

Re:Microsoft pushing PC gaming?

[aichpvee]

Games are about the only thing "outside the business world" keeping people on windows at all. I guarantee that if Linux had the same level of support from game publishers that windows has it would very quickly become the leading desktop operating system. Two years, tops.

Re:Microsoft pushing PC gaming?

[PhoenixOne]

Linux has other problems than just a lack of games, but I think game support is a larger element than most Linux programmers (and Apple) gives it credit for.

Re:Microsoft pushing PC gaming?

[PhoenixOne]

A huge number yes, but I don't think you would kill the Windows market with just games.

I'm WAY out of my element here (I'm a Code Monkey, not a Market Researcher), but I think Microsoft would crush Linux with marketing, PR, and FUD ("Did you know Linux might rape your dog? It's true!" - Bill).

I think Linux may beat Microsoft yet, and game support would take them a lot of the way there, but it's going to take lots of other elements as well.

Not open to the public ...

[neonprimetime]

I'd be more interested if the following wasn't true ...

Electronic Entertainment Expo - is closed to the general public

Re:Not open to the public ...

[__aaclcg7560]

They don't want all those perverts coming off the streets to check out the booth babes. The video game industry has enough perverts as it is. :P

Heartbroken

[numbski]

Still no mention of Visual Concepts (Take Two) releasing it's non-NFL-banded "Legends of Football 2K7". :(

Ever since EA got their exclusivity deals on anything that smells like football, the genre has sucked horribly. There have been rumors flying high that we'd see something from VC/T2, but so far nothing. :\

Re:Heartbroken

[danpsmith]

I agree, and it has made me hate both the NFL (for allowing exclusive licensing) and EA (for accepting it). Probably moreso at the NFL. You are dealing with an organization that uses public funding to construct its venues, then proceeds to up ticket prices year after year while cracking down on things like outside food for the sake of "terrorism." Then what do you get after the tax payers paid for the stadium and the fans paid for the tickets? The doritos half time show... The wachovia first down... T

Re:Heartbroken

[zerocool^]

Does anyone know if Blitz: The League is any good? It's the only non-EA football game out there that looks to have any sort of interesting gameplay / plot / whatever.

Re:Heartbroken

[numbski]

Well, the thing about Blitz is that it is not to be compared with 2K or Madden. 2K attempted to be a realistic football simulation, and I guess Madden attempts to be, but turns out more like an arcade game with over-the-top play style.

Blitz was the football answer to NBA Jam. It has 7 players to a side (as opposed to 11), and thus plays more like arena ball then NFL. The game's working title was Blitz: Playmakers and thus attempts to be more like ESPN's TV show than reality.

Just not my style of game. I'm

Re:Heartbroken

[RoadDoggFL]

Blitz: The League is an amazing game. I'd recomend getting it for the Xbox since the PS2 version's load times really got on my nerves. But be warned that it's significant for its presentation and not so much for its gameplay (not to say the gameplay doesn't stack up, it's just not as deep as you might like).

What the...?

[__aaclcg7560]

How can it be GAME OVER when E3 haven't even started yet? :P

Can't wait

[GmAz]

I can't wait to see more of Spore.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8372603330 420559198&q=spore&pl=true [google.com]

It looks to be such an awesome game.

Undocumented Vista feature

[Orrin Bloquy]

It'll magically shit out something, that's for sure.