Biggest Surprise of E3 2008

  • Posted July 28th, 2008 at 02:21 EDT by PSU Staff
  • 6,325 views
  • 20 Comments

E3 2008 was stuffed with surprises. From scintillating game announcements to the loss of Final Fantasy XIII exclusivity, this year's expo was chalk full of ups and downs. Which PlayStation-related announcements shocked us the most? Here are our nominees.

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During Sony's E3 press conference, Jack Tretton unveiled the PlayStation Video Store. The video service boasted an impressive number of preliminary partners, a slick interface and a lot of options regarding both rentals and purchases in various resolutions. We all knew that was coming however. What we didn't know was that it would launch that very same day (even if one of our contributing editors, Eric Blattberg, predicted it prior to the conference).

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Now this announcement turned out to be quite the rabble-rouser. At Microsoft's E3 press conference, Square Enix revealed that Final Fantasy XIII, a title long believed to be exclusive to the PlayStation 3, would indeed be heading to the Xbox 360. While millions of 360 owners rejoiced, a lot of PlayStation fans felt furious that Square Enix 'abandoned' their platform. It looks like the days of true third party exclusives are finally coming to an end. 

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Though Ted Price had previously hinted that a Resistance title on PSP was possible, we certainly didn't expect to see one so soon. Helmed by Sony's Bend Studio, Resistance: Retribution brings the portable shooter to a whole new level, sporting graphics never-before-seen on a handheld (yes, it even bests God of War: Chains of Olympus). 

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Just when we thought Resistance 2's 60-player battles couldn't be bested, Sony revealed Zipper Interactive's latest project, MAG (Massive Action Game). The game's title is actually a bit of an understatement - massive barely begins to describe the game's 256-player online battles. Whether it will actually work is an entirely different thing, but the announcement sure took us by storm.

And 'Biggest Surprise of E3 2008' goes to...


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This one wasn't even a contest. Final Fantasy XIII's loss of exclusivity to the PlayStation 3 was undoubtedly the largest news that came out of E3 2008. This sole announcement managed to turn what would have been considered a great Sony showing into merely an acceptable one. It shocked, it awed, and it was by far E3 2008's biggest surprise.

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  1. Eric2929 | Eric2929

    • 2:24am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 1

    Just so you know guys, more E3 2008 awards are coming shortly. In fact, another one will be coming in the next few minutes, so stay tuned.

  2. curtisghall

    • 2:33am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 2

    I sense a cancellation on the final fantasy xiii xbox360 version, I mean if i know square enix, they are all about quality in their games and i think MGS4 proves which console can provide that.

  3. Alti | Alti

    • 2:38am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 3

    yup, that definitly shocked me the most.

  4. RuiyJR | Tseska_922

    • 2:57am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 4

    yeah me too when knows the ff13 going to xbox i was like omfg haha shoked

  5. jatt4964

    • 3:10am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 5

    i would be happy if sony brought it back to their console somehow........but that isnt going to happen

  6. Traveler1990 | NightHawk17

    • 3:34am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 6

    It's said that money rules the industry instead of creativity and fanbase; like Kojima-San, because your a cherry red lollipop if you really believe SE wants to "expand"

  7. T-Dogg400 | T-Dogg400

    • 4:05am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 7

    FFXIII going to 360 stunned me however with a much bigger suprise MAG for the PS3 only be out anytime next year i hope.

  8. Farseye | Farseye

    • 4:47am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 8

    Hmm now what? MAG going to the 360 also? bleh i really dont care. I seriously dont see why all of you are whinning so much now. Oh its going to the 360? who gives a kr@p? Seriously an even better surprise would be hearing Sony and Microsoft becoming friends and then we finally get cross-platforming online... cuz i wouldnt mind playing cod4 with some 360 peeps. Sorry guys, im just feelin alittle rebelious today...

  9. bloodwarg | bloodwarg

    • 5:07am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 9

    resistance psp will be crap mag should have won tho that looks awesome

  10. Dave-The-Rave | Dave-The-Rave

    • 8:13am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 10

    MAG looks like another rubbish FPS/TPS...with a twist !! *SHOCK" !!

  11. Kane | walle

    • 9:52am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 11

    Duh! Final Fantasy XIII was built on a cross-platform platform from the beginning. Although it is quite shocking that the game is so small that you can cram it into a DVD.

  12. SlimDan22 | SlimDan22

    • 10:09am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 12

    i kinda expected them to release it for 360
    it would have been a great loss of potential revenue if they didnt release it for the 360

  13. Papaduke | SKEFFINGTON

    • 10:17am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 13

    Its true 13 is an unlucky number

  14. FatherOfOne

    • 10:46am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 14

    I would say that Microsoft making it possible to RUN a game totally off the hard drive.  Specifically it is now impossible (or soon) to install any game and run it off the hard drive. 

    Why is this so huge?  Well Gamestop and EB make a TON of money off of used games and now that business will be all but dead on the 360.  I also wonder how much piracy will increase on the 360 with this option.  In my opinion this was EA (who is in bed with Micrsosoft); using the 360 to bash Gamestop/EB in the head.  I wonder how EB will respond? 

  15. Neo_Aeon666

    • 11:09am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 15

    My only fear: FFXIII not using the full potential of the blue-ray media because of the xbox port limiting the content because they want to release the same stuff on both consoles. Resulting in me getting less for my money and lessering my experience of a final fantasy because Bill Gay decided to get that game too. THAT would stop me from buying the game.

  16. APerez

    • 11:19am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 16

    @ Neo
     :O I never thought about that before!!! I really hope they don't dumb down Final Fanasy 13 just because 360 can't handle all that info! I hope they have stuff on the ps3 that they don't have on the 360, if not then I am also not buying it!

  17. Neo_Aeon666

    • 11:20am BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 17

    In my lil head this was going to be a 50gig AAA game just like mgs4 and was going to have over 80hrs gameplay... the thought of having it on 360 already shatters my hopes lol. Plus I was hoping the would use the extra PS3 cores to make something great... Again having it on 360 means it wont T-T ... Life suks lol.

    @Aperez

    Yes I will be praying for it to still take advantage of the PS3. If not IM OUT. Or i'll make a virus to make all 360's blow up with RROD !!!

  18. PROTOTYPE

    • 7:32pm BST - July 28th, 2008
    • 18

    @10 - how can you say it looks bad when you havn't seen any gameplay?

  19. BlueDragoon0 | Lionheart0

    • 12:10am BST - July 29th, 2008
    • 19

    Resistance to have better graphics then God Of War[PSP], nice.

  20. TheWalkingDude | TheWalkingDude19

    • 5:04pm GMT - February 4th, 2009
    • 20

    the 360 blows

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