E3 is as much about the big announcements as it is about the epic fails. For every exciting, hyped reveal, there always seems to be at least one meme-worthy fail, as publishers and platform holders try their hand at being comedians and/or rock stars on stage.
What have been some of the worst, most facepalm-worthy moments of E3?
PS3 Boomarang
"Remember that boomerang thing that nobody liked last year?"
That quote just about sums up Sony's E3 2005 reveal of the PlayStation 3, in which a hideous redesign of the PlayStation controller ended up looking like a sex toy. The controller was widely panned and eventually canned by Sony, which led to the reveal of a new, and especially recognisable controller, at E3 2006. That's right: the feedback from E3 2005 was so bad that it forced Sony to completely scrap the controller design all together.
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Nintendo Vitality Sensor
The Wii Vitality Sensor has to be one of the more perplexing announcements ever made in the history of E3. Just as Microsoft had revealed Project Natal, and Sony its Move motion controller, Nintendo came out of no where with a product that seemed to do...not much at all.
A heartbeat sensor...or...something, the Vitality Sensor essentially disappeared off the map, raising questions as to its validity to begin with. Did Nintendo quickly put this together to offer something along Microsoft's and Sony's big announcements? Let's not get the conspiracy theories going, but nothing else seems to explain the sheer wackiness behind the product and presentation.
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Riiiiiiidddggeeee Raccccccerrrr
"It’s Ridge Racer! Riiiiiiiiiidge Racer."
Kaz Hirai's enthusiasm for a Ridge Racer port for PSP came as a surprise to everyone, as it was a mystery as to how Hirai, and Sony, could think anyone would give a shit, at least to the degree that Hirai's enthusiasm showcased.
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PS3 Price Announcement
Sony revealed the price for the PlayStation 3 during its E3 2006 press conference, shocking the crowd in attendance at the $599 price tage. We might not baulk at that figure in Australia, but that was as a completely unexpected and shocking launch price for a console in North America. It overshadowed the console's actual capabilities.
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Nintendo Wii Music
Without a doubt, the entire Wii Music segment during Nintendo's E3 2008 press conference is as nauseating as it gets. Irritatingly entertaining, the erratic drummer, complimented by Miyamoto's own hilarious performance, make for an E3 presentation for the ages.
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Jamie Kennedy High As A Kite/Drunk As A Skunk
"We're at E3, and this place, is the only place, that makes the guys at ComicCon look like Ocean's 13".
Hilarious, inappropriate AND insulting. It would all make for one memorable E3 performance.
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Konami 2010
The video below is really only a highlight of Konami's deplorable and over-scripted E3 2010 press conference. Head on over to YouTube and search for "Konami E3 2010" to view such classics as "Dance Masters Demo" and "ONE. MILLION. TROOPS!" To sum it up: the event was weird, boring, and irritating.
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Milo Tech Demo
The first word that comes to mind after watching this tech demo is "creepy". You can't fault Pete Molyneux for his ambition and creativity, but the Milo tech demo was not an easy watch. The project was first said to be part of a greater plan, before it was scrapped as nothing more than a tech demo for future games. Thankfully, a game in which the player can direct and control a young boy never actually came to fruition.
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Nintendo Virtual Boy
Nintendo revealed its Virtual Boy handheld at E3 1995, along with its $180 price tag and six AA battery requirement. Reports out of the show mirrored those from concerned gamers following the product's launch months later: the red display and 3D effect caused migraine headaches and nausea, ruining the product's reputation before it was even released.
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Rock Revolution Fail
Konami's on-stage demo of Rock Revolution at E3 2008 is without a doubt the worst on-stage demo of all time. Rock Revolution product manager, Lauren Faccidomo, sucked so bad at the game that the demo failed before she even had a chance to finish it. She clearly had no idea what she was doing, or how to play the game on the difficulty selected, leading to an almighty fail.
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By Gaetano Prestia - Bio
What are some of your favourite E3 memories?