Disappointing news for Nintendo fans looking for hands-on impressions of Super Smash Bros. Brawl -- the Wii fighting game won't be playable at next week's E3.

Game|Life's media relations representative at Nintendo confirmed the news this afternoon, but stressed that Smash Bros. was still very much on for its 2007 release date.

Nintendo's stance is that they are going to have an E3 with a very narrow focus on a group of key software titles.

Several never-before-seen Wii titles will be announced and playable at the show, but due to the constrictive, tightly scheduled nature of this year's scaled-back E3, Nintendo wanted to have a smaller game portfolio.

Not a big deal. People are going to buy it like crazy anyways. Having it playable isn't going to make it sell more.

Non issue in the big picture but disappointing cause we won't get impressions from people who play it and no in fight footage.

Why not show it? Guess we'll have to wait for TGS or Leipzig.

I thought that E3 was over since some years ago :P

Disapointing but it makes sense ...

If you have a limited ammount of time (say 50 minutes) and you want to demonstrate new games with a lot of playtime in order for journalists to have an understanding of the concept (say 10 minutes) you can't exactly show off everything.

Yea well MP3, Strikers, and Battallion Wars II are going to be the main showings. Especially BWII for the online part here. That's probably going to be their first really premeir online title.

I thought Batallion Wars for the Gamecube was great. I had alot of fun with it and so did my kids. This is the first that I have heard anything about it being online. If so, it could be one top notch title. Here's hoping!

I think Nintendo are enjoying the increased secrecy the new press event schedule allows them... Maybe a little too much...

After Nintendo really dominated the press/public reaction meta-game at E3 last year, its interesting to see them being more low-key at their gamer's day and now (maybe) E3.

Maybe they unveil a heavy hitter, though. Animal Crossing? Mario Kart?

I'm sure they want to stress the likes of Wii Health and More Brain Training too.

Damned right.

There is NO E3. There is simply the media conferences, which are not hands-on at all.

There is no big hall, with lots of units setup, etc.

When Nintendo are ready, they will have another gamer day - with the title available to play.

Or even better still - a freely downloadable demo on the Wii ;) Now THAT would be cool (say 2 characters, 1 arena).

Batallion Wars would be nice to see but Smash Bros. would have been better to see in play.

Also, have they said yet whether Brawl gets online or not?