For 20 years, E3 has offered the biggest surprises and most shocking moments for gamers. As a gamer, it's nigh impossible not to be excited about E3. Each year brings with it stunning trailers, news on games that we didn't even know existed, and major moves by the biggest players in the industry.
This year's E3 may just be the biggest one yet. Not only are the usual E3 exhibitors going to be present, such as EA, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony, but newcomers such as Bethesda and PC Gamer will be hosting press conferences as well. Rumors are already flying about what we'll see at E3, including rumblings of the highly anticipated Fallout 4.
This year's E3 event will take place from June 16th to June 18th, but before E3 2015 comes around, it's time to look back at the moments that have defined E3 throughout its history. These 10 moments helped to elevate E3 and cement its status of being gaming's premiere annual event. Without further ado, here are the 10 greatest E3 moments in history.
10. Kevin Butler's Epic Speech (E3 2010)
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While a little on the corny side, no one can fault Sony's fictional executive Kevin Butler for his enthusiasm. Originally just appearing in television commercials hawking various PS3 related products, Butler came to life at E3 2010, bringing with him something that most E3 presenters tend to lack, such as charisma and a genuine sense of humor. Even though he took some playful jabs at the competition, the point of Butler's speech was one of unity.
Unfortunately, Kevin (real name Jerry Lambert) and Sony have since had a falling out, but his surprise appearance at E3 2010 will live on, not only because of how amusing it is, but because it actually managed to make the PlayStation Move interesting for five minutes.
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9. Final Fantasy on Xbox (E3 2008)
Each year, it's interesting to see who spent the big bucks to persuade third party developers and publishers to promote their particular console. In 2008, Microsoft was able to woo Square Enix to do something they hadn't done since Final Fantasy VI: release a main series Final Fantasy game on a non-PlayStation console.
Even though the final product left fans wanting, at the time the announcement that Final Fantasy XIII was coming to Xbox 360 as well as PlayStation 3 left the gaming world absolutely stunned. It was a major blow to Sony at a time when the PS3 was already struggling to make sales, and Final Fantasy XIII was yet another sequel lost to the competition.
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Page 2: Reggie & Gabe Make Big Debuts
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8. Gabe Newell and Portal 2 (E3 2010)
Jack Tretton was interrupted during his E3 2010 press conference for Sony by none other than the chilling robotic voice of GLaDOS, she of Portal fame. GLaDOS introduced Gabe Newell, the outspoken head of Valve, to the stage in what was a major E3 shocker.
Gabe Newell had previously spent most of the console generation bashing the PS3, so his appearance on Sony's E3 2010 stage was something no one saw coming. After thanking Sony for not repeatedly punching him in the face, he announced that Portal 2 was coming to PS3, and not only that, but it would have features not available on the Xbox 360 version, such as playability with the PC version and automatic updates.
With the Steam Machines gearing up for wide release, it's unlikely that we'll see Gabe on either the Microsoft or the Sony stages any time soon, but his E3 legacy may just be defined by this surprising entrance.
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7. Introducing: Nintendo DS (E3 2004)
Nintendo's 2004 E3 was arguably the greatest E3 event ever put on by the company, and may just be the most exciting E3 press conference in history, for reasons that we'll get into later. First, we must mention the announcement of what has become the most successful dedicated gaming handheld ever, and the second-best selling game system of all time, the Nintendo DS.
At E3 2004, Nintendo unveiled the DS for the first time, an extremely innovative handheld featuring a touchscreen, a microphone, and a unique, dual-screen design, along with Game Boy Advance backwards compatibility to top it all off. Some accused the device of merely being a gimmick at first, but Nintendo proved everyone wrong. The DS has found unprecedented success in the handheld gaming market, and even spawned numerous re-releases in the forms of the DS Lite, the DSi, and others.
And who presented the DS? Well...
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6. Reggie Fils-Aime Debuts (E3 2004)
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Meet Reggie Fils-Aime, the face of Nintendo of America, and the face of Nintendo at E3. Reggie graced us with his presence for the first time at Nintendo's 2004 E3 event, wherein he was given the honor of unveiling the Nintendo DS to the world. However, Reggie is more known for the countless memes he has inadvertently created over the years.
Besides his "kicking ass, taking names, making games" speech, Reggie is also known for uttering, "My body is ready" while playing Wii Fit, partaking in a ridiculous Super Smash Bros. showdown with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, and more. Reggie is easily one of the best E3 presenters there's ever been, and he has a great ability to build excitement for just about anything. He's one of Nintendo's greatest assets, one of the Internet's funniest memes, and he was introduced to the world at large at E3.
Hopefully this year's E3 puts Nintendo and the Wii U back on the map. While doubtful, if anyone can get it done, it's Reggie. Reggie, our bodies are ready.
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Page 3: Dueling Price Tags
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5. Sega Saturn...Available Now (E3 1995)
The tradition of major shockers at E3 events actually began right at the start. E3 1995, the first year of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, was attended by the biggest names in the gaming industry, and in 1995, that included Sega. Sega decided to kick off the tradition of shocking E3 moments with what is still one of the event's biggest surprises, even though the move was not necessarily the best one for Sega in the long run.
Nowadays, it's not uncommon for demos or smaller digital games to be released in the midst of a presentation, but in 1995, Sega decided to release an entire game console during their conference. That's right. Sega announced that their fifth generation game console, the Sega Saturn, was available now.
Retailers across the country were not happy about this, as it gave them no time to make room on the shelves or promote the console, and this is considered a pretty big blunder on Sega's part. Regardless of how it turned out, no one can deny that this was one of E3's biggest surprises ever, and what makes it even more special is that it's probably never going to be replicated.
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4. Sony vs. Microsoft (E3 2013)
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E3 2013 is mostly known as the E3 in which Microsoft lost the majority of its audience, effectively shooting itself in the foot, and alienating the gaming public at large. Leading into the event, rumors about the Xbox 360's successor being always-online dominated the forums, but many couldn't believe that Microsoft could make such a mind-bogglingly controversial decision. During their press conference that year, it was indeed revealed that the now-titled Xbox One would require a constant Internet connection to function, and not only that, but it couldn't play used games.
This sparked outrage amongst gamers, and created a backlash so bad that the head of Xbox at the time, Don Mattrick, jumped ship shortly thereafter to join Zynga. Sony saw the opportunity at hand, and decided to strike, and "won" gamers over with just few sentences. By promising that the PS4 would allow used games, announcing a $100 cheaper price point, and confirming that the system could function without an Internet connection, Sony definitively put a big hurdle on the Xbox One's chances of being the best-selling eighth generation console.
Can Microsoft ever bounce back from the public relations damage they suffered at E3 2013? Maybe, but it's going to take a lot of work. Sony seemingly won the console wars before they even truly began, and this showcases just how important E3 truly is.
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Page 4: The 3 Greatest E3 Moments
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3. $299 (E3 1995)
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Sony was dropping bombs long before the days of the PlayStation 4, though. In fact, during the first ever E3 in history, Sony showcased their console debut, the original PlayStation.
However, they weren't satisfied with just announcing the console. At the end of their conference, executive Steve Race comes on stage for a "brief presentation". He simply states, "$299", and walks off to roaring applause, as that price point made PlayStation $100 cheaper than the Sega Saturn.
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2. Super Smash Bros. Melee Roster (E3 2001)
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In 2001, Nintendo GameCube desperately needed a killer app. The PlayStation crushed the Nintendo 64 in the previous console generation, and Nintendo needed to bring a game to the table that would push consoles out the door quickly and in large quantities. The game chosen to be the centerpiece of the GameCube's library was Super Smash Bros. Melee, and Nintendo's roster reveal for the game at E3 2001 remains one of the most utterly exciting and entertaining pieces of E3 history to date.
Showcasing one fighter after another, Nintendo dazzled the audience by reviving classic characters that many thought were long forgotten, such as Ness from Earthbound, Captain Falcon from F-Zero, and many more. Nintendo took the concept originated in the first Super Smash Bros. and dialed it to 11, leaving those in attendance both bewildered and amazed.
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1. Twilight Princess Reveal (E3 2004)
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Earlier it was mentioned that E3 2004 was probably the best E3 Nintendo ever had, and we have so far offered two examples. E3 2004 featured the debut of the Nintendo DS as well as the debut of one of gaming's most colorful personalities, Reggie Fils-Aime. However, E3 2004 is also known as the E3 when Nintendo made adult gamers sob with happiness, in public, with absolutely no shame.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, while largely considered to be a phenomenal game, unfortunately turned off many gamers due to its cartoon-like, cel-shaded art style. Everyone wanted a realistic art style more akin to the one featured in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, and so many were disappointed when Wind Waker was revealed. However, Nintendo rectified the situation at E3 2004.
With their press conference seemingly over, Nintendo then announced that they had "one more thing" to show, and that "one more thing" turned out to be a return to Zelda's 3D roots, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. One of the loudest pops ever came when adult Link appeared on the screen, and the gaming world lost its collective mind.
To make an epic moment even more epic, Shigeru Miyamoto, perhaps the world's most legendary game designer ever, appeared on stage wielding a sword and shield, just like Link. Corny, sure, but unbelievably awesome? That, too.
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These 10 moments represent some of the biggest surprises, and most exciting events from E3 throughout its 20 year history. From June 16th to June 18th of this year, E3 will return, and with it, it will bring even more awesome moments for all gamers. It's quite possibly the largest E3 in history, so gear up, because gaming's ultimate event is just around the corner.