Welcome, friends, to the show that never ends! The biggest gaming event of the year kicks off in just a few minutes with the start of Microsoft's E3 Press Conference, but details about some of the hardware maker's reveals have already spilled out online.
Is Microsoft developing a game about the continuing adventures of Master Chief without series steward Bungie? Will Microsoft unveil a new service that turns your 360 into a makeshift TiVo? Will Skittles be back? All of these questions and more will be answered (except for that last one!) as we live blog the major announcements and minor goofiness from Microsoft's E3 Press Conference.
Watch the Microsoft Press Conference live stream here!
[11:00] That's your first look at Halo 4, and that's the end of the Microsoft Press Conference! Thanks for watching and reading! We'll be back at 12:30 to live blog the Electronic Arts press conference! See you then!
[10:59] CHIEF! Wake up!
[10:57]. Yup.
[10:56} Mattrick takes the stage and the show seems to be winding down. I hope no one is standing behind Mattrick, waiting to tap on his shoulder...
[10:55] Consider Dance Central 2 the Guitar Hero 2 of dancing. The core concept was put into motion by the last game, so this new release fleshes out the feature set and enhances that game with more content.
[10:53] Kasson Cooker from Harmonix takes the stage to announce Dance Central 2, featuring a new campaign mode, an enhanced tutorial, support for all DLC from Dance Central 1, and two player simultaneous dancing.
[10:51] "Hey, I'll see you in the end zone." Dog.And then they play "Get This Party Started." This game sounds great.
[10:51] These actors playing football are AMAZING. I want them play Kinect all the time.
[10;50] Kinect Sports Season 2 takes the stage, featuring six brand new sport minigames like Golf, Skiing, Football, Darts, and Tennis. If they weren't going for Wii Sports before, they are now.
[10:49] Kinect Labs will be available today for all Xbox Live members, coming with a variety of test software. Kinect Me will use the cameras to scan your body and generate an Xbox Live Avatar. Kinect Finger tracking will allow you to use your fingers in Kinect games instead of just your hands. Kinect Object scanning will allow players to scan in objects into a game and turn them into interactive objects.
[10:42] Kudo Tsunoda takes the stage to announce Kinect Fun Labs, a Xbox based Kinect platform that allows users to exploit and build specific Kinect software, which will be available on the 360. Sounds like a Social network version of Kinecthacks.com
[10:40] Tim Schaffer, bringing the light hearted anecdotes to the big Press Conference!
[10:39] That kid with the Britney Spears headset could not looked more bored with this demo.
[10:35] Star Wars is done, and now Cookie Monster has announced that Tim Schaffer will be taking the stage. He's showing off Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster, the new Kinect based minigame collection based on the show.
[10:34] Star Wars Kinect lets you swing an invisible light saber over and over again using the same motions, which apparently lets you kill most enemies on screen. Looks like enemies are auto targeted, and players can do simple motions to charge enemies, jump over robots, and block laser shots.
[10:33] Disneyland Adventures leaves the stage, and Star Wars Kinect hits the stage. And yup: it's based on the prequels.
[10:32] "Fist Bump." Disneyland Adventures will be Kinect exclusive game. It looks like an extremely high production value minigame collection.
[10:29] Spencer announces Disneyland Adventures, A Kinect-based minigame collection that is also an advertisement for a theme park.
[10:28] Phil Spencer announced that Minecraft is coming to the 360 with Kinect support. Now you can build that giant penis with your damn hands.
[10;27] Fable: The Journey is a rail shooter featuring Kinect controlled movements. Think Dead Space: Extraction, but with Magic.
[10:24] Peter Molyneux announces "Fable: The Journey" a Kinect-required entry in the series.
[10:23] Forza 4 will feature enhanced multiplayer features, such as multiplayer racing clubs. Also, monthly expansions.
[10:22] Forza Motorsport 4 on screen... accompanied by Kanye West. When West was writing power, I'm not sure he was thinking about Cars.
[10:21] The Halo Remake is now called, "Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary." A full remake of the original game, featuring a remastered campaign, classic multiplayer maps and more neon purple lights than can you can handle.
[10:20] The game is from Crytek is now called, "Ryse" and it's a Kinect game this time around.
[10:19] Ice-T and that other guy who is not Ice-T leave the stage, and a trailer for Crytek's Xbox Exclusive action game takes the screen.
[10:18] Exclusive Bodycount song in Gears 3! Also, the hoard mode is now officially called the "Hoard Morgue." Ice's will be done.
[10:17] That monster must have imulsion for blood!
[10:13] That is a big monster head!
[10:13] More cover-taking, Lancer-shooting action. It's Gears, all right... but with Big Robot suits.
[10:12] "Naw, they ain't."
[10:12] Yung Clifford takes the stage to play some Gears 3 with ICE MOTHER LOVING T.
[10:11] It's all Xbox 360 exclusives from this point on. Gears of War 3 takes the stage.
[10;10] UFC wil provide a form of interactive tools that viewers can use while they watch fights on their Xbox. Players will be able to see similar fights or try to bet and call fight winners. Seems neat!
[10:10] Dana White, CEO of UFC, takes the stage. Someone is going to get punched!
[10:09] "Life is more amazing when YOU are the controller!"
[10:08] The New New New Xbox experience launches this Fall.
[10:07] Live TV comes to the Xbox 360. You'll be able to watch local channels and national content.
[10:06] The search engine will locate and pull content from all available mediums on the system. And Bing will also be voice controlled.
[10:05] Microsoft's Bing search engine coming to the Xbox. The search engine will specifically search through the content currently available on the Xbox 360.
[10:04] YouTube coming to Xbox Live. Brodyquest on my Xbox!
[10:03] The NEW NEW NEW Xbox Experience! A brand new Xbox redesign with enhanced Voice control.
[10:02] Microsoft Entertainment takes the stage. Is this an enhanced Dashboard redesign?
[10:01] Ubisoft CEO: "All future Tom Clancy's titles will utilize Kinect."
[10:00] Future Soldier also features Kinect motion controls for firing weapons and controlling movement.
[9:59] You can select gun parts in the "Gunsmith Editor" with Kinect movements or voice commands. You'll be able to use voice commands to randomize loadouts and pull up specific loadouts.
[9:56] Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot takes the stage. Future Soldier contains Kinect support.
[9:55] Just an FMV trailer. Doesn't seem to contain gameplay.
[9:55] The Mass Effect 3 demo ends. A trailer for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier seems to be playing.
[9:54] Okay, so in addition to the dialog voice support, the game will ALSO feature SOCOM-style voice commands to move party members, ordering them to take cover and move up.
[9:53] You will be able to speak the dialog using a Kinect camera, and the game will detect which option you picked and go down that dialog sequence. YOU ARE THE SHEPARD.
[9:52] Confirming that Mass Effect 3 will support Kinect... voice support. So, the game will have voice squad commands, like SOCOM?
[9;51] Peter Moore introduces Bioware and Doctor Ray. They're talking Mass Effect 3.
[9:50] Peter Moore announces that four games will feature Kinect Support built into the existing game: Tiger, Madden, FIFA and an unannounced title.
[9:49] The Tomb Raider demo ends, and Peter Moore takes the stage with the EA Sports lineup.
[9:49] Someone grabbed Lara's leg! Again!
[9:48] I am shocked that this place is coming down around her!
[9:47] A much closer camera than in other Tomb Raider games. It's a striking look.
[9:46] More spelunking, but where is the shimmying sideways?
9:45] Fortune smiles upon thee, Lara. Thou hast found the torch!
[9:45] Lara stumbles to her feet and investigates a strange island. Is it Monday already?
9:44] Crystal Dynamics takes the stage to show off Tomb Raider.
[9:43] Mattrick talks about "a better way to enjoy television. That has to be the Xbox Live Diamond service.
[9:42] Don Mattrick once again takes the stage.Talking about the best year of Xbox ever.
[9:42] Reaffirmed the November 8th release date for MW3.
[9:41] The MW3 demo is done. Robert Bowling is joined by Glenn from Sledgehammer.
[9:39] The boat sequence from the end of MW2 reappears in MW3.
[9:38] Turn your key, sir!
[9:37] More breaching sequences, just like MW2.
[9:37] Players will STILL not be able to interact with doors in MW3.
[9:35] Submarines in New York City! It must be... World War III!
[9:34] This underwater section is a playable section. It's like that level from StarFox 64.
[9:33] Should have recharged that controller, Robert. This is live, folks!
[9:32] The press conference begins with Modern Warfare 3. We're underwater with a team of soldiers!
[9:30] New camera angle!
[9:28] If all goes according to plan, the Microsoft Press Conference, and thus, E3, begins in just a few minutes!
[9:25] According to Geoff Keighley, Bastion, the first game from SuperGiant Games, has made it into the Summer of Arcade! Congratulations to the team!
[9:22] We have video!
[9:17] Less than 15 minutes until the show begins! Are you ready to Dance Central again, for the first time?
[9:00] While we wait for the show to start in earnest (all of the streams claim they're starting at 9:30) let us know what you think of the already revealed details of the show. Are you guys ready for a new Halo game not developed by Bungie?
[8:55] The biggest event in gaming starts in just a few minutes!