Gaming rules at smaller E3 Expo

By Ian Hardy Click's North America technology correspondent

Considerably smaller than in previous years, the E3 Expo has switched its focus from gaming hardware to software, but those who could attend the three day, invitation-only event could still expect to see previews and launches of some of the most anticipated titles.

This years smaller E3 allowed serious game testing by journalists

For most of its life E3 has been known as one of the biggest and most important video game trade shows in the world.

Tens of thousands of fans from around the globe would fly into downtown Los Angeles (LA) to witness the newest hardware announcements and play the latest games months before they were available in the shops.

But this year the welcome mat has been pulled away and only a select few have been invited to a very different E3.

A Santa Monica aircraft hangar and a high school were among the locations for this year's E3, which was populated by about 4,000 attendees. After a crowd of 60,000 plus showed up for last year's convention in downtown LA, video game companies demanded it be scaled right back to save tens of millions of dollars.

But to be honest, 56,000 people did not miss very much this year. As usual the big three - Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft - all held their own presentations, and all emphasized upcoming software as the consoles are now old news.

Gaming focus

For the Xbox 360, which has the highest game sales so far, the release of anticipated titles such as Mass Effect, Grand Theft Auto 4, and especially Halo 3 later this year, will be critical.

A new version of the Xbox 360 will go on sale in Europe in August 2007

Microsoft's David Hufford says: "The conversation has shifted. Now all three systems are on the market I think everybody understands the power of each of the systems.

"So we're moving to what matters most, which is the games. They drive the health of the industry, they're what consumers are buying more than ever.

"It's all about the games, and that's certainly the conversation we want to have at Microsoft." he adds.

'Price cuts'

Sony also delivered news of some much anticipated games to an enthusiastic audience.

Sony has shipped more than 25m PSPs since its launch in 2004

They need big hits on the PS3, as sales of the console continue to lag, mainly due its high cost. It came as no surprise when Sony announced a $100 price cut this month in the US.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's Worldwide Studios' Phil Harrison says: "Go back to 1995, when we launched PlayStation One in North America and Europe. Six, seven months later we dropped the price by $100.

"So we're not re-writing history, we're following a very well established gamebook, which is to take the efficiencies and economies of scale that we have in our manufacturing, reduce the price, reduce the cost, and pass those savings on to the consumer. It's the way we grow our business." he adds.

With the emphasis on serious gaming, journalists and analysts were able to thoroughly test new titles

But then, on the last day of E3 it emerged the reduction might be nothing more than a way of dumping the 60GB model, to make way for a $599 80GB version.

For those who still cannot afford either, Sony also introduced a slimmer, lighter version of the PlayStation Portable in various colours.

Wii accessories

Nintendo's Wii, which has been so successful that it is still difficult to buy months after being released, hopes to continue its momentum with a few new add-ons.

Several new controllers will be available for the Wii

Consumers will soon be able to buy a Zapper, which is essentially a gun-shaped container for the existing controllers.

A Wii wheel will be bundled with Mario Kart and a pressure pad device called a Balance Board will also be available to purchase, which seems to work very well with a hula hoop game and a soccer title that tests your heading skills.

Game testing

Apart from the big three press events there has been very little spectacle at this year's E3. Last year you might have seen Paris Hilton or Clint Eastwood promoting their own video games, but this year there is not a celebrity in sight.

If you take away the boasting and the showing off you can really get to the meat of it Electronic Gaming Monthly's Dan Hsu

With the emphasis on serious gaming, journalists and analysts were able to thoroughly test new titles and spend time trying to find out what was not mentioned at the glossy presentations.

"We're used to the press conferences being full of all these executives being up there in their suits, beating their chests, showing off how great they are, how great their companies are." says Electronic Gaming Monthly's Dan Hsu.

"Somehow they could always spin the numbers so that Nintendo's number one, but Microsoft's number one, but Sony's number one, and I don't know how that all works out!

"I think if you take away the boasting and the showing off you can really get to the meat of it. Then we can start to ask 'what are you offering consumers for 2008?' That's what we're really here to see." he adds.

The future of E3 is by no means certain. Some people really liked the instant all-access approach to the games and their designers.

Others found the dimly-lit rooms visually uninspiring and were frustrated by the travelling involved between multiple locations in the Santa Monica Area. They would prefer a return to the old style E3 with everything under one roof, even if it is a smaller one.