6) E3 2014
The success of E3 2013 was always going to be hard to follow. The hardware was fully revealed, we got a look at the launch games, and Microsoft was thoroughly embarrassed. The aim of 2014, therefore, was to review the big games of the future that PlayStation 4 owners had to look forward to.
While there was plenty of exciting reveals, and first looks at games we now know to be among the best on the system, the conference struggled with its pacing. It started off with a deep dive into Bungie’s Destiny, then we saw FromSoftware’s Project Beast (Bloodborne), before the big finale of a teaser trailer for Uncharted 4.
The climax left PlayStation fans excited, but the conference was far too long (at nearly two hours) and the games were too often interrupted by talking. Thankfully, Sony quickly learned that games should always be the focus.
5) E3 2018
Sony’s E3 2018 press conference was a bit of a structural departure from what worked so well in the preceding years. Some feared that we’d get a PSX 2017 style chat, rather than a traditional press conference after it was announced prior to the event that the focus would be on four high profile exclusives.
After twenty minutes, that fear seemed to come true. After a stunning look at some The Last of Us Part II gameplay, the audience was relocated and there was an interlude of sorts. It took the focus off the majesty of Naughty Dog’s game and lost the breathlessness that previous E3 conferences had. However, once the audience was re-seated, the games came thick and fast, with reveals for Resident Evil 2 Remake and Nioh 2 being mixed in with extended looks at Spider-Man, Death Stranding, and Ghost of Tsushima.
While the games that were shown off looked stunning, the lack of surprises and the disjointed opening meant that Sony’s E3 2018 conference wasn’t as exciting or memorable as previous years.
4) E3 2017
Sony’s E3 2017 saw the continuation of the game trailer after game trailer press conference structure. As it had in the years before, and even the previous PSX showcase, it kept the focus on the games and the excitement high.
Focus was certainly on the first-party exclusives that were revealed in 2016. We were treated to another look at God of War, introduced to another of Detroit: Become Human’s protagonists, and we were shown some gameplay of Days Gone.
That’s not to say there were no surprise announcements, however; they just weren’t on the level of the two previous years. Bluepoint’s Shadow of the Colossus remake was revealed, as was Monster Hunter World and some PSVR exclusives, but none of them were as shocking as 2015 or 2016’s. The games looked great, and the conference flowed well, it was just lacking true surprise.
3) E3 2013
The strength of Sony’s E3 press conference in 2013 was as much to do with the shambles over at Microsoft as it was due to Sony’s reaction. Microsoft was promoting the Xbox One as an all-in-one system – one that would be capable of functioning as your home for TV, Games, Social Media, and more. Alongside that, there were restrictions to sharing games, and you’d always have to be connected to the internet to play. Everyone waited to see how Sony would react, and they did so perfectly.
First off, Sony revealed that the PlayStation 4 would be launching for $399, $100 cheaper than the Xbox. Then Andrew House announced that you won’t have to be online to play, and it would be as easy as ever to share your games. A great video of Shuhei Yoshida and Adam Boyes passing a game to each other to show how easy it is was basically a mic-drop for Sony. The message of the conference was that, unlike Microsoft, Sony’s focus would be on games and the gamers.
The games that were shown off were slightly underwhelming, though, with InFamous: Second Son and Killzone: Shadow Fall being the standouts. However, Sony’s messaging during the conference played a huge part in the PS4’s initial success, and that won’t be forgotten.
2) E3 2016
The focus of E3 2016, for Sony at least, was its exclusive line-up. Whether it be exclusive features, new ways to play, or games that aren’t available elsewhere, Sony had it covered.
God of War, which we now know is one of Sony’s best ever games, Days Gone, Crash Bandicoot N’Sane Trilogy, Death Stranding, and Spider-Man PS4 were all revealed, and they were all to be exclusive to Sony’s console in one way or another. We’re still waiting for some of them to release, but we were left without doubt that the following few years were looking bright for PS4 owners.
PSVR, previously known as Project Morpheus, was also given the limelight for the first time. New games like Farpoint and Batman: Arkham VR were revealed, alongside VR features for games like Resident Evil VII (with the base game also being revealed) and Star Wars Battlefront. With the release date confirmed, virtual reality fans finally had a reason to be excited.
The conference may have been devoid of release dates for several notable standouts, but the games that were shown off were stunning and put Sony strongly in front of the competition when it comes to exclusive games.
1) E3 2015
Hype and shock value were the themes of Sony’s 2015 E3 press conference. The showcase moved at an incredible pace, leaving little time to chat or breathe between every trailer. What made it even more exciting, however, was how many surprises there were scattered throughout the show.
The Last Guardian made its return, after most people thought they’d never see it again, Final Fantasy VII Remake was revealed, we got our first look at Horizon Zero Dawn and Dreams, and Uncharted 4 gameplay was shown off for the first time. On top of those exclusive announcements, Sony also showcased their third-party draw, with timed DLC exclusivity for Call of Duty DLC and branding deals for Destiny: The Taken King.
Of course, games like Final Fantasy VII Remake are years away even now, but nothing tops E3 2015 for sheer hype.
Published: Jun 20, 2018 09:00 am