Which company had the best showing at E3 2008?

It looks like an overwhelming number of people agreed that Nintendo didn't demonstrate an interest in catering to the core gamer.

After viewing the Microsoft and Sony conferences though I am surprised to see Microsoft in the lead. Both press events were equally lacking... just not as lacking as the Nintendo one.

Is this even an important question anymore? I mean, really, it's all well and good but the 'console wars' is getting kind of old. All three of these companies are doing very well, they are expanding their audienceS, there's a lot of interesting stuff coming out all the time. There are hundreds of interesting titles that have been released in just the last few years even that I bet people have not played (I even buy/play old stuff... Dreamcast, Saturn, (S)NES. Heck, I'm waiting for the release of a 2D shooter that is coming out on the *Dreamcast* (it's called DUX). The PC industry is strong... all kinds of online games. And Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft are all releasing great games, there's new stuff and experimentation... back titles are getting new releases /more attention... there is simply too much out there that I haven't played. By the way... what's a "'core'" gamer?? I'm not trying to be snarky either. I honestly think that if you can't find something interesting/fun/challenging/educational to play, you are not looking very hard or you are making the mistake of thinking that the entire output of an industry has to meet your personal tastes. peace.

I can understand where you're coming from dvdh20, but there are several things to consider.

There are still many gamers out there that haven't bought into next generation console gaming, and may still be on the fence about buying.

If you do own one of the consoles being showcased at the show, the results of how each company represents their product, can effect publisher's confidence in one platform over the other. If I was a Wii owner, I'd start to have worries about the amount of solid products my purchase may recieve.

Yes, but it's not just that. You have a point about people who may not have made the jump to next gen, but publishers look well beyond what goes on at E3 (actual industry data--Nielsen, NPD, etc.--in each region). What is a 'solid' game? Is that your definition of what you think a good game is? Wii games have been occupying about half of the spots on a sales list like Amazon's for a while now. And I find it interesting that a magazine like Game Informer will more than likely not even reviewed those Wii games. If you think those Wii games are shovelware, then you also have to remember that shovelware is relative. To a new/casual gamer, that Carnival Game for the Wii is fun. To a hardcore or core gamer, its boring. I am just starting to get sick of self-described 'core' gamers crapping on everything that isn't the next $20 million blockbuster, Gears of War of GTA clone. The Wii allows me to play video games with my 70 year old mother for the first time (she owns the system) and there is something to be said for that. Then, I can go home and play No More Heros, CODIV, Shikigami No Shiro, or Patapon... games which she would not understand nor like. I think what we are really seeing is the expansion of the industry to include all kinds of players and all kinds of tastes, but for some reason, the so-called hardcore doesn't like it and still thinks that their narrow tastes are superior to all others. To me, that is what I see wrong with the poll question (and a lot of the discussion here lately). I would assume that if the hardcore was really hardcore, they would embrace experimentation and change and, especially, would welcome non-gamers and others who show interest in such an innovative medium. Instead, this all just smells of fanboy-ism.

Consumer confidence is just a small part of what E3 is about.

E3 was created to separate the videogame industry, from the flood of other electronics presented at CES. E3 also created (not so much now)a chance for smaller developer houses to showcase their wares, with hopes of publishers picking up the product. Plus, its biggest selling point was about creating retail confidence in their products. It's all about retail space and there's only so much to go around.

The success of the Wii console will only go so far with the casual market, but E3 isn't exactly something they'd keep track of either. If the Wii helps to create a larger userbase of dedicated gamers, then Nintendo has succeeded. If not, then you'll see a sudden drop in games being sold for the system. I'm hoping that Nintendo has success, and the Wii helps to broaden the audience of gamers that'll stick around.

The PS3 hasn't exactly lit up retail sales within its first year and beyond NPD numbers, Sony has to show retailers (and publishers) why they need to back the product. Showcasing the future of the PS3 at E3, helps to create that trust between Sony, the retailers and the publishers that are willing to take the risks with the product. Consumer confidence has just as much value, as any sales chart numbers out there.