I was on holiday last week so wasn't around for E3. Judging by the lack of major announcements it doesn't look like I missed much. Keith has covered most of the interesting stuff but judging by the comments from various execs the future doesn't look too bright for the once essential trade event. It's a shame really. Spoilt journos loved to moan about crowds, noise and how Randy from Arkansas was blocking their view but E3 was a fabulously convenient way to see all the latest stuff as well as interview the people behind them. Guys like veteran coder Peter Molyneux. His latest, typically candid, interview touches on perhaps the greatest theme at this year's show - casual gaming.
"When I first listened to Clive Sinclair, he said that this (gaming) is the big new medium that's going to change the world. That led me to make Populous, which sold four million units. Our market share has not changed an iota since those days: we still make games that sell four million units and we still hail those as universal successes. Very few times a game sells eight million, and we celebrate those as being the biggest thing ever. But the biggest thing ever will entertain hundreds of millions of people."
Nintendo's mainstream-friendly press conference may have upset the hardcore but with Wii now outselling the 360 in the US it's easy to see what Molyneux means. And sadly for him Fable 2 - Molyneux's ambitious role playing game due out his October - is probably going to be outsold by the likes of Cooking Mama 2 on the Wii. Casual titles then - obviously the future of the gaming industry? Or will a more traditional "hardcore" gaming title ever "entertain hundreds of millions of people"?
