Los Angeles hosted the biggest video game conference last week. E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) is the most important week for console game players as manufacturers preview the next 12 months in terms of new products and development of new technologies. If I can summarize the event in a sentence then it would be “the dawn of 3D and motion orientated accessoriesâ€. Microsoft unveiled Project Natal which was renamed to Kinect. Kinect is Microsoft’s direct competition to the Nintendo Wii nun chuck. The player does not use a control pad but rather replicate movement with his body. The movement is then interpreted and shown on screen. This is a very important move for Microsoft in the video game industry and if it is successful with the Kinect project will see them move ahead of Nintendo and Sony.
The Xbox 360 console also has a second generation version which is more compact and slim than the current Xbox 360 console due in late 2010. This is not an alternative but rather a completely new product. The biggest feature improvement is the 802.11 b/g/n WiFi connectivity, as seen on PlayStation 3 consoles which was not available on previous models. It does seem that Microsoft is placing more emphasis on the video game industry.
Sony finally put a date to when the PlayStation Move control will be available for their users in North America. Sony also stated their intent in getting into the 3D space and ensuring that their future products will be 3D compatible.
I think the biggest announcement came from Nintendo. They unveiled the 3DS, the first 3D handheld game console that does not need 3D glasses to function optimally. Displays showing 3-dimensional content seem to be latest trend in electronics. The Nintendo 3DS provides users the ability to see 3-dimensional characters in their game play. The 3DS will be compatible for games from the Nintendo DS and DSi.
All of the above mentioned manufacturers have yet to announce when these new products will be available in South Africa
