The Game Developers' Conference (GDC) is an official trade event "by developers for developers," according to the event's official Web site. Originally an event focused on computer games, the focal point shifted once the industry expanded to include other video game platforms, namely handhelds and consoles, along with devices such as cellular phones and PDAs. The reason the GDC has suddenly shot up in importance is because of the Electronic Entertainment Expo's (E3) decision to scale back their presentation and focus on a more intimate environment. E3 used to be the convention most developers and companies saved their ammunition for, given that it received the most press coverage for its Hollywood-style representation of the videogame industry. Since the announcement of E3 becoming an invitation-only event, several other conventions have stepped up in an attempt to fill the void left by E3. It is for this reason that many expected the GDC to be privy to some information that would normally be saved for E3.
From March 5 to March 9, the GDC was held in San Francisco and hosted keynote speakers such as Phil Harrison, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCEWS) and a corporate executive of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., and Shigeru Miyamato, senior managing director of Nintendo.
In the very beginning of the event, Microsoft had a few announcements regarding the Xbox 360. The size limit for games on Xbox Live Arcade, a collection of games that can be found, bought, and downloaded via Xbox Live, was increased to one hundred fifty megabytes (MB) from the original fifty. This announcement allows for more intricate and bigger Xbox Live Arcade games, including the recently announced "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night." With the increase in the size limit for Xbox Live games, Microsoft also announced a new memory unit in order to quell any Xbox 360 Core owners since Core systems do not come with a hard drive. A 512 MB card would be available beginning April 3 for $50 and will come preloaded with "Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved" for a limited time, with the 64 MB model dropping in price to thirty dollars.
Phil Harrison's speech confirmed the rumored "Home" network for the Playstation 3 (PS3). In his keynote speech, titled "Game 3.0: Developing and Creating for the 3rd Age of Video Games," Harrison revealed "Home" and showed footage of the service in motion. In "Home," PS3 owners take control of a customizable three-dimensional avatar and communicate with other PS3 owners either through selectable phrases, a USB keyboard, or via voice chat. There are private and public spaces, with private spaces, like a virtual apartment, being fully customizable. Private spaces also reflect the player, with "trophies" being unlocked according to certain feats accomplished in games, much like the "achievements" system implemented on the Xbox 360. Players will even be able to go straight into a game (or even go game hopping) with friends while they are all in a host's house. A beta version will launch in April, with a free finalized version planned to be available in the Playstation Network store in the fall.
Another major announcement came in the form of "LittleBigPlanet," another game that relies on community for progression. A customizable platformer, "LittleBigPlanet" relies on each player changing their environments in order to proceed in the game. Levels will also be customizable and are able to be shared on the network, which Sony hopes will keep the game alive long after its release. A sample version (with full features) will be available in the Playstation Network in the fall, with a retail version to be released in early 2008. These two announcements alone were enough to give the PS3 a much needed momentum booster in the press after lackluster launch sales and what seemed like management indifference regarding feedback to the console.
Before Miyamato's keynote, Nintendo made an announcement regarding upcoming Wii release dates, including the release date of its first console online-supported game. Leading the pack of anticipated Wii titles is "Super Paper Mario," which is due for release on April 9. Other titles include "Mario Party 8" (May 29), "Big Brain Academy" (June 11), and "Pokemon Battle Revolution" (June 25), which will be Nintendo's first online game. Several titles were missing from the list, including "Super Smash Bros. Brawl," "Mario Strikers: Charged," and "Battalion Wars II." "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption" was confirmed as being neither a first or second quarter title, meaning a fall release date is likely.
Miyamato's speech focused on the popularity of the Nintendo DS and Wii, chronicling the evolution of gaming and how Nintendo reached the vision they currently have. It turns out that the Nintendo DS and Wii were created due to the growing negativity of the press towards videogames, with Miyamato shifting his concerns considering the question, "would my style of games still be accepted by future users?" Regarding new information with the Wii, Miyamato only mentioned that he was working on a new Wii channel involving Mii popularity. He finished his keynote by showing new footage of "Super Mario Galaxy."
Although GDC was host to important speakers and announcements, information seemed to trickle (with the exception of Sony) out of the major videogame developers (Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony) when compared to E3 expectations. Understandably, the big three seem to be choosing the most appropriate times, or at specific conventions, to reveal their intentions for the future of the gaming industry.
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