The once premier gaming exhibition, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), has officially ceased to exist. In its place, summer game presentations such as Summer Game Fest and Future Games Show have become the norm. Yet, the aggregation of high-profile announcements at these events does not rival the E3 of yesteryears. This article revisits the most notable and unforgettable video game announcements from the history of this legendary gaming expo.
Disclaimer | This article will not cover game console announcements, as such events are inherently memorable. Our focus will be solely on video games.
Year 2006. Peter Moore with a tattoo of Grand Theft Auto IV
In 2006, Microsoft hosted a grand presentation at the iconic Chinese Theater in Hollywood, showcasing exciting projects like Mass Effect and Gears of War. Bill Gates made his debut on the E3 stage, but the event is most famously remembered for the unconventional announcement of Grand Theft Auto IV.
Peter Moore, then head of Microsoft’s gaming division, playfully jabbed at Sony by contrasting their use of rubber ducks in a technical demo with his own method of making bold statements—tattoos. He revealed a GTA IV logo tattoo, reminiscent of his 2004 stunt for Halo 2’s release date.
The announcement was significant because it marked the first time a game in the series would be released simultaneously on both Xbox and PlayStation consoles, with future expansions slated as temporary exclusives for Xbox 360.
Peter Moore moved to Electronic Arts in 2007 and eventually left the gaming industry to become the CEO of Liverpool Football Club. His memorable E3 moment lives on in gaming lore.
Notably, while the GTA IV tattoo was clearly temporary, the one for Halo 2 appears to be genuine.
Moore humorously commented in an IGN podcast about having to wear a jacket to cover it.
In 2023, he reminisced on social media that his hand was still sore during the presentation.
Year 2008. A live demo of Fallout 3 that didn’t go according to plan
The third installment of Fallout wasn’t announced at E3, but it was at this event where gameplay footage was first revealed.
During a live demonstration in 2008, an unexpected incident took place. However, it’s important to address some development concerns first.
Not all fans were pleased that Bethesda Game Studios, a third-party developer, was creating the new chapter of their beloved series. The transition from the traditional isometric view of Fallout 1 and 2 to a full 3D, first-person perspective was worrisome.
The project was quickly labeled “Oblivion with guns.” Some die-hard fans of the original even made death threats against the developers, leading the company to hire security. Clearly, Bethesda faced a significant challenge.
Amidst this tension, at the 2008 Microsoft conference, Bethesda showcased live gameplay of Fallout 3. However, things didn’t go smoothly. The full recording shows an Xbox 360 notification interrupting the screen, prompting laughter from the audience and Todd Howard to comment, “I’m good.” As he later explained, the controller failed to connect to the console, and Pete Hines, offstage, had to control the character throughout the demo.
Ultimately, Bethesda triumphed. While it may not have been exactly what the original fans envisioned, the franchise thrived, as evidenced by the recent highly successful series.
Year 2008. Final Fantasy XIII announced for Xbox 360
![Final Fantasy XIII - Xbox 360 Announcement Trailer and Reaction [E3 2008 Xbox Press Conference]](https://www.aeondogma.com/wp-content/cache/flying-press/3636a32088bd7b64aace084e19273d0a.jpg)
During the Xbox 360 era, Microsoft endeavored to captivate the Japanese market, where Nintendo and Sony have traditionally dominated. Recognizing the distinct preferences of Japanese gamers compared to their American counterparts, Microsoft facilitated the release of various jRPGs on the Xbox 360 platform.
Titles such as Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon, crafted by Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Final Fantasy, were among the exclusive offerings for Xbox 360 owners. Nonetheless, Final Fantasy itself held a revered status within the jRPG realm. Historically, the mainline titles in the series (excluding spin-offs like Crystal Chronicles) were exclusive to Sony consoles.
The landscape shifted at E3 2008 when Microsoft revealed that Final Fantasy XIII would launch on the Xbox 360, marking a surprising turn of events and a significant loss of exclusivity for Sony. Although in hindsight, Final Fantasy XIII was not the most acclaimed installment, and the Xbox 360 version suffered from lower quality cutscenes due to DVD limitations, this development marked a notable moment in gaming history.
Year 2015. The return of The Last Guardian on PS4
Fumito Ueda’s games stand out as unique creations, distinct from mainstream titles in both their visual style and gameplay. Following the iconic Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, anticipation for his new project was high.
The new game by Team Ico and Ueda was unveiled at E3 2009, with plans for a PlayStation 3 release. However, the development faced challenges, leading to Ueda’s departure from Sony, though he continued to work on the project. The game then vanished from the public eye for an extended period.
At E3 2015, a fresh trailer and a tentative release date were revealed, reigniting belief in the game’s eventual release. The fans’ sentiment at that time is best captured by the audience’s reaction in the video mentioned.
Year 2015. The long-awaited remake of Final Fantasy VII
The remake of Final Fantasy VII has taken on a mythical status among fans. The anticipation was high, and Square Enix played a significant role in stoking this excitement, never letting one of the franchise’s most cherished and successful entries fade from memory.
Memorable are the CG movie Advent Children and the spin-offs Dirge of Cerberus and Crisis Core. However, the 2005 technical demo for PlayStation 3 was particularly striking, offering a glimpse of what a modern rendition of the beloved game might look like.
In 2015, the fans’ hopes were realized. At a conference, Sony unveiled the eagerly awaited video. Not immediately clear to all, the revelation dawned as iconic characters appeared on screen, followed by the succinct “Remake” title (sans logos), leaving no room for doubt.
Year 2015. Shenmue 3 Crowdfunding
Fast forward to 2015 at Sony’s conference. For fans of classic Japanese games, it was an exceptional E3. Attendees had already seen The Last Guardian and the remake of Final Fantasy VII, culminating in the announcement of Shenmue 3.
While it wasn’t entirely unexpected, as rumors about the game had been circulating for some time, the audience’s reaction was tumultuous (Shenmue is indeed a cult series).
Yu Suzuki, the creator of the franchise, appeared on stage to announce the launch of the Kickstarter campaign. It goes without saying, the funding goal was met in under 12 hours, and the surge of gamers temporarily crashed the site.
Year 2016. Resident Evil 7 first-person view
In 2016, Resident Evil was at a crossroads. Following the unsuccessful sixth installment, which strayed far from the series’ origins, it was evident a change was necessary. Consequently, the company opted to essentially reboot the franchise.
This shift was unveiled at E3 2016. The announcement trailer left much to the imagination, and the subsequent demo only added to the players’ confusion.
An “extra” object in the demo seemed to have no apparent use, sparking an intense online search for secrets within the demo version. Capcom responded by releasing several updates for the demo, culminating in a conclusive ending.
Resident Evil 7 was launched in 2017, nearly five years after its predecessor, marking the beginning of the series’ resurgence.
Year 2016. Mysterious and ingenious Death Stranding
Hideo Kojima has consistently captivated the public’s interest. The Metal Gear Solid 4 showcases and the “No Place For Hideo” meme are memorable, but Death Stranding’s video took it to another level.
The reveal of the Norman Reedus trailer at E3 2016 left everyone baffled.
The on-screen events were so enigmatic that it sparked intense online discussions and prompted YouTubers to produce lengthy analyses. Each new video was dissected frame by frame in an attempt to understand the overall happenings. The meme “Kojima is a genius,” which had emerged slightly earlier, gained renewed momentum following Death Stranding’s presentation.
