April 27, 2010 - It's hard to believe, but the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo is just a few weeks away. E3 is where the big three pull out all the punches. It's where new systems are announced, where the biggest games of the coming years are shown for the first time, and where Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo try and convince gamers that they're going to be the platform for their needs.
So what can Nintendo do this year to win over the hearts and minds of us, the gamers, at this year's E3? Here are some thoughts from the IGN Staff.
Anthony Gallegos, Associate Editor: OK, big question for everyone: What would it take for Nintendo to blow you away this E3? How can they "win" the show, if that's even possible?
Arthur Gies, Associate Editor: A new Zelda game that has:
a) an orchestral score,
b) voice acting (though Link can remain silent), and
c) well-thought-out motion controls.
Brian Miggels, Editor: I consider myself a Nintendo fan, but their last E3 press conference really left me disappointed, so it's going to take a lot for them to "win" this year. Last year they debuted a fingertip pulse monitor, the sequel to Wii Sports, the Wii version of New Super Mario Bros., and a Zelda painting -- so with the exception of an acrylic painting, it was more of what we've seen before. That being said, I'd love a new Pikmin on the Wii with Wiimote controls -- I thought the first two games were really well done -- and because of the popularity of the Wii I'd like to see the series getting the attention it deserves. Lastly, I think it would be hilarious if Nintendo put up a Pitt painting for the fanboys to drool conspiracy theories all over for another year, but I'm afraid Kid Icarus Wii is right there next to Duke Nukem Forever in the "Not Going to Happen" pile.
Remember this? Yeah, we didn't either.
Anthony: Right, I know we'd all like to see Nintendo show off more titles for the more serious gamers among us, but is that really all it'd take for Nintendo to make everyone walk away from this year's E3 thinking about them above, say, Microsoft or Sony?
What do you guys thing Nintendo can show us that can overshadow the hype of Halo: Reach or Natal?
Ryan Clements, Editor: Is it even possible for Nintendo to overshadow something like Halo: Reach? I think the real problem is that the Nintendo press conferences target a specific audience -- the illusive "casual" audience that's interested in things like the vitality sensor and Wii Sports Resort. Ironically, when Nintendo highlights these sorts of products, the hardcore audience (which is generally the audience that tunes into press conferences and closely follows E3 coverage) just doesn't care.
If we can learn anything from Nintendo's recent showings, we know that the knowledgeable gaming community scoffs at efforts like Wii Music and Shaun White Snowboarding (I did, at least) and eagerly anticipates new Mario, Metroid and Zelda products. But is there anything for Nintendo to reveal besides more info on the new Zelda title? We already know about Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M, so there's not much that Nintendo can surprise us with. Perhaps it would be better if the company focused on a new service, or maybe even some new hardware?
Greg Miller, Executive Editor PlayStation: Ryan nails it. To have this conversation, we have to define what "winning E3" means these days. What can Nintendo do to win E3 and win over longtime gamers? Show an AMAZING Zelda demonstration and tell us that it's coming out this year. What can Nintendo do to win E3 for the casual people? The same thing they've been doing -- show some helpful-sounding, easy to understand device and watch it snatch up all sorts of mainstream coverage. Get it on the Today Show and so on. Nintendo's idea of "winning E3" has changed recently. It'll be interesting to see which war they try to fight.
We need more than a Mario game this year.
Anthony: You both make good points about what Nintendo's strategy has been. Nintendo doesn't need to "win" E3 these days with people like us because ultimately they're expanding their audience far beyond people who want intense gaming experiences. But, hypothetically, do you guys really feel that a new Zelda and maybe the showing of the 3DS could be enough to make us excited for what Nintendo has to offer again? Is that really all it takes to win us over? Or do we need to see a shift in their presentation that makes it seem like they actually care about us to start with, rather than their latest presentations that feel more targeted at, say, Newsweek, and toss us a few bones to shut us up.
Jack De Vries, IGN Freelancer: So Nintendo always plays things close to their chest. As stupid as that Vitality Sensor looks, did any of us see that coming? We scoff that Nintendo doesn't care about the hardcore anymore, but isn't that the industry changing? E3 isn't our little fanboy show anymore. The entire world looks at it and the news there goes out into the mainstream. It's been mentioned before, but as far as the general public is concerned, Nintendo has "won" the last two or three E3s. If I were them, I wouldn't see a reason to change that.
That said, if they somehow realized that alienating their original fanbase is bad, I would expect them to shove Miyamoto out there to tell us how awesome Zelda will be. And maybe a new franchise. I'd expect a completely new IP as a more realistic option than a new Pikmin, Star Fox, or something like that.
Anthony: With both Sony and Microsoft unveiling new games involving motion controls, do you feel like some of the Nintendo's mainstream fire is going to be stolen? Will the newspapers and local TV stations be talking about Move and Natal instead of Nintendo's waggle? Or will the 3DS be enough to keep the mainstream sources talking largely about Nintendo still?
Ryan: There's no denying the fact that the 3DS carries some firepower. After all, the DS install base is absolutely absurd, so anything DS related will draw some serious attention. But I wonder if PlayStation Move and Natal are coming too late. I think -- at least in the console landscape -- that Nintendo is synonymous with motion controls. Any efforts at this point will likely be perceived by the mainstream as a rip-off -- even if the technology is superior on the other platforms.
Please don't hurt us, Reggie!
Jack: Yeah Ryan brings up a good point. Playstation Move has a better chance with the hardcore crowd, since the superior technical specs mean nothing to the general public.
But I would expect Nintendo to address both of the new products, if only to diss them and call them johnny-come-latelys.
Anthony: If the press behind Nintendo rolls with the fact that they were the innovators, then I agree the momentum could stay with them. With the likely announcement of the 3DS -- and the great software that we could see alongside it -- and a few hardcore games, I could easily see Nintendo's press conference winning over the hearts of the hardcore and casual alike this year. But will it be enough to stop all the Natal excitement? I guess we'll have to wait and see.
