E3 Offerings Take A Page From Hollywood Blockbusters
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — It's all about the games for Microsoft at E3.
Microsoft focused exclusively on hyping titles coming to its Xbox One and Xbox 360 consoles during its presentation Monday ahead of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), the video-game industry's annual trade show.
The new Xbox One games showcased included a fresh installment of the open-world romp "Crackdown," a reboot of the Xbox action game "Phantom Dust," the original dragon adventure "Scalebound" from developer Platinum Games, a sequel to the 2013 "Tomb Raider" reboot titled "Rise of the Tomb Raider" and a "Halo" collection that will bring four prior installments of the sci-fi shooter to Microsoft's latest console.
The announcements were made Monday morning during a 90-minute presentation at the University of Southern California's Galen Center.
As part of a growing industry trend, developers are taking a page from the scripts of Hollywood filmmakers, according to Ben Howard, GameSpot's Vice President of Content .
"They're setting up franchises to be sequel-ized and spun off and 10 to 15 years ahead," Howard said.
Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft's Xbox division, began the 90-mintue event by noting that Microsoft changed features of the Xbox One, which launched last November, after listening to consumer feedback.
"You are shaping the future of Xbox, and we are better for it," Spencer told the crowd and cameras broadcasting the event. "Today, we are dedicating our entire briefing to games."
When the company initially unveiled the Xbox One last year at its Redmond, Washington, headquarters, Microsoft billed the $499 console as an "all-in-one" entertainment hub for the living room.
Following criticism, Microsoft backtracked on several requirements for the console, including that it must be connected to the Internet every 24 hours and to its motion-detecting Kinect sensor. The company began selling a Kinect-free version of the Xbox One on Monday for $399.
Microsoft Corp. has lagged behind Sony Corp. since both companies began selling their latest consoles last November. Microsoft has sold 5 million Xbox One consoles to Sony's 7 million PlayStation 4 consoles. However, both companies have outpaced the sales of their predecessors, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Other upcoming games teased included the futuristic "Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare," driving sequel "Forza Horizon 2," original cartoony shoot-'em-up "Sunset Overdrive" and downloadable choreography game "Dance Central Spotlight."
The 2014 E3 show will be held through June 12 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
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