The 2015 Electronic Entertainment Expo (or ‘E3’ as it is commonly known) took place from 16th-18th June and regardless of whether you are a die-hard Playstation fan or an Xbox-enthusiast; there is much to look forward to in the coming 12 months. But how will the recent announcements affect the Sony / Microsoft rivalry?
E3 is an annual trade show featuring the majority of notable companies in the gaming industry such as Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Electronic Arts and Ubisoft to name but a few, and this year boasted over 52,000 attendees.
Many exhibitors use their press conference as an opportunity to announce their upcoming releases and show off gameplay footage of their forthcoming games. For example, Bethesda took the chance to display trailers and gameplay footage of the new Fallout 4, much to fans’ delight. Some older games are even set to make a comeback with a new Star Wars Battlefront being released and Final Fantasy VII getting a remake.
After what many viewed as a disappointing conference in 2014, Microsoft had a lot to prove when they took to the stage, but it is hard to deny that they stepped it up a notch this year. First off, they announced new titles for well-established franchises such as Halo 5: Guardians, Fable Legends and Forza 6. Not content with just a strong line-up of games, they went on to announce new features for the Xbox One console such as the introduction of backwards compatibility. This will be fantastic news for fans that will now be able to play their favourite Xbox 360 games on the Xbox One console.
Sony on the other hand had a somewhat uninspiring conference, preferring to show footage from games set to be released in 2016 and beyond, leaving fans unsure of what, if anything, they can expect in the next 6 months. Although, to Sony’s credit, the Final Fantasy VII remake and a new Destiny expansion entitled The Taken King will be more than enough for many fans.
So, will a stronger showing from Microsoft at E3 tip the balance in favour of the Xbox? With the new backwards compatibility, there is nothing to stop older Xbox fans from upgrading; however, it is the Playstation fans that will need to be won over. Due to the fierce rivalry between these companies this will be no easy task, and it is unlikely that a clear victor will emerge in the near future.
If you require any advice on how to differentiate your company from its competitors, protect your unique products with intellectual property rights or any commercial advice generally, please contact our Corporate and Commercial Department on 01245 584515 or [email protected]