The Ugly
Konami Sends in A Mirrion Unequipped Twoops (E3 2010)
What happens when you under-prepare for a public presentation? Well, you make everyone in the audience cringe.
Konami’s 2010 E3 Press Conference was full of awkward moments, from a thick-accented man trying to explain how a complex game works, to another thick-accented man trying to show enthusiasm while talking about a dancing game. You can see in the guy’s face next to him when he realizes he’s been immortalized in the E3’s Worst Hall of Fame.
Activison Accidently Hires Jamie Kennedy (E3 2007)
Being a douche to Tony Hawk? Check. Insulting your audience? Check. Drunk on stage? Check.
Yes, this guy was paid to do this. Is this Activision’s form of seppuku?
The Price Heard Around the World: $599 U.S. Dollars (E3 2006)
Sony is usually very good at putting on a show at E3, but 2006 is a huge exception. A long, tedious, and at times ridiculous showing was brought to an all-time low by the announcement that the PS3 would be $599 U.S. Dollars at launch. The funny thing is Sony actually said that the consumer demand will be so great that people will work overtime to buy the device, which they said would support 4D. No, I’m not kidding.
Oh, and here’s the obligatory RIIIIDDDGGEEE RAAAACCERRR!!!1
Mr. Caffeine Replaces a Problem with a New One (E3 2011)
Yes, it’s good to have energy when public speaking, but not this much. In response to feedback that Joel McHale’s monotonous appearance in 2010 was boring, Ubisoft went with the polar opposite by hiring YouTube personality Tobuscus, a guy known for being so obnoxious your ear drums beg you for mercy.
Seriously, this guy is so annoying. If you can get through the video, then that’s pretty impressive.
No, We Don’t Want to See the Bottom of an Avatar’s Shoe (E3 2009)
Project Natal, as Kinect was known by at the time, wasn’t exactly well received by gamers. That was made even worse by Microsoft spending a huge chunk of its E3 2009 Press Conference talking about it.
Now, if the tech actually worked flawlessly it might make sense for some hardcore games. Unfortunately, lag and other technical shortcomings meant that, for the most part, Microsoft presented a pre-recorded show disguised as one that was live to avoid poor execution. This was made particularly clear when one presenter decided to “show what the bottom of an avatar’s shoe looks like”. Instead of a proper animation the avatar contorted into a big pretzel. And you want $150 for this? No thanks.
