Nine Hours Behind: What we want from E3 that just won’t happen

Special - Column | 31 mei 2009 - James Pikover is een gaming en technologie specialist uit de VS. Hij schrijft onder andere voor Tom’s Hardware, Strategy Informer en Total PC Gaming Magazine. Als freelancer spendeert hij zijn uren aan het nadenken over de toekomst van games, consumenten elektronica en wat er op het lunchmenu staat. James woont in Los Angeles, Californië, vlakbij tientallen game ontwikkelaars, uitgevers en natuurlijk de E3. Maandelijks doet hij verslag over de stand van zaken qua gaming in Amerika. Deze maand schrijft James de nieuwsberichten welke hij graag tijdens de E3 zou willen schrijven, maar niet geschreven zullen worden.

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E3 expectations are high and rampant, like every year. But there's always a few things we dream of that just won't happen. Here's what we'd like to see. Now remember, these stories aren't real, so don't panic, don't check Google to see if it's true, because it ain't true. It ain't true, because it is too good to be true.

Microsoft Reveals Zune HD, Will Be A Phone
Microsoft today displayed the Zune HD, a portable media player that will further Microsoft’s Xbox division through portable games, and now as a cell phone. The handset, according to Microsoft, will propel them out of the software space and into hardware to properly compete in cell phones, according to CEO Steve Balmer.

The Zune HD will feature a 2.0GHz single core processor, 256MB of dedicated RAM, a video processing chip with 128MB of VRAM, and a 4-inch multi-touch OLED screen. The Zune HD is also a world phone and runs on both GSM and CDMA networks.

This device is being sold through all carriers, all of which are offering their own deals for it. Microsoft promises service contracts will not bar potential consumers from not purchasing the phone. To better compete with Apple’s iPhone, which currently owns 10% of the US cell phone market share, Microsoft has made its SDK development software free to the public. The Zune store will reopen with over 100 games from developers such as EA, Activision and Ubisoft, with games priced from Free to $40.

“The best part of the device is that it doesn’t use Windows Mobile, but instead uses a similar operating system to the Xbox 360,” said J. Allard, CEO of Microsoft’s Zune division. “While we tested Windows Mobile on it, we found it more convenient to underclock the handset for simple tasks like phone calls or typing Word documents. That’s why we were able to incorporate such an outstanding battery life, not just for gaming, but for watching media and using phone functions.” Battery life is rated at ten hours of continuous gameplay, 24 hours of talk time and 38 hours of music listening.

Microsoft also announced that the Zune store will be free for all Xbox Live members, who right now pay $50 for the full Xbox Live service. Anyone who opened an account for the Zune store after June 1st will receive a full refund if they are already an Xbox Live member.

Microsoft later confirmed that all Xbox Live Arcade titles will be available for the Zune, free of charge if purchased on Xbox Live already.

The Zune HD is set for release in early August, though no price was given.

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Sony to Manufacture Zune Phone
In a surprise move, a day after Microsoft’s E3 press conference, Sony announced that they have partnered with Microsoft in the mobile market to make the Zune Phone, previously the Zune HD. Sony CEO Howard Stringer took the floor to discuss the device, stating Microsoft's announcement of the Zune HD was a cover for their own announcement.

Sony’s experience with mobile devices through their Sony Ericsson branch is one of the benefits they claim gave Microsoft the initiative to partner with them. The second was to cement the use of the several thousand PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable games. Sony has not commented on the lack of PlayStation in the handset's title.

The specifics of the hardware are identical to yesterdays report on Microsoft, but 3rd parties were completely unaware of the partnership in the mobile space. “It’s a complete shock, but not all that surprising,” said John Riccitiello, CEO of EA. “Our developers have said how odd it was that Microsoft’s SDK was so good at transferring PlayStation titles to the phone. Now we know why.” Nintendo has not responded to our inquiries on the subject.

The Zune store will also feature hundreds of PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable titles at its reopening in early August. "We're working with all past, present and future developers to properly port their games to the Zune SDK and expect to have 1000 titles available by holiday this year."

The Zune will be able to connect either wirelessly or via USB cable to the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. While Sony has retained the PlayStation Store title, it will download games, applications, music and video for the Zune.

The Zune Phone, as it is now named according to both Sony and Microsoft, is set for a release in early August.

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Google to Buy OnLive, Update All Google Servers
OnLive, the streaming gaming service that plans to revolutionize gaming by removing consoles and replacing them with simple boxes to stream all games through specially formatted servers, announced today that Google will purchase the company, as well as their technology. Reports indicate that final negotiations took place last week, and that the company was sold for an unspecified amount.

Both parties released statements about the purchase. OnLive stated that “Google would help facilitate a worldwide gaming platform faster than anyone else in the world could do. Their current server infrastructure will allow us to start in the US this holiday, and open in Europe, Asia, Austrailia and the rest of North America by the following summer.”

Surprisingly, Google did not purchase OnLive for the gaming service, but rather the technology and in-game advertising. “Our current servers are almost exclusively single computers working in clusters, which alone are weak but together are very powerful. Now, using OnLive’s streaming technology and their deals with [videocard manufacturers]Nvidia and AMD’s ATi , we can utilize videocards to both boost the speed of searches using less machines and set up a perfect infrastructure for any form of gaming, be it graphic-heavy games like Gears of War 2 or simple games like Sudoku or Scrabble.”

“OnLive also gives us the perfect platform not only to test, but to implement advertising opportunities with 3rd party publishers.” Google has toyed with in-game advertising, but this is their first actual push into the medium. "With OnLive, [Google] has instant access to thousands of titles, and the majority of them can be used for advertising, be it through in-game billboards, story drop-in, or other methods. Right now, we are speaking with developers to see to what extent advertising can go."

Google has not spoken about the Wii or Nintendo DS gaming, but an OnLive insider has told us to "stay tuned, and watch out for the cellphone space."

OnLive is set to go live in the US this holiday, and worldwide second quarter 2010.

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Apple Appears at E3, Reveals iPhone Game Controller
At E3, Apple made a surprise appearance by having a booth on the show floor, revealing a controller for the iPhone to play games easier.

The controller sits around the iPhone, connecting through the iPhone's proprietary port. It features two analog sticks and four face buttons on the right side, as well as two back buttons meant to function as triggers.Apple has also confirmed that the controller, named the iPlay, will house a lithium-ion battery that will support an additional two hours of use while gaming. Games have proven to be the most battery-intensive applications for the iPhone.

"It's a step forward we don't think anyone was expecting" said an Apple spokesperson. "But people also forget that while Apple makes great software, they also make great hardware, and the iPlay is a great example of that."

The iPlay is available now for $29.99, and is compatible with all iPhone and iTouch models.