E3 2013 Microsoft Press Conference Wrap-Up (with Videos) Dylan Duarte June 10, 2013 When Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One last month, it didn’t go over well. Not only was there a lack of games, but they introduced a slew of features that gamers either didn’t care about or were actively upset over. While things like always-on Kinect and once-daily online checks are here to stay at the disapproval of many, Microsoft’s E3 press conference certainly rectified the games issue, which many thought it would. Be prepared for a bullet list! The Xbox One will be available in November of this year for $499, which is $100 more than what Michael Patcher predicted. That’s a pretty hefty price tag, especially when you consider the much-talked-about used games fee. It’s even more expensive if you’re in Europe (499 Euro), in the UK (429 GBP), or in Australia (599 AUD). The Xbox One will launch in 21 markets around the world. One of the more interesting features is the integration with Twitch for live-streaming. With a single voice command, you can start streaming your gaming experience to the world. Kinect Sports Rivals combines both Kinect and sports, two things gamers aren’t crazy about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WDX1Jqnfww Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, otherwise known to myself as Metal Gear Solid: Jack Bauer, will be coming to Xbox One. The game will feature new stealth gameplay, new modes of transportation, and a realtime weather system. Emmerich, Ocelot, and Code Talker will return. If you didn’t have me at “Jack Bauer” you had me at “Ocelot”. World of Tanks, the free-to-play PC smash hit, is coming to Xbox 360. The developers of Far Cry and Crysis are bringing a new game to Xbox One called Ryse: Son of Rome. Insomniac Games is developing an open world multiplayer shooter called Sunset Overdrive, offering new gaming experiences on a daily basis. In a pretty big bit of news, Killer Instinct is coming to Xbox One, complete with ultra combos in tow. Minecraft will be coming to the Xbox One in the Minecraft Xbox One Edition which will feature more multiplayer and bigger maps. Forza Motorsport is racing its way onto Xbox One with both enhanced human AI and its new “drivatar” system, which will create a simulated version of the player to race against friends that drives like “people” rather than AI. Quantum Break, the new title from Max Payne and Alan Wake developer Remedy Entertainment, will allow users to create their own personalized TV show in what they claim is a new form of storytelling. The Xbox One release will tie-in with a television series that will be affected by your in-game decisions. That sounds mind-boggling, but I have high hopes for someone like Remedy. Dead Rising 3 will be coming to Xbox One exclusively, taking place three days after the outbreak in Los Perdidos and featuring a new protagonist, Nick Ramos. It’s a bit odd that Dead Rising 2 was multi-platform while the first and third games were exclusives, right? Crimson Dragon, a rail shooter which was once a 2011 Kinect game known as Project Draco, will be coming to Xbox One. Below, a top-down adventure with a “creative take on rogue-like gameplay” will be coming to Xbox One from developer Capybara Games. Surprise, a new Halo title is on the way. It will run at 60 fps, a series first, and take “full advantage” of the Xbox One’s next-gen hardware, as opposed to half-advantage, I guess. Seemingly inspired by PlayStation Plus, Xbox Live Gold members will start getting two free Xbox 360 games per month until the launch of the Xbox One in November. Starting July 1, Gold members can grab Assassin’s Creed 2 and Halo 3. Fable III is free right now. Speaking of Xbox 360, Microsoft released a remodeled console, which is available now. Game-making software is all the rage nowadays and the Project Spark game maker will be coming to both Xbox One and Windows 8. Kinect will play a part, allowing players to craft a world using voice commands. The Deadly Premonition developer is bringing an episodic series named D4 to Xbox One. The series may or may not be connected to D, the 1990s puzzle series. Smartglass will allow you to track your friends’ progress live, if you’re into that sort of thing. Xbox Live users will be rewarded for maintaining good reputations. The most exciting announcement of the conference wasn’t about a game at all: Microsoft will be doing away with Microsoft Points, replacing them with real money and treating us all like adults! Now What? Like many gamers, I was not only unimpressed with the Xbox One’s unveiling, I was actively angry will some aspects of it, and it had nothing to do with the games. Microsoft’s E3 showing was fine, there are plenty of games that I’m interested in, but my concerns are still there and they’re not going to be addressed. Unless I fall into a pile of time-sensitive money, I won’t be getting an Xbox One on launch day. I can only hope that when it’s released, the feedback is so overwhelmingly positive that it makes me overlook the negatives. Share This With The World!