E3 2006 Special | Nintendo vs Microsoft

By James Temperton 10.05.2006 6

Nintendo vs Microsoft: The Two E3 Conferences
Nicholas Kleczewski :: 9th May 2006 :: Reporting from LA


Before jumping into the thrills, chills, and spills at the Nintendo Media Briefing this morning, let me start with a preamble to the story. It'll take a moment, but it has a point, sort of. It's a tale that says something about the media briefing without being about the media briefing at all.

I slept for about, oh two hours last night. Why? Out of excitement to the point of hyperventilation about what lay in store for me the next morning? No'' well actually, yes; that was exactly the reason. So I got to sleep around 3 a.m. and was back up counting the minutes at 5 a.m. At about 5:30 I decided, 'Screw it. It can't hurt to get there, oh I don't know, three hours early.' I figured that looking like the usual bum I've come to expect to see in the mirror every day wasn't going to cut it for this event (the Kodak Theatre is home of the Oscars after all) so I spent the extra time to get dressed up.

Still arriving to the theatre two hours and forty-five minutes early, there wasn't much to do except look at some weird stars with names poured into concrete littered throughout the sidewalks while trying to stay awake. Thank god there was 'The Coffee Bean' across the street to wake me up with a nice hot coffee injection. Remembering only at the last minute, standing in line, that I can't drink caffeine, I settled on a hot chocolate and made my way back towards the theatre.

In case you live in a cave and don't know the geography of Hollywood like the back of your hand (loser), its important to note that the Kodak Theatre (Nintendo's Media Briefing) sits beside the Chinese Mann's Theatre (Microsoft's Media Briefing). Standing on the other side of the street waiting to cross, there was a clear view of what was happening in front of both theatres. The Chinese Mann's (Microsoft) could have been the front entrance to Studio 54 and you wouldn't have known the difference; apart from the Hollywood stars signatures in mortar and the whole Chinese theme thing. There were big burly dudes from the MIB with black shades, black suits, and ear pieces standing in front of a roped off gate allowing people through in small quantities; as if the 'club' just freed up some more space so now you can go in. And half the people in line didn't look like gamers, media, or the like at all. They looked like singles hoping tonight was the night for them to hook up at this hot new club. Glance over to the Kodak Theatre (Nintendo); ton's of E3'ers milling about with digital cameras, camcorders etc, talking about what they think today will bring, and what's this? Tons of local media abound. A ridiculous amount in fact, some even with large jib camera arms getting sweeping shots of the theatre. So to my left, dance club, to my right, media flooded hot bed of anticipation.

What is the icing (or point) to this story? So I'm standing waiting to cross the street when quite a few of these men in black from Microsoft crowd around me. But these guys are different, something even more pro, more secret service like. Seems like this crosswalk light is taking frigging forever now and these dudes are getting a little too all up in my grill. I look to my left and who might be standing arms length away? Why, Bill 'King of The World' Gates, the man himself!

I have to say it's quite a moment knowing your standing beside the richest man in the world. Almost like, if you can just get a few more seconds beside him, some of that success might rub off and you might become at least a single digit billionaire. But this encounter had much deeper almost philosophical moment for me. I catch him at just the right moment.

He too has just noticed the goings on outside both theatres. I see the glance to his, then to Nintendo's, back to his, and then one more time, Nintendo's. Just as the crosswalk sign turns green, I see a little shrug of the shoulders and a 'humph' emit ever so slightly from the 5 ft. 10 in. financial powerhouse. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but I think it was a hair too obvious for that. It was a 'What gives?' moment, as if he just didn't get how there could possibly be any attention for something so technically weak and cheap in comparison to his creation.

It made me think, 'Holy Shit! Bill Gates doesn't get it!? If he doesn't get it, how does a small person on the pecking order like me get it? Wait a minute, I guess I don't really get it either!' I'm excited about a gadget that has a name that I used to call my midsection, it's the smallest technical leap ever in a game console, and it controls with a mean's I have never come close to experiencing. Why am I so magnetized to it? Is it because the possibilities of experiencing a new frontier, something completely different than anything I've experienced before, the chance to relive feelings I had in 1985 seem so palpable? I think this might be it, but I don't KNOW.

I've come to understand since the media briefing, that I don't think anyone really knows, yet. I'm not sure if Nintendo even knows what they've gotten themselves into. The impression I got from the media briefing and speaking to people after is that if it weren't for tradition, Nintendo might have opted to skip the media briefing all together. They're tired of talking about disruption, change, and the hope of a revolution.

They just want us all to play the damn thing and find out for ourselves if its real or not. Who could possibly know for sure if their very invention really has that kind of cultural power? Bill Gates certainly doesn't know, I'm learning I don't really know, and I don't think Nintendo knows. Richest man in the world ' me ' creative masterminds, yeah, that just about covers it. Is it the Model T Ford of our generation or is it the Betamax? They've shown us all they can, gave us a hell of a show, (the beginning was epic), and even had developers play it for us. Not good enough I'm afraid. Not yet' but I think wii will begin to know, tomorrow.

Nicholas Kleczewski

Comment on this article

You can comment as a guest or join the Cubed3 community below: Sign Up for Free Account Login

Preview PostPreview Post Your Name:
Validate your comment
  Enter the letters in the image to validate your comment.
Submit Post

Comments

Nice readSmilie

XBL Gamertag: James2t3

Really interesting little story Nick. I can't imagine how it would feel standing next to someone running a bussiness economy bigger than the entire economy of Spain. You're dead right though, Gates doesn't get it. Admittedly he gets it more than Sony do (at least Microsoft have their own clear direction), but he is still going to drive for power over innovation.

Trying to think of a witty signature after 'Hacker-gate'...

Very cool Nicholas! Thanks for taking the time to share that very intersting story with us. Smilie

Guest 10.05.2006#4

Yep, Bill Gates. "Online" is the answer right? I guess that's where Microsoft will make their money from on the xbox, that, and halo 3.

Um...if you can't drink caffeine you probably shouldn't be drinking hot chocolate. Chocolate in any variety, hot or cold, has quite considerable levels of the stuff.

P.S., nice work of fiction. Gates crossing Hollywood Blvd. to get to his event. Classic. Of course HE couldn't get a parking spot in the rear of the theater and been whisked in the back door. Nope, your version is much more logical.

Guest 10.05.2006#6

Brilliant article, I must say I'm impressed with your view of E3 so far, Nicholas, the atmosphere when the conference started must have been immense, Smilie.

Subscribe to this topic Subscribe to this topic

If you are a registered member and logged in, you can also subscribe to topics by email.
Sign up today for blogs, games collections, reader reviews and much more
Site Feed
Who's Online?
jesusraz, Ofisil

There are 2 members online at the moment.