LIVE: Xbox 360 E3 2009 press conference

10:04 am PDT • June 1, 2009

We’re live at Microsoft’s Xbox 360 press conference at E3 in Los Angeles.

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1:10 PM: Doug Aamoth Peter is waiting in line for the conference to start. I’m sitting in a comfy faux-leather office chair in Boston ready to help him post stuff. How do we simultaneously cover an event when we’re in two different places? THE FUTURE IS NOW!
1:13 PM: Doug Aamoth The show starts at 10:25 Pacific, 1:25 Eastern, so you have time to run out and grab a Mr. Pibb before everything gets underway.
1:22 PM: Doug Aamoth
1:26 PM: ThePeterHa And away we go!
1:27 PM: ThePeterHa The Beatles animated clip is playing.
1:29 PM: ThePeterHa A really long animated The Beatles Rock Band clip is being played.
1:29 PM: ThePeterHa Oh, it was the opening cinematic
1:30 PM: ThePeterHa The Beatles launched a tech revolution?
1:30 PM: ThePeterHa On 9/9/09 the entire Beatles catalog is being rereleased/remastered
1:31 PM: ThePeterHa The Harmonix team is playing A Hard Day’s Night
1:32 PM: ThePeterHa
1:32 PM: ThePeterHa Maybe not a hard day’s night
1:32 PM: ThePeterHa i don’t know
1:32 PM: ThePeterHa
1:34 PM: ThePeterHa
1:34 PM: ThePeterHa 10 of the 45 songs are being announced today.
1:34 PM: ThePeterHa The first official trailer is going up now
1:34 PM: ThePeterHa I Saw her standing there
1:34 PM: ThePeterHa I want to hold your hand
1:35 PM: ThePeterHa Looks like Rock Band to me
1:35 PM: ThePeterHa but with beatles
1:35 PM: ThePeterHa “i’m in love with her and i feel fine” that song
1:35 PM: ThePeterHa Day Tripper
1:35 PM: ThePeterHa Taxman
1:35 PM: ThePeterHa I am the Walrus
1:36 PM: ThePeterHa Back in the USSR
1:36 PM: ThePeterHa There was something about a “unison bonus” on screen. Is that a normal RB thing?
1:36 PM: ThePeterHa Here Comes the Sun
1:36 PM: ThePeterHa “Octupus’ garden” that song
1:36 PM: ThePeterHa Get Back
1:37 PM: ThePeterHa The game will also feature DLC, like full albums
1:37 PM: ThePeterHa Abbey Road will be the first album to download in its entirety
1:37 PM: ThePeterHa All You Need is Love will be an exclusive Xbox song and proceeds from that song will go to Doctors Without Borders
1:38 PM: ThePeterHa Danny Harrison is on stage
1:38 PM: ThePeterHa and then he just left
1:38 PM: ThePeterHa Lots of shout outs to Apple Corps
1:38 PM: ThePeterHa Yoko Ono and Olivia Lennon ar eon stage
1:39 PM: ThePeterHa But I’m in the nosebleed section so I can’t get a clear shot
1:39 PM: ThePeterHa Paul and RIngo are here!
1:40 PM: Doug Aamoth
1:40 PM: ThePeterHa
1:40 PM: Doug Aamoth There’s your shot of Yoko, buddy.
1:40 PM: ThePeterHa Ringo says, “the game looks good, the graphics look great…”
1:40 PM: ThePeterHa “We love it!”
1:41 PM: ThePeterHa “God bless, peace and love”
1:41 PM: ThePeterHa hahahahha. Thanks, Doug.
1:41 PM: ThePeterHa John Sschappert is coming on
1:41 PM: ThePeterHa he’s the corp vp for xbox
1:42 PM: ThePeterHa ‘Everyone wants to have fun now’
1:42 PM: ThePeterHa ‘from the living room’
1:42 PM: ThePeterHa YES! No actual numbers talk
1:43 PM: ThePeterHa 10 world premieres today!
1:43 PM: ThePeterHa ‘new ways to connect with your friends’
1:43 PM: ThePeterHa ‘revolutionary new experiences for everyone’ he says
1:43 PM: ThePeterHa Tony Hawk Ride
1:43 PM: ThePeterHa Tony Hawk is here!
1:43 PM: ThePeterHa Here come the numbers
1:44 PM: ThePeterHa accelerometers on the board
1:44 PM: ThePeterHa detects your hands if you’re going for a nose grab or whatever
1:44 PM: Doug Aamoth
1:45 PM: ThePeterHa world exclusive trailer is going up
1:45 PM: ThePeterHa Sheckler, Hosoi, and other skaters are in the video
1:45 PM: ThePeterHa They’re just talking about how much they love to sakte
1:45 PM: Doug Aamoth fun fact: Tony Hawk is 41 years old
1:46 PM: ThePeterHa Robomodo made the board
1:46 PM: ThePeterHa crazy
1:46 PM: ThePeterHa the board senses everything you do on it
1:47 PM: ThePeterHa it even mimics the player pushing off
1:47 PM: ThePeterHa Activision will ahve them available to play on the show floor
1:47 PM: ThePeterHa Next game is…
1:48 PM: ThePeterHa a shooter
1:48 PM: ThePeterHa surprise
1:48 PM: ThePeterHa Something from Infinity Ward
1:48 PM: ThePeterHa Can’t tell if it’s first or third person shooter yet
1:49 PM: ThePeterHa it looks badass whatever it is
1:49 PM: ThePeterHa Modern Warfare 2
1:49 PM: ThePeterHa 11/10/09
1:49 PM: ThePeterHa Jason West and Vince Zampella are on stage
1:50 PM: Doug Aamoth
1:50 PM: ThePeterHa from IW
1:50 PM: ThePeterHa Gameplay now
1:50 PM: ThePeterHa Captain MacTavish is traversing an ice cliff
1:51 PM: Doug Aamoth
1:51 PM: ThePeterHa
1:51 PM: ThePeterHa So you actually climb up the face of this ice cliff
1:52 PM: ThePeterHa with ice axes and the whole lot
1:53 PM: ThePeterHa
1:54 PM: ThePeterHa
1:54 PM: ThePeterHa A lot of the same thing we’ve seen from shooters
1:55 PM: ThePeterHa shoot, move on
1:55 PM: ThePeterHa rinse and repeat
1:55 PM: ThePeterHa It looks good
1:55 PM: ThePeterHa But nothing new
1:56 PM: ThePeterHa Ohhhhhh
1:56 PM: ThePeterHa Now you can snowmobile and shoot your pistol like a gangsta
1:56 PM: ThePeterHa you know, tilted to the side
1:57 PM: ThePeterHa Two map packs for MW2 for the xbox
1:57 PM: ThePeterHa Square Enix folks are coming on stage
1:57 PM: ThePeterHa producers from Final Fantasy
1:58 PM: ThePeterHa
1:58 PM: ThePeterHa FF has been around for over 20 years
1:58 PM: ThePeterHa 85 million copies sold
1:59 PM: ThePeterHa They’re about to demo FF13 on the Xbox
1:59 PM: ThePeterHa i
2:00 PM: ThePeterHa i’ll have video later
2:00 PM: Doug Aamoth
2:00 PM: ThePeterHa but i’m sure it will be available soon
2:00 PM: ThePeterHa “four active time gauges”
2:01 PM: ThePeterHa Oden
2:01 PM: ThePeterHa
2:02 PM: ThePeterHa Spring 2010 release for FF13
2:02 PM: ThePeterHa
2:02 PM: ThePeterHa Epic is coming up
2:02 PM: ThePeterHa Cliffy B1
2:03 PM: ThePeterHa
2:03 PM: ThePeterHa Cliffy B is wearing a Bill Gates mug shot t-shirt
2:03 PM: ThePeterHa Shadow Complex
2:04 PM: ThePeterHa You’re meant to use all of the environment
2:05 PM: ThePeterHa Campaign is over 10 hours
2:05 PM: ThePeterHa “cool boss levels” says Cliffy
2:05 PM: ThePeterHa
2:05 PM: ThePeterHa XBLA title coming this summer
2:06 PM: ThePeterHa Joy Ride
2:06 PM: ThePeterHa Avatar adventures!
2:06 PM: ThePeterHa yay
2:06 PM: ThePeterHa NOT
2:07 PM: ThePeterHa “new social experience”
2:07 PM: ThePeterHa free
2:07 PM: ThePeterHa You can share race tracks you’ve purchased with friends
2:07 PM: ThePeterHa regardless of whether or not they’ve purchased the track
2:07 PM: ThePeterHa coming this winter
2:08 PM: ThePeterHa
2:08 PM: ThePeterHa Another shooter coming up
2:08 PM: ThePeterHa Whoa
2:08 PM: ThePeterHa Crackdown 2
2:09 PM: ThePeterHa Zombies!
2:09 PM: ThePeterHa not in crackdown
2:09 PM: ThePeterHa IS this Left 3 Dead 2?
2:09 PM: ThePeterHa * Left 4 Dead
2:09 PM: ThePeterHa coming November 17
2:09 PM: ThePeterHa set in NOLA
2:10 PM: ThePeterHa Ubi world premiere coming up
2:11 PM: ThePeterHa shooter
2:11 PM: ThePeterHa Splinter Cell Conviction
2:12 PM: ThePeterHa Sam’s pissed
2:12 PM: ThePeterHa going after his daughter’s killers
2:12 PM: ThePeterHa He’s fighting some dudes in a bathroom
2:13 PM: ThePeterHa The story unfolds in real time
2:14 PM: ThePeterHa Sam is the “ultimate predator”
2:14 PM: ThePeterHa your options in infiltrating are vast
2:14 PM: ThePeterHa there isn’t one set path
2:15 PM: ThePeterHa darkness is Sam’s friend and where he is strongest
2:15 PM: ThePeterHa he likes to sneak up on ppl and shoot them in the face
2:15 PM: Doug Aamoth
2:15 PM: ThePeterHa EMP grenades are some of sam’s new gadgets
2:16 PM: ThePeterHa
2:17 PM: ThePeterHa exclusive this fall on xbox 360
2:18 PM: ThePeterHa a new racing game is coming up
2:18 PM: ThePeterHa In October, Forza Motor Sport 3 is shipping
2:19 PM: ThePeterHa “definitive racing game of this generation:
2:20 PM: ThePeterHa
2:20 PM: ThePeterHa New graphics engine
2:20 PM: ThePeterHa 60FPS
2:20 PM: ThePeterHa over 400 cars
2:20 PM: ThePeterHa one-button driving
2:21 PM: ThePeterHa player created content through XBLZ
2:21 PM: ThePeterHa *XBL
2:21 PM: ThePeterHa Mister Cartoon!
2:21 PM: ThePeterHa he’s a tattoo artist
2:21 PM: ThePeterHa he’s tricking out forza cars
2:22 PM: ThePeterHa create and upload HD video
2:23 PM: ThePeterHa MS is really pushing ‘community’ features on publishers
2:24 PM: ThePeterHa Forza 2 was the highest rated racing game
2:24 PM: ThePeterHa biggest online community for Forza 3
2:24 PM: ThePeterHa Halo 3 ODST
2:24 PM: ThePeterHa Joe Staten is on stage
2:25 PM: ThePeterHa “buckle up and prepare to drop”
2:26 PM: ThePeterHa
2:26 PM: ThePeterHa dropping bombs
2:26 PM: ThePeterHa You’re a rookie ODST separated from his team
2:26 PM: ThePeterHa there’s “unexpected help” along the way
2:27 PM: ThePeterHa ODST’s have sound suppressed weapons and visors that others don’t
2:28 PM: ThePeterHa The story seems pretty compelling
2:28 PM: ThePeterHa
2:28 PM: ThePeterHa you can flashback to other ODSTs and play as them
2:29 PM: ThePeterHa
2:29 PM: ThePeterHa the visors appear to highlight enemies, ammo, etc. for you
2:30 PM: ThePeterHa 9.22.09
2:30 PM: ThePeterHa That’s not all!
2:30 PM: ThePeterHa new bungie project
2:31 PM: ThePeterHa Oh, it’s Halo Reach
2:31 PM: ThePeterHa
2:32 PM: ThePeterHa when you buy ODST
2:32 PM: ThePeterHa you get a multiplayer beta invite for Reach
2:33 PM: ThePeterHa
2:33 PM: ThePeterHa Sam Lake is on stage
2:33 PM: ThePeterHa Alan Wake
2:35 PM: ThePeterHa
2:36 PM: ThePeterHa in game footage being shown
2:36 PM: ThePeterHa rather
2:36 PM: ThePeterHa it’s being demoed
2:37 PM: ThePeterHa Alan is looking for Alice
2:37 PM: ThePeterHa
2:38 PM: ThePeterHa
2:38 PM: ThePeterHa Demo over
2:39 PM: ThePeterHa Alan Wake is coming in spring 2010
2:39 PM: ThePeterHa Now onto Xbox Live updates
2:39 PM: ThePeterHa music is coming to Xbox Live
2:39 PM: ThePeterHa Last.fm is coming to xbox
2:40 PM: ThePeterHa Launching later this year for Gold members
2:40 PM: ThePeterHa
2:40 PM: ThePeterHa Netflix update
2:40 PM: ThePeterHa browse and add to queue from your xbox!
2:40 PM: ThePeterHa finally!!!
2:41 PM: ThePeterHa Sky TV is bringing content to the UK and Scotland this Fall
2:41 PM: ThePeterHa Live TV from Sky on your Xbox
2:41 PM: ThePeterHa like, cricket and footy
2:42 PM: ThePeterHa something about HD videos
2:42 PM: ThePeterHa HD video library is being updated to full 1080p
2:42 PM: ThePeterHa All movies and TV shows are being streamed instantly
2:43 PM: ThePeterHa More countries are being added
2:43 PM: ThePeterHa launching this Fall
2:43 PM: ThePeterHa One more feature to Xbox Live
2:43 PM: ThePeterHa You can share movies, TV shows, music with your friends
2:43 PM: ThePeterHa Live Party
2:43 PM: ThePeterHa Didn’t they announce this last year?
2:44 PM: ThePeterHa Partnership with Facebook
2:44 PM: ThePeterHa
2:44 PM: ThePeterHa Felicia Day is here
2:45 PM: ThePeterHa to talk about Facebook on XBL
2:46 PM: ThePeterHa Friend Linker showcases FB and XBL friends in one view
2:46 PM: ThePeterHa View photos
2:46 PM: ThePeterHa see updates
2:47 PM: ThePeterHa FB connect
2:47 PM: ThePeterHa upload screen shots and such
2:47 PM: ThePeterHa Twitter is also coming
2:48 PM: ThePeterHa
2:48 PM: ThePeterHa
2:48 PM: ThePeterHa Both are coming to XBL this fall
2:50 PM: Doug Aamoth Don Mattrick takes the stage
2:50 PM: Doug Aamoth “we’re missing one crucial piece of the puzzle”
2:50 PM: Doug Aamoth Metal Gear Solid! Hideo Kojima sneaks onto the stage
2:51 PM: Doug Aamoth Metal Gear Solid franchise coming to Xbox 360
2:51 PM: Doug Aamoth Metal Gear Solid: Rising
2:51 PM: Doug Aamoth development currently underway for Xbox 360
2:51 PM: Doug Aamoth no Solid Snake?
2:52 PM: Doug Aamoth “completely new Metal Gear experience”
2:53 PM: Doug Aamoth the next wave for Xbox…
2:54 PM: Doug Aamoth can you add a motion controller? of course we can
2:54 PM: Doug Aamoth but here’s the problem
2:54 PM: Doug Aamoth for far too many people, the controller is a barrier separating players from everyone else
2:54 PM: ThePeterHa Motion controllers are coming!
2:54 PM: ThePeterHa
2:54 PM: Doug Aamoth can we go beyond the controller to deliver games that everyone can enjoy?
2:54 PM: Doug Aamoth can we make YOU the controller? we can
2:56 PM: Doug Aamoth demo video of people controlling games just by leaning and driving cars with invisible steering wheels, etc.
2:56 PM: Doug Aamoth looks WAY too responsive to be true
2:56 PM: ThePeterHa You can “scan your own gear”
2:56 PM: ThePeterHa like a skateboard
2:56 PM: ThePeterHa
2:56 PM: ThePeterHa you can video chat with friends
2:56 PM: ThePeterHa WTH is going on?!
2:57 PM: ThePeterHa voice recognition
2:57 PM: ThePeterHa swipe through your netflix queue with your hands
2:57 PM: ThePeterHa you don’t need a controller for anything
2:58 PM: ThePeterHa Project Natal
2:58 PM: ThePeterHa that’s what the motion controller is currently called
2:58 PM: ThePeterHa tracks 3D movements, recognizes voices
2:58 PM: ThePeterHa works with every 360 sold when it launches
2:58 PM: ThePeterHa No new consoles
2:59 PM: ThePeterHa Steve Spielberg is on stage
3:00 PM: ThePeterHa
3:01 PM: ThePeterHa Spielberg was shown Natal two months ago
3:01 PM: ThePeterHa They’re discussing how you can bring gaming to everyone
3:01 PM: ThePeterHa ‘It’s not about reinventing the wheel. It’s about not needing the wheel.’
3:02 PM: ThePeterHa Natal means Christmas in Portugese
3:02 PM: ThePeterHa says Nicholas Deleon
3:02 PM: ThePeterHa our resident linguist
3:03 PM: ThePeterHa Facial recognition that automatically signs you into your Xbox account
3:04 PM: ThePeterHa swipe through the entire deck by using your hands
3:04 PM: ThePeterHa up, down or side to side
3:05 PM: ThePeterHa ricochet is like 3d brickbreaker
3:05 PM: ThePeterHa virtual dodgeballs are being thrown at the girl demoing Ricochet
3:05 PM: ThePeterHa she’s flailing around with arms and legs
3:05 PM: ThePeterHa batting back balls
3:05 PM: ThePeterHa OHHHHH
3:06 PM: ThePeterHa they just knocked on Nintendo
3:06 PM: ThePeterHa saying you have to stand up and be active and not on the couch
3:07 PM: ThePeterHa Natal recognizes how fast you’re moving
3:07 PM: ThePeterHa so the faster you kick the faster the ball goes
3:07 PM: ThePeterHa Now they’re demoing some sort of art game
3:07 PM: ThePeterHa there’s a big canvas that you can throw paint at
3:08 PM: ThePeterHa the voice recognition brings up whatever color of paint you want
3:09 PM: ThePeterHa
3:09 PM: ThePeterHa By saying “pose” you can take a snapshot of yourself in any position to embed into your painting
3:10 PM: ThePeterHa
3:11 PM: ThePeterHa Here’s an elephant
3:11 PM: ThePeterHa Peter Molyneux is now on stage to show you what you can do the Natal
3:13 PM: ThePeterHa The Fable guys have created an interactive boy named Milo that recognizes players
3:13 PM: ThePeterHa and interacts with them
3:13 PM: ThePeterHa it’s quite astonishing
3:13 PM: ThePeterHa Milo reacts to tone of voice
3:14 PM: ThePeterHa the lady in the video just asked Milo if he had finished his homework
3:14 PM: ThePeterHa he sheepishly walked away and said no
3:15 PM: ThePeterHa Milo just virtually threw Claire a pair of goggles and she reached for them and ‘put them on’
3:15 PM: ThePeterHa they’re at a lake
3:15 PM: ThePeterHa and she’s looking into the water
3:15 PM: ThePeterHa she’s making ripples in the water by just using her hands
3:15 PM: ThePeterHa now they’re both drawing something
3:16 PM: ThePeterHa WHOA
3:16 PM: ThePeterHa Claire just drew a picture of a fish onto a piece of paper
3:16 PM: ThePeterHa She put the image in front of Natal
3:16 PM: ThePeterHa and Natal scanned it and passed it onto Milo
3:17 PM: ThePeterHa Molyneux says Natal is a landmakr in entertainment
3:17 PM: ThePeterHa I think we’re wrapping up
3:17 PM: ThePeterHa All in all, nothing surprising has come out of the press conference
3:18 PM: ThePeterHa everything was leaked ahead of time
3:19 PM: ThePeterHa and that’s a wrap
3:19 PM: ThePeterHa we’ll back at 2PT with the EA press conf
3:19 PM: ThePeterHa thanks for tuning in