Gaming Bolt is proud to bring you a live feed of Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference! If you’re at work or unable to watch the press conference live, check here for live commentary on the announcements being made today. The conference begins Monday at 10:25 AM PDT.
9:30 AM – One hour and counting!!!
10:13 AM – The stage is lit with green and white. We’re only moments away…
10:27 AM – And we’re off!! The conference starts off with an animated video featuring the Beatles, undoubtedly advertising the upcoming Beatles Rock Band game. A very colorful and trippy video.
10:30 AM – We’re getting a stage demo of “The Beatles: Rock Band”. New peripherals? Looks like a black Les Paul guitar.
10:33 AM – Giles Martin comes on stage to reveal the complete 45 song set list and the first ever trailer for the game. There looks to be 2 singers with both having a line to follow. This is new to any Rock Band game!!
10:37 AM – Abbey Road will be the first album available to DLC. An Xbox exclusive track “All You Need Is Love” will be available, with proceeds going to a charity.
10:39 AM – Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison make an appearance…… followed by, yes, PAUL MCCARTNEY AND RINGO STARR!!! Cool that they’re there, but they don’t have much to say.
10:41 AM – Microsoft’s rep comes on to stage to say “it’s all about showing, not telling”. Then goes on to promise no charts and graphs. FINALLY!!
10:43 AM – Tony Hawk takes the stage to show off the final version of the skate board peripheral for the upcoming “Tony Hawk: Ride”. He does a good job of selling the board’s design.
10:45 AM – We’re shown a video of several pro skaters promoting the new game. If you don’t want to bust your butt on the pavement in real life, you can hop on the peripheral and give it a whirl in a virtual world.
10:47 AM – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. We’re shown the trailer preview released last week. It’s still awesome.
10:50 AM – A rep comes on stage to show us gameplay of MW2. We’re shown a level called “Cliffhanger”. Very fitting as the player is shown scaling the side fo a frozen mountain. A couple near death experiences later and we’re showed a rifle with the radar mounted to it. This is new. Very interesting.
10:53 AM – After skipping ahead in the level, all hell breaks loose on a frozen runway. It’s hard to say what the missions is here, but it’s very hectic. Men on snowmobiles attack. You’re highly outnumbered and make a run for it, and hijack your own snowmobile. We get a glimpse at an automatic pistol as well, shooting it with one hand and driving with the other. Very neat.
10:57 AM – We’re promised 2 DLC map packs on the 360 “first”.
10:58 AM – Square Enix reps come on stage to discuss Final Fantasy XIII and the history of Final Fantasy. We’re given the first look at FFXIII running on the 360. We’re shown a cut-scene as well as an actual fight being controlled by a player onstage. Details about the combat system are given. We get a glimpse at the first summon seen in gameplay —- ODIN!!! And he’s awesome!! We want more!!!
11:02 AM – Microsoft guy comes back to say the remainder of the show will be Xbox exclusive material only.
11:03 AM – An Epic Games rep comes on to introduce…. well.. we can’t tell… his mic isn’t working….. “Shadow Complex”. We’re shown a video, and it looks to be a side-scrolling 3D action game. It will be available on Xbox Live Arcade this summer.
11:06 AM – Xbox Live presents “Joy Ride”, in whih you drive your avatar around in a car of your choice. Stunts included. Free to download and free to play. Can’t beat free. Available this winter.
11:08 AM – We’re shown a cutscene video of Crackdown 2.
11:10 AM – Then… a video of…. a very very bloody LEFT 4 DEAD 2!!!!
11:11 AM – A cinematic video of a new Splinter Cell: Conviction.
11:12 AM – Followed by an actual gameplay demo of Splinter Cell: Conviction. The protagonist Sam Fisher looks to be on a rampage because someone killed his daughter. The game looks intense. Much different than previous Splinter Cell games. Gameplay looks like something straight from the Bourne movies. Released this fall. Very nice.
11:18 AM – Forza Motorsport 3 video, followed by a speech by a Turn 10 rep, followed by gameplay footage. Looks like you can roll your call. 60 FPS. A new feature allows you to custom paint your cars on FMS3. Anything you can imagine, you can paint on your car. Nice. Forza 3 also allows players to create and upload HD gaming videos. Available in October.
11:25 AM – Bungie’s turn. World Premiere of Halo 3: ODST. We’re shown gameplay of a level called “The Rookie”. The player has a silenced rifle and a visor that makes certain things more visible. A second level is shown titled “The Dutch”. This player has a rocket launcher of sorts and charges. Worldwide release of 9-22-09.
11:30 AM – A TOP SECRET Bungie project — Halo: Reach. What could this be??? Buying ODST gives you a chance to play in the Beta for “Reach”. Hmmmm….
11:33 AM – Alan Wake video and gameplay. A writer’s supernatural thriller is coming true. Wake approaches a house when gunshots are heard. Searching the area with a flashlight, Wake is attacked by something that is picking up objects and throwing them at him. Whatever it is growls loudly and is invisible. Creepy atmosphere. Wake is soon attaked by a mob of creepy supernatural beings who seem to be vulnerable to light. Flares become Wake’s best friend. Intense action. Check out the trailer when you get a chance. Release in Spring of 2010.
11:40 AM – Last.fm is coming to Xbox Live and will be available to Gold members next fall. Radio stations galore.
11:41 AM – Netflix can now be browsed straight from your Xbox. No need for a PC. A partnership with Sky allows live TV delivered through the Xbox. The HD video library will now be in 1080p. Every movie and every tv show will be available “instantly”. “No more downloads. No more discs.” “Instant On 1080p”.
11:43 AM – You can now watch videos and tv with your friends even when you’re not together over Xbox live.
11:44 AM – Facebook partnership. Felicia Day comes on stage to demonstrate. Facebook is implemented right into the dashboard, and Xbox Live accounts are tied to facebook accounts. Now you can stalk everyone on your friends list! YES!! Xbox Live avatars and facebook pictures are displayed side by side. “Facebook Connect” allows you to post screenshots of your gaming experiences straight to your Facebook account.
11:48 AM – Twitter is also being added to Xbox Live.
11:50 AM – Don Mattrick comes on to announce —– Metal Gear Solid: Rising will be on the Xbox 360!!! Followed by a teaser video showing us that Raiden is in the game!! Hideo Kojima is there to make it official.
11:53 AM – “Can we make YOU the controller? We can.” A video shows a camera-based controller that uses your movements to control the game. A fighting game, a racing game, soccer, and a few other games are demonstrated. The camera looks to also have the ability to scan objects and save pictures of them. “Voice recognition” is shown as well as the ability to control menus with hand motions. This is titled “Project Natal”. Looks to be a future project, but not available any time soon.
11:59 AM – Stephen Spielberg comes on stage to endorse Project Natal. “It’s not about re-inventing the wheel. It’s about not having a wheel at all.”
12:04 AM – A rep comes on stage to demonstrate Project Natal by navigating the dashboard without a controller. He then demonstrates a game called Ricochet in which you use your body to take out a wall of bricks with balls that you block with your body.
12:06 AM – “Paint Party” is demonstrated. This is an interactive paint app using the Project Natal peripheral.
12:11 AM – The creator of Fable 2 comes on stage to endorse Project Natal and show what he’s been able to do with the technology. The tech allows for face recognition. A video is shown with a woman interracting with a virtual character, with very life-like conversation and movements. Very interesting stuff.
12:18 AM – The Microsoft rep takes the stage once more to summarize the show and wrap up the conference.
That’s it folks!! What are your thoughts?!?!?
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