3. Microsoft
This is where we can draw the line between the okay E3 2019 press conferences and the ones that were genuinely really good. Everything from this point on was quite solid.
It’s hard to rank Microsoft. This is because that arguably, it had the most exciting conference in terms of reveals, announcements, and gameplay trailers.
Seeing Cyberpunk in that way for the first time was jaw dropping. Phantasy Star Online 2 was a total shock and among the most WTF crazy moments of the entire weekend.
However, there was a startling lack of gameplay in a lot of these trailers. For example, Gears 5 is coming out later this year, and it is a major Xbox One console exclusive, so why is it still so heavily under wraps?
The same can be said of other games revealed during the show that are PC/Xbox One console exclusives like Blair Witch and Bleeding Edge.
And while I’m talking about Bleeding Edge, lots of of the reaction towards that announcement is genuine concern and confusion. Developer Ninja Theory is known for creating one of the most acclaimed narratives this generation with Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice.
Microsoft’s acquisition of that studio seemed like a home-run for a platform that desperately could use some more single-player, narrative-driven games. The reveal, then, of an arena fighter that looks like a cross between Anarchy Reigns and Overwatch is bizarre and potentially troubling.
Also a bit disappointing is that only some of the reveals were console Xbox One exclusives. Many were not, and while it’s fun for us and that’s nice, it’s not something that’s going to necessarily inspire prospective and current Xbox One owners looking to justify their purchases.
Finally, there was the Project Scarlett reveal which was kind of anti-climatic. It’s great to know that the next home console from Microsoft is going to be a beast, but it’s kind of a false start without being able to actually see the final design.
