NINTENDO E3 2014 | Predictions | No Zelda HD announcement

[Mr Khan]

Pavolink said:

Mr Khan said:
I just wonder if they're going to do E3 direct again, or try to push it more.

The direct approach has advantages, but don't get enough visibility. Perhaps a pre-recorded video but still run through the Kodak Theatre (or whatever venue), to avoid the hiccups that plague live Keynotes, but get the hype out more at the same time.

90 minutes shouldn't be hard to scrape together. Maybe emphasize the Watch Dogs version that's pushed back. Airtime for Sonic Boom. Maybe a third party surprise or two.

3DS will be the interesting one. There's not much going on there.

I tried to predict if it will be a conference or a Direct, but honestly can't. They can go with any of the two or maybe both of them. Who knows.

The middle route seems to be the best one. The doubters were correct in that an E3 Direct is simply not on the same level as a keynote in terms of generating buzz or (perhaps more importantly), getting non-Nintendo-aligned gamers who are just watching all the proceedings on Spike TV, since then you have to go out of your way to find it, which is certainly counterintuitive (though for online watchers, streams are available on all the major press sites).

At the same time, you dodge stuff that makes Skyward Sword look like an unplayable mess due to signal interference (E3 2010) or audio-cutouts (Crimson Dragon, Microsoft E3 2013, totally mute). Keynote speakers often seem awkward and unprepared, too, and the Direct is more focused with less garbage (there will be no "Ravi Drums" in any Nintendo Direct, for instance, or, i think it was Usher at one of Microsoft's? Yeah. None of that).

So the format is good, it just needs to be disseminated in such a way as to make it really feel impactful. A live screening in front of an audience could work, as you get applause (usually. Run the risk of live negative audience reactions, but you do that with a big expensive keynote, too)