E3 - Highlights of the Xbox 360 Conference

Peter Molyneux Project Natal E3 2009

Sony PLAYSTATION 3 80GB Console

Sony PLAYSTATION 3 80GB Console
The PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system unleashes a brilliant, high-definition entertainment experience. At its digital soul, the Cell Broadband Engine™ represents a tour de force in parallel processing. The PLAYSTATION®3 is a gaming experience beyond any others you know today. Its built-in Blu-ray Disc™ drive delivers a whole new generation in high-definition gaming and unmatched digital media storage. Whether it’s gaming, Blu-ray movies, music or online services, the PLAYSTATION®3 invites you to Play Beyond.

Cell Broadband Engine™

The PLAYSTATION®3 is powered by the Cell Broadband Engine™, a revolutionary microprocessor that leapfrogs the performance of existing processors, giving the PLAYSTATION®3 system supercomputer-like power and performance that until now, game developers have only dreamt about.

DUALSHOCK®3 Wireless Controller (included)

The DUALSHOCK®3 wireless controller for the PLAYSTATION®3 system provides the most intuitive game play experience with pressure sensitive buttons and the inclusion of the highly sensitive SIXAXIS™ motion sensing technology. Each hit, crash and explosion is more realistic when the user feels the rumble right in the palm of their hand. It can even detect natural movements for real-time and high precision interactive play, acting as a natural extension of the user's body. The DUALSHOCK®3 wireless controller utilizes Bluetooth technology for wireless game play and the controller's USB cable to seamlessly and automatically charge the controller through the hardware.

Blu-ray Player
Next-generation entertainment needs a next-generation format. Blu-ray Disc™ (BD) is that format. Just as the DVD offered a technological leap from CDs, Blu-ray Disc is the next leap forward in the advancement of data storage technology and digital entertainment. With Blu-ray, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system offers game developers unprecedented power to express their creativity and a larger canvas to produce a level of interaction, sophistication and reality that has never existed in gaming. More than an evolution, Blu-ray is a revolution that frees High-Definition Capabilities. HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) means you can use your PLAYSTATION®3 with High-Definition displays, or use the included AV out cable.

PLAYSTATION Network
The PLAYSTATION®3 keeps you connected via the PLAYSTATION Network, offering a world of online possibilities including multiplayer gaming, text and video messaging, voice chatting, downloadable content and even browsing the internet. Download the latest demos from the PLAYSTATION Store, or purchase the interactive PLAYSTATION gaming magazine, Qore, for an insider look at the latest PS3 offerings. No subscription fee required to play online games. Signing up for a PLAYSTATION Network account is free!


System Interoperability With Remote Play
The PLAYSTATION®3 and PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) play nice together. Easily exchange media like photos, videos and music from your PLAYSTATION®3 system to your PSP® system. And get ready to witness an explosion in creativity as developers take on the challenge of integrating the PSP system into PLAYSTATION®3 games.

Nintendo Wii

Nintendo Wii
Released in 2006
The console was known by the codename of "Revolution" until April 27, 2006, when it was renamed Wii, spelled with two "i"s to imply an image of players gathering together, as well as to represent the console's controllers. It is said Wii sounds like 'we', which emphasizes that the console is for everyone. Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii"

The Wii Remote is a one-handed controller that uses a combination of accelerometers and infrared detection to sense its position in 3D space. This allows users to control the game using physical gestures as well as traditional button presses. The controller connects to the console using Bluetooth, and features force feedback, 4KB non-volatile memory and an internal speaker. Perhaps the most important of these devices is the Nunchuk unit, which features an accelerometer and a traditional analog stick with two trigger buttons. In addition, an attachable wrist strap can be used to prevent the player from unintentionally dropping or throwing the device.

Sony PlayStation 3

Sony PlayStation 3
Released in 2006
The PlayStation 3 was released in North America on November 17, 2006. During its first week of release in the United States, PlayStation 3s were being sold on eBay for more than $2300 USD. Reports of violence surrounding the release of the PS3 include a customer shot, campers robbed at gunpoint, customers shot in a drive-by shooting with BB guns, and 60 campers fighting over 10 systems. Two GameStop employees fabricated a robbery to cover up their own theft of several PlayStation 3 and four Xbox 360 consoles.

Sony stated every PlayStation and PlayStation 2 game that observes its respective system's TRC (Technical Requirements Checklist) will be playable on PS3 at launch. SCE president Ken Kutaragi asked developers to adhere to the TRC to facilitate compatibility with future PlayStations, stating that the company was having some difficulty getting backward compatibility with games that had not followed the TRCs. It has been confirmed (image) that initial PS3 units include the CPU/rasterizer combination chip used in slim PS2 (EE+GS) to achieve backward compatibility.

Microsoft X-Box 360

Microsoft X-Box 360
Released in 2005
The Xbox 360 is Microsoft's newest video game console, the successor to their original Xbox. It was released on November 22, 2005 in North America, December 2 in Europe, and December 10 in Japan. It will be released on February 2, 2006 in Mexico, February 24 in South Korea, and March 2, 2006 in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore.

The Xbox 360 will compete against the upcoming generation of consoles, including the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Revolution, and was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, a week before the E3 trade show.

Except in Japan the console is sold in two different configurations: the "Xbox 360" and the "Xbox 360 Core System". The Xbox 360 configuration, often referred to as the "Premium Edition", includes a hard drive (required for backwards compatibility with original Xbox games), a wireless controller, a headset, an Ethernet cable, an Xbox Live silver subscription, and a component HD AV cable (which can also be used on non-HD TVs).

XaviXPORT

XaviXPORT
Released in 2004
In January at the Consumer Electronics Show 2004 (CES), SSD COMPANY LIMITED debuts their XaviX® technology to the American public. The XaviXPort console was officially released in the US in August of 2004.

XaviXPort is a unique and innovative console that uses peripherals to interact with on screen games. The console contains image recognition and infrared sensors that can detect player movements. These movements are calculated by a proprietary multiprocessor that measures both velocity and angle. The multiprocessor then translates the actions into on screen movement.

Getting players to immerse themselves into games with body movements is not something new. However, this is the first time a console has been dedicated to providing this "Get your butt off the couch" interactive gaming experience. What makes XaviXPort even more unique is that the console’s multiprocessor is not installed inside the system itself. The multiprocessor can be found in each game cartridge.