Takayoshi Sato, you magnificent bastard.
So E3 is just around the corner, and with it comes the fixation of nerds worldwide on the month of June for all of the latest reveals, revelations and cringe (there’s always a healthy dose of cringe at E3) from all of the top developers and publishers attending this year’s conference. As the team over at the Game Hype HQ (Damien’s bedroom) prepare to cover this year’s conference (Prediction articles incoming!) we thought we would take the time to look back at our favourite moments from the Electronic Entertainment Expo over the decades (some of us are really f*cking old) reliving some of our fondest memories while preparing for E3 2018!
Kyle Doherty (@Antigenetic92)
The Moment: Trailer #2 for Silent Hill 2 (E3 2001)
Admittedly I was still a pre-pubescent ankle biter when the game was initially revealed, but the trailer that followed the Team Silent presentation for Silent Hill 2 (remember that dodgy looking trial version?) remains one of my all time favourite video game trailers for what is quite possibly one of my favourite games of all time. While there was a trailer from Tokyo Game Show the previous year, the one showed at E3 2001 was the first one to dive head first into the narrative aspect of Silent Hill 2, while showing you just the right amount of gameplay to get you both hooked and terrified for the next installment. The trailer also presented the final version of the beautiful ‘Theme of Laura’ which is still one of my (and no doubt countless others) favourite pieces of music from a video game, with that said the entire OST is nothing short of terrific.
The trailer for Silent Hill 2 was presented by Gozo Kitao, Akihiro Imamura and Takayoshi Sato of Team Silent (R.I.P.) following what could be called an awkwardly translated presentation of the game (which can be seen here) showcasing the infamous ‘trial version’ of Silent Hill 2. Praised by critics for it’s use of metaphors and psychological horror, Silent Hill 2 went on to sell over a million copies worldwide in the first month alone, and is widely regarding as one of the best horror games ever made, which was a relative high point for Konami as a publisher at the time (that glorious time when they weren’t the biggest knobjockeys in gaming).
Adam O’Connell (@mynameisfrog_GH)
The Moment: When Kingdom Hearts III was finally announced (E3 2013)
It’s……..real?!
First of all, major shout out to John Vechey. His announcement of Peggle 2 got him so jacked up he couldn’t help but punch the air Breakfast Club style! and even though his announcement was well received to a few crickets in the audience he strolled off that stage proudly! But there is only one moment from E3 that stands above anything for me.
6 years ago during the Sony conference, the director of what was then Final Fantasy ‘Versus’ XIII, surprised the crowd with some footage from an upcoming game. When the Disney logo appeared on screen you could sense the anticipation from the audience for something at that point seemed like a long shot, maybe it was just more info on the upcoming 1.5 Remix, maybe it was yet another handheld spin-off. We were treated to a collage of some of the best moments of the Kingdom Hearts franchise with that wonderfully familiar orchestral score and Haley Joel Osmund speaking as Sora proclaiming ‘They need me’ and ‘I am who I am, because of them’ which could be spun as a cheeky nod to the loyal fanbase. Suddenly the camera spanned to Aqua’s Keyblade lying on a beach only to be retrieved by an older looking Sora. That’s when it happened, the logo cascaded on the screen like a majestic bolt of lightning finally assuring us Kingdom Hearts 3, the Loch Ness Monster of video games (Half Life 3 being the Sasquatch) was finally going to be a reality. We were even gifted with some awesome looking gameplay and the Unreal Engine 4’s capabilities on this entry, showing us some epic new graphics. The people in attendance and the people watching at home erupted. Yes, we’re still waiting, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully there will be a release date by the end of this years conference.
John Betts (@JohnBGameHype)
The Moment: Shenmue III Kickstarter announcement (E3 2015)
As if 3 years have whizzed by already!
This was a huge, personal moment for me. A game that influenced the industry in a magnitude many probably won’t ever realize. The Shenmue III shock reveal was a relief and a moment of pure emotional joy that myself and many other fans of the original Sega Dreamcast franchise had been waiting 14 years for. The endless online and offline campaigns that we all thought had failed, finally came to a triumph. The biggest Shenmue community (Shenmue Dojo) was a sight to behold and typing in ‘Shenmue III OMG reactions’ on YouTube still brings a smile to my face three years down the line. Experiencing that unreal, unanticipated, and absolute monumental moment is one that will stay with me for a lifetime. Regardless of how good or bad Shenmue III may turn out, I’m truly grateful that myself and fellow fans will get the closure we deserve to see over the course of future Shenmue games.
Ryan Perrow (@NBFlying)
The Moment: Halo 2 original multiplayer (E3 2014)
E3 2014 The Master Chief Collection (More precisely that Halo 2 would have its original MP).
It was 2014 and I was an excited 20 something, Sat with friends watching coverage of E3 whilst joking (well half joking, I’d love it to happen) about Naughty Bear 3 being announced. Microsoft announced that the Master Chief Collection would be hitting the Xbox one! Well I leapt up with joy, Halo is the very reason I’ve bought Xbox consoles (I’ve had 2 special edition Halo themed machines).
Halo, and it’s impact on the FPS genre and what the franchise means for online console gaming can’t be overstated, Especially Halo 2!
Now as this article is about a moment and not an announcement in general, so here it is my top E3 moment…”Halo 2 remaster, with it’s original multiplayer”. I excitedly proclaimed to Marc and Neil, “That’s all they need to say now”. Well, the words had just sprung from my mouth when they were echoed by Dan Ayoub. Halo 2 was back, the multiplayer that had given me countless hours of joy would be back, the multiplayer that had proven online gaming for consoles could work, the game that generated a such a passionate and creative community would be back for a whole new generation of fans to enjoy. We don’t need to go into what a mess it was in at launch (Don’t make a girl a promise you can’t keep)….and for a long time afterwards. That pure hit of nostalgic excitement cements this as my E3 highlight. In fact, I think I’ll boot up the MCC now, I mean it has just been updated…it’s gotta be fixed by now…Right Chief?
Damien O’Neill (@IrishPuddle)
The Moment: Bethesda Game Studios Reveal of Fallout 4 (E3 2015)
You know the “Opinions are like arseholes” quote? Well, that certainly applies to the public opinion of Fallout 4 – Was it a huge success or was it a massive flop? Either way, Bethesda Game Studios and Todd “The God” Howard’s E3 reveal of Fallout 4 back in 2015 had me on the edge of the seat. Not only was a game (that we had no idea was being released) nearly finished, but it was coming out later that year. Like John Betts and Shenmue, this was a very personal moment for me. I’m not going to lie, I have a huge love and a massive bias that leans towards Bethesda, and hearing this news caused a nerd-filled tear or two. Not only were we getting a new Fallout game, but we were finally getting to take a look at the world before the bombs dropped. Since the release of Fallout 4, I’ve invested god-knows how many hours of my life into it and I’ll continue to do so well after the upcoming release of Fallout 76.
Adam Neaves (@adamneaves)
The Moment: A Pokémon RPG being developed for the Nintendo Switch (E3 2018)
My standout moment from all of the E3 shows that I have been lucky to watch over the years has to come from the most recent E3 of 2017. Pokémon Yellow was one of the first games that made me fall in love with gaming, and Pokémon as a whole. For years, I have been begging and praying that Nintendo will make a proper Pokémon RPG for a home console and with the Nintendo Switch (a hybrid home/handheld console), my prayers have been answered. Not only that, Nintendo are spoiling us both in 2018 and 2019. Only days before my birthday, Pokémon: Let’s Go Pikachu & Evee editions are released, which are basically remakes of Pokémon Yellow. The trailer looks so promising and everything I wanted…..not only that, it can also connect to Pokémon Go! Nintendo have also announced that a brand new, core RPG entry will be coming in 2019 also. This will be the biggest Pokémon title to date and I can’t hide my excitement and speculation on what that will bring!
