E3 press conferences… how do they so consistently manage to grab our attention? Sometimes they can be a total train wreck, like Jamie Kennedy attempting – and failing – to host Ubisoft's event, or Sony's announcement of the PlayStation 3 and its $600 price tag. But other times, there are moments that become truly unforgettable, whether it's the appearance of a singular person, the announcement of a long-anticipated game, or the pure sensation of being part of something special.
Everyone's entitled to their opinions when it comes to their own special E3 moments, but, for me, here are the ones that stand out from the last few years.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Kevin Butler
Even though the glory days of Kevin Butler may have come and gone for Sony (especially since the actor that portrayed him appeared in an ad that hyped the Wii), we'll never forget E3 2010, when Butler literally crashed the Sony press conference, providing us with an inspired speech of why we game in the first place. It's so beautiful it makes us want to chug a Coca-Cola in his honor. (You can relive the segment here.)
Sega Fires Off a Surprise, But Sony Fires Right Back
In 1995, Sega rocked the industry with the surprise announcement that its Sega Saturn game system would in fact not be launching that fall, but rather… that day? Yep, the 32-bit game console, along with five releases, made its way to store shelves about 24 hours after Sega broke the news. It was a shot fired directly at Sony and its PlayStation system, indicating that the console maker was ready for war.
But perhaps an even bigger surprise is how Sony responded. Rather than shipping the system early (without software, no less), during its announcement, Sony simply had one of its head honchos hit the stage and give a single number — $299, a lower price than what the Saturn was selling for. And, with that, Sony began its video game dominance.
Peter Moore Brings the Rock Party – Then Crashes It
Oh, Peter Moore, how you slay us. Just minutes after Harmonix gave a presentation for its music sim Rock Band at the Microsoft press conference, the then-Microsoft-exec took the stage and rocked out with a few people, just to show how fun it really was. And then, out of nowhere, Peter made a mistake that would live on in infamy – he hit the Xbox 360 Guide button on his guitar, which brought the tune to a grinding halt. The crowd cracked up at the moment, but mainly because Peter had once again left his mark – even inadvertently. We still remember the year prior, when he got a Grand Theft Auto IV tattoo put on his arm. Never change, Mr. Moore, never change.
Oh, Hi, Halo 2
In 2003, Microsoft announced some major news that fans had been wanting to hear – there was a sequel to Halo, and yes, it was coming very soon. What followed after the initial announcement was several minutes of gameplay, including one moment that the crowd absolutely ate up – the ability to hop onboard a moving Ghost and hijack it. Of course, other Halo games have been announced since that time, including the 2011 announcement of Halo 4 that blew everyone away, especially since Bungie wasn't making it. But still, that crowd reaction to Halo 2 is something special.
The Power of Miyamoto — and Zelda
Finally, even though Nintendo is doing away with its press conference model for this year's E3, who could forget the great ones they've had over the years? Like the initial announcement of the GameCube and reveal of Super Smash Bros. Brawl? Or the introduction of Super Mario Galaxy? Still, if there's one moment that stands out in my mind, it's 2006, with the introduction of a true Legend of Zelda game called Twilight Princess. The trailer, as brief as it was, blew fans away, but Nintendo saved the kicker for last, with Shigeru Miyamoto taking the stage, victoriously holding sword and shield. It's a moment we'll remember fondly for ages to come – see for yourself!
What are your favorite E3 press conference moments?
