E3 2011: Day One Impressions
Marc Kusnierz | Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at 6:35AM 
Microsoft: They didn't sell to me, but they knew they didn't have to; they were looking to increase console ownership, not satisfy those who already support them. Some may look at this as a bad choice because they believe the hardcore is supreme, but the hardcore doesn't abandon a console so easily. What Microsoft did was sell their platform to all those consumers who don't own, or just recently purchase an Xbox 360. The majority of Kinect titles may not have interested me, but if I was a parent, I would feel justified in my purchase or become interested in joining the bandwagon. Simply put, Microsoft held a conference to bring in new customers, not satisfy current customers. That may not be what you wanted, but it doesn't mean it was a bad for business. P.S. The new Tomb Raider looked great, the new dashboard is Windows Phone 7, and Kinect Sport 2 is Step Brothers: "The Game."
Electronic Arts: This is probably the conference that held my attention the least. There were sports games and a weird moment involving three NFL players, which included one of those stupid Packers. Mass Effect 3 is going to be more Mass Effect and Star Wars: The Old Republic continues to prove EA and BioWare should have put all their money into a feature-length CGI movie, instead of an MMO we've barely seen in action. Need for Speed: The Run is basically Heavy Rain: "The Car Scene" over and over and over again, a.k.a., horrible. Insomniac Games reveals their multi-platform title, Overstrike, which looks like a ton of fun with a nice, exaggerated art style. And Battlefield 3 is still amazing.
