E3 preview – What are the plans for PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii?

E3 is upon us, and the next four days are going to show us what direction the big three of Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft are going to take their relative consoles in over the next year. Games will also play a massive part in the Electronic Entertainment Expo coming from Los Angeles, with the Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360 all getting brand spanking new releases showcased at the event.

The last few weeks have seen rumours galore, and it seems that all of the major companies at the show have something big up their sleeve to try and outdo their rivals. Whether it be an already known-about hardware price reduction, a new controller to rival the Wii Remote, or the unveiling of an oft-delayed online service, the gaming landscape could be very different this time next week.

Sony

Sony is unlikely to announce anything related to hardware, and have already stated that a price cut is not on the cards any time soon. A new peripheral is highly likely though, with the many rumours over the last few months surrounding some kind of motion-sensing controller with breaks apart. There are also likely to be announcements concerning online elements of the Playstation 3, with Home likely to be demoed in all its (supposed) glory, and an online movie download service announced.

As Mike has already discussed, games on show are likely to include Little Big Planet, Resistance 2, and God Of War III. Sony seems to be trying desperately shake the image of the PS3 as being the console with least must-have games available for it, so expect many titles to be showcased, though few that haven’t already been announced in some form.

Microsoft

Microsoft will first attempt to sell more Xbox 360 consoles by announcing a $50 price cut. A price cut that even my grandma will have no doubt heard about by now. Whether $50 is enough to change the console’s fortunes in Japan and Europe remains to be seen, but it’s clearly not enough to persuade Sony to match the strategy. A motion-sensing controller could also be announced for the Xbox 360, though it’s probably not as likely as the PS3 peripheral is, at least for now.

As Mike has already discussed, games on show are likely to include Gears Of War 2, Fable II, and Halo Wars. Microsoft has a different problem from Sony, in that there are enough good games on the system, it’s just that many of them appeal to the more hardcore element, and are of a certain genre. If the new controller does make an appearance, then this could all change as Microsoft looks to grab a piece of Nintendo’s casual crowd.

Nintendo

Last, but certainly not least, we have Nintendo. There hasn’t been as much talk about what Nintendo may reveal at E3, mainly because when you are leading the market, there is less need to talk yourself up all the time. There is talk of a new Nintendo DS model on the way, and also a big Wii game for the holidays which is going to blow people away, but not much else besides. Don’t expect any movement on price either, as Nintendo already can’t cope with demand, so is unlikely to add to it any time soon.

In terms of games, along with the secret holiday game rumour, there is also speculation that Shigeru Miyamoto could be about to bring back 1980s favourite Kid Icarus, with a brand new makeover of course. These rumours could of course be one and the same. There could also be more news on the next Zelda game, as well as a follow-up to F-Zero.

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