Highlights from Microsoft's E3 press conference

by Barb Dybwad { Jul 14th 2008 at 5:41PM }

If you're looking for the unabridged version in all its glory, look no further than our liveblog with our fine friends at Engadget. If you're afflicted with crippling bouts of ADHD like we are and just want the meaty (beating, bloody) heart of the announcement highlights, please direct your eyeballs further down this post and after the break:

Fallout 3: will feature exclusive DLC on Xbox 360, Games for Windows.
Resident Evil 5: they showed the world's first playable demo; online co-op mode was confirmed; the release date for North America and Europe will be March 13th 2009.
Fable II is finished and will be out in October.
Gears of War 2: A new mode was announced called "Horde," a five-player co-op mode taking on waves and waves of locust. GOW2 release date will be November 7, 2008.

NBC/Universal will be providing content on Xbox Live Marketplace starting today.
Xbox LIVE gets a Mii-like avatar system and a new dashboard design that adds a community channel allowing you to send messages to friends, share your photos, and invite them to a "live party" or private groups of up to 8 people.
UNO Rush and Geometry Wars 2 announced.
The original N64 classic, Banjo Kazooie, will be coming to Xbox Live Arcade this Holiday season.
Portal gets a sequel in Portal: Still Alive which will continue the single player story found in the original Orange Box collection, and will add new challenges.
Xbox 360 will be getting Netflix's on-demand programming later this year. Xbox Live subscribers that already have Netflix memberships can enjoy Netflix on their TV at no additional cost.
You're in the Movies was announced; will come with an Xbox Live Vision camera, and will place animations and backgrounds around actual video recorded from the camera.
Microsoft's Lips karaoke game was announced as featuring motion-sensitive wireless microphones. Expected to hit Xbox 360 this holiday season, "Lips breaks new ground by being the first game to let you sing from your own music collection," says Keiichi Yano.
Rock Band 2 track list announced; you'll be able to upgrade your Rock Band tracks to use with RB2 for a "nominal" fee.
Final Fantasy XIII will be coming to the Xbox 360... but not in Japan.
System improvements: you'll be able to install your Xbox 360 games to the hard drive, access XBLM on the web, and a new Xbox LIVE Primetime "whole new category of games" that offer real prizes and are broadcast simultaneously, some with live host.

Brain hurting from the immense volume of E3 news? Check out all of our E3 highlights including a rundown of the biggest news from each of the Big 3's E3 2008 press conferences!

Tags: e3-2008, e3-highlights, joystiqfeatures, keynote, microsoft

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

PunkJr @ Jul 14th 2008 5:46PM

So much awesome... I can't wait for SO many of those games!

bigmac375 @ Jul 14th 2008 6:14PM

if Banjo can get an xbla game, what about goldeneye?

Josh @ Jul 14th 2008 6:33PM

Probably has something to do with Activision having the 007 rights at this moment.

Josh @ Jul 14th 2008 6:35PM

Probably has something to do with Activision having the 007 rights at this moment.

NATO_Duke @ Jul 14th 2008 5:48PM

Some pretty interesting stuff that I didn't expect. Also, Portal 2 will be great to get ahold of.

I think that this was a pretty good E3 for MS. And yes, I know many of you disagree. Don't worry, there are 2 other major press conferences to go.

Real Gambler @ Jul 14th 2008 7:16PM

Yep, I do disagree!

Only a few things I didn't knew about before. Most of this stuff was already showed here or on other gaming websites. Even the exact release date for gorgeous Gears of Wars 2. Don't tell me you didn't knew about the Mii, Fable or Fallout?

Only new things I've learn are:
Uno
Final Fantasy (though there was some rumors going around about this already)
And hard drive installation (goes hand to hand with FF, so it's only logical.)
And sure enough, we get more way to watch movies, like if our cable boxes or PCs are not good enough.

Luckily, as you said, there's more coming. Maybe I mad because I would have like to see an earlier release date for Gears, rather than the one we already knew : )

Rofl Waffle @ Jul 14th 2008 5:48PM

This is too much for me to handle on one day.

007craft @ Jul 14th 2008 5:49PM

You forgot Banjo Kazooie 720p for XBLA

barb dybwad @ Jul 14th 2008 6:01PM

added, thanks!

AlwaysOn @ Jul 14th 2008 5:49PM

Really good keynote from MIcrosoft this year. Pressure is on SOny now to deliver that's for sure.

Only 2 dissapointments for me. No Killer Instinct 3 and no announcment about Bungies new game. Really thought that would come on MS Keynote.

One thing I wonder about Lips is how the game work with copyright protection? On stage the guy mentioned that you can plug in any mp3 player in 360 and use their songs in game. Does it somehow check if theese songs are bought legally or downloaded illegaly? Would really like to know how this works, please find this out.

Mr Khan @ Jul 14th 2008 5:52PM

A much better effort than last year's MS keynote, where they just repeated what we already knew

If this was all E3 had to offer, it would be satisfying

Vol @ Jul 14th 2008 5:52PM

Let's not forget the:

-HD install option
-16x10 monitor support
-8 person party system

Those are important to me as any of the others.

Vol @ Jul 14th 2008 5:55PM

Looking back, this list focuses on content & games and not functionality enhancements & additions.

Mr.ESC @ Jul 14th 2008 6:38PM

Those features are awesome I just wish it had K/M support and Diablo 3 :D

Misfit Toy @ Jul 14th 2008 5:54PM

I agree. Overall good conference. Some of the thunder stolen from leaked information. FFXIII was probably the biggest announcement, though I am curious about FFXIII Versus.

The thing I was looking for most I didn't get and that was information on the Halo - Peter Jackson project.

J.Goodwin @ Jul 14th 2008 5:54PM

Well, all those leaks, and Microsoft still managed a megaton or two.

I'm shocked.

Nytemare @ Jul 14th 2008 5:59PM

Today I woke up and went to see Hellboy 2, then come home and see all this. My brain almost ceased to function, awesome keynote M$!

Mr.ESC @ Jul 14th 2008 5:59PM

Finally a Megaton unlike 07 E3.

The Good:

I liked all the casual games even when I don't see myself playing them.

Netflix is great...for people in the U.S :/

Awesome games but nothing new.

PORTAL F*CK YEAH.

Lot’s of Xlive games :D

A lot of JRPG thanks to SE even tho' FF13 stole the show.

Mii’s and a new Interface.

The bad:

The video Store is not available here.

Just FF13 dude.

No Halo but then again I didn't liked Halo 3 that much that I want a sequel.

Still no Keyboard or Mouse support.

No Left 4 Dead or Episode 3,WTF?

No Diablo 3 and yes this will go in Nintendo and Sony keynotes as well.

Overrall:

Awesome and entertaining so the E3 delivers again and the SDF brought all the lulz.