With Sony and Nintendo’s Momentum, Microsoft Has the Most to Prove at E3 2017

Sony

When it comes to keynotes, Sony has proven itself the master of the presser, especially in the wake of last year’s incredible spectacle. The conference felt more like an onstage performance; a masterstroke of slam dunk game announcements, pausing only to plug PSVR content and tease upcoming remakes of fan favorite games. And then there was the live orchestral soundtrack… Sony knows how to play to the crowd and build hype.

Teeing up big game announcements and then delivering in quick succession this year has seen the Japanese giants continue to soar to new heights. Its momentum this generation continues to build as the PS4 moves into top gear. The challenge moving forward, however, will be to ensure the PS4’s momentum doesn’t suddenly drop off. Fans have responded well to the far-flung content roadmap seen in previous E3 conferences, but what does the rest of the year hold? Sony’s track record releasing content in the fall this generation has been woeful thus far, so this E3 really needs to focus on the next six to twelve months. In the face of Microsoft’s upcoming Scorpio console and the expected release of Mario Odyssey on Nintendo Switch, that is an especially pertinent question. Sony will need to make sure it lays down a marker during this busy period.

The other major question mark is the future of PSVR, and how Sony conveys this message will be a key takeaway at this year’s E3. How much stage time is given to the fledgling VR hardware should give an indication of just how much Sony believes in its success. Given the hardware has sold respectably but now looks to be stuttering due to a lack of content, its user base will be watching with eager eyes. Indeed, having invested so much in the technology and proudly touting its potential (VR was given plenty of attention at last year’s conference), Sony is going to seriously ruffle feathers if it doesn’t pledge major support moving forward. Potential buyers and current owners will be hoping for content beyond the tech demos and shorter experiences that comprise most of PSVR’s library.

Nintendo

Nintendo’s latest console is on a roll, recording impressive early sales despite its lack of launch content and frustrating supply issues. The fact that this miraculous turn of fortune and resurgence of the brand has been achieved without attending a single E3 is all the more astonishing. That shouldn’t, however, fool anyone into thinking that this year’s conference will not be pivotal to the console’s continued success. Switch might well be resonating well with early adopters and portable gaming enthusiasts in Japan, but its ability to attract a wider audience moving forward hinges on effectively roadmapping the console’s future.

E3 is the perfect platform for Nintendo to put the hammer down by confirming hard release dates for franchises like Mario, but also some form of significant third party support. Indeed, though Switch seems destined to live first and foremost on its first party content – an initiative that might just work thanks to its portable nature – some semblance of third party support will still be crucial to engage with as big an audience as possible. If those partnerships are still lacking in number, massaging that news by deflecting attention toward the launch of multiple first party and indie content might be its best strategy.

Of course, Nintendo has already confirmed E3 will focus specifically on 2017, making the announcement of franchise such as Metroid unlikely. That is sure to disappoint, especially after another game on the wishlist, a mainline Pokemon RPG, did not get an announcement at the recent and underwhelming Pokemon Direct. All of this further compounds the sentiment that 2017 better be jam-packed full of other interesting things to shout about. Because as popular as its hybrid functionality has proven, convincing traditional gamers to spend money on Switch over other content-rich platforms necessitates assurance over the health of its gaming ecosystem.

Moreover, having endured three months void of proper online functionality and a virtual console, E3 is surely the time for Nintendo to confirm their arrival. Smoothing out the rough edges that still plague the Switch will be crucial in building confidence in Nintendo as a brand and proving to its fan base that the company is committed to providing a quality user experience — something that Nintendo has garnered an unwanted reputation for lacking.

Speaking of which, making good of its promise to support the 3DS until next year will be of particular interest to the console’s significant user base. Switch is clearly displacing 3DS sales, even in Japan where the traditional handheld typically creams the competition, but Nintendo’s commitment to balancing attention between its portable and hybrid console will be watched closely.

Microsoft

Of all the major industry players, Microsoft has the biggest mountain to climb at this year’s E3. Despite far from mediocre overall sales, there’s no question that the Xbox One’s momentum has dropped off dramatically in recent months. That is, of course, largely due to the company keeping its gaming releases in reserve while preparing for the upcoming release of project Scorpio. But that has meant the past few months have painfully dry for Xbox One owners, made all the worse by the exceptional start to the year from Sony and Nintendo.

Microsoft, then, has a lot of ground to make up to get itself back in contention, and it all rests rather heavily on Scorpio’s shoulders. It is being billed as Microsoft’s big second bite of the apple, and, indeed, the significant investment packing expensive components into a (hopefully) affordable package suggests it represents a big gamble for the company. An unavoidable result of those mouth-watering specifications, however, is an expectation that it is going to deliver PC rivaling performance, and anything less is going to be met with disappointment. In comparison to its rival console, PS4 Pro, which released to an overall lukewarm reaction but was at least praised for its checkerboard, faux 4K ingenuity, Scorpio’s inability to deliver 4K 60fps gaming may largely be deemed a failure.

But if the console’s ability to produce a noticeable graphical upgrade is important, the assurance of soon-to-arrive exclusive games is absolutely vital. This is especially pertinent given that unwanted but increasingly popular narrative that Microsoft has a tendency to cancel games and close down first party studios. E3 is absolutely Microsoft’s big moment to stamp out that rhetoric and pledge upcoming games both this year and beyond.

Despite the vast improvements to the Xbox One brand under Phil Spencer, Microsoft certainly stands as the company with the most to lose following a poor showing at E3. The world will be watching this monumentally important moment in the company’s history as it makes its case for Scorpio as the home of console gaming. Critically, unlike the original Xbox One’s stuttering E3 reveal, Microsoft’s message with Scorpio must be loud and clear.