Ah, yes, it’s that time of year again. The hype for the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3. E3 is an annual trade show in which game publishers show us what they’ve got. The show started in 1995, in which it was basically just Nintendo, SEGA and PlayStation, but today the show has become a huge event for gamers everywhere.
E3 is generally a big deal, with companies often bringing their all. Since 2017, E3 has been open fully to the public, making it less of a trade show and more the audience cheering over the presenter for 48 hours.
Now, there are three types of E3 announcements. The exciting ones, the alright ones, and the terrible ones. So, I’m going to be covering what I find to be the best announcements made at E3 ever.
10. Grand Theft Auto 4 (2006)
The long-awaited Grand Theft Auto 4 was revealed at E3 2006 in a strange way - through a tattoo. People were a little confused when Microsoft’s Peter Moore took off his jacket while talking, only for him to reveal the logo on his arm.
No gameplay was shown, but everyone knew - they KNEW, that this would be an incredible experience.
9. Cyberpunk 2077 (2019)
Cyberpunk 2077’s showcase at E3 2019 featured actor Keanu Reeves. People really like Reeves, and it’s clear that the man had genuine hope and interest in the game he was talking about. It’s a refreshing change from “oh, this game is... cool..? Where’s my money microsoft?”
Shame the game sucks.
8. PlayStation 4 (2013)
The Xbox One’s reveal was.. not very good. I mean, come on, they decided to hype up the console by reminding us that Kinect existed. Xbox probably forced their executives to watch this conference, so they wouldn’t repeat history with the Series X.
Luckily, Sony did a much better job with their PS4 announcement at E3. MUCH better.
7. Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle (2017)
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle was announced during Ubisoft’s showcase at E3 2017. It’s announcement is honestly really cool, because not only was it out of nowhere - no-one expected the Rabbids to team up with Mario, not at all.
But also because when Shigeru Miyamoto, you know, the grandfather of games, mentioned the game’s director, Davide Soliani, during his speech, the director began to cry tears of joy. It’s a heartwarming moment.
6. Nintendo DS (2004)
E3 2004 was a turning point for Nintendo. After the underperforming GameCube and the rise of the Xbox, Nintendo needed something BIG. So they brought out the new president of Nintendo America, Reggie Fils-Aime to reveal the Nintendo DS.
Of course, the DS ended up bringing Nintendo back into the forefront, boosted by the Wii two years later. Reggie also cemented himself into everyone’s minds, with his famous line “My name is Reggie, I’m about kicking ass, I’m about taking names, and we’re about making games”.
5. PlayStation Price (1995)
Back during the very first E3, SEGA suddenly launched their Saturn console. They had hoped that the surprise launch during the show would make people rush out and buy it, but that.. didn’t happen. The console was ridiculously overpriced, at 400 dollars, retailers weren’t ready to sell it, and people were almost immediately captivated by Sony’s announcement of the PlayStation’s price.
They literally just walked up to the podium, uttered “299” and left.
4. Final Fantasy VII Remake (2015)
While I’m not really a fan of the Final Fantasy games, it’s safe to say that a remake of the fan-favourite Final Fantasy VII was highly anticipated. When it was revealed at E3 2015, the cheering of the audience drowned out the trailer itself.
Heck, Final Fantasy VII is part of its own metaseries, spanning video games, books and animations since 2004. So a HD version of what started it all? Heck yeah.
3. Super Mario Odyssey (2017)
While Super Mario Odyssey was technically announced in January 2017, nothing was really known about the game, beyond featuring Mario and a weird hat creature. The E3 reveal of the full game, especially the capturing mechanic, was enthralling, from the fake-out with the realistic dinosaur, to the reveal of the capture itself.
2. Metal Gear Solid 2 (2000)
The 10-minute preview for Metal Gear Solid 2 in 2000 was a landmark in E3 history. It truly began the trend of extended game previews during the show, along with the idea that, yes, one game can be the best of all shown. This ultimate spot is one now fought for by all of the companies. Speaking of ultimate...
1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018)
The “Everyone Is Here” trailer for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in 2018 was massive. The reveal of all these characters from dozens of game franchises was so awesome. Not only that, but characters that had been thought to be lost as they were omitted from the previous entry, such as Solid Snake, Pokemon trainer and the Ice Climbers.
And then Pichu showed up and everyone lost their damn minds.
The Everyone Is Here trailer has united Nintendo fans like no other trailer could. You could see people jumping with joy, hugging each other and screaming with hype. It’s a testament to the incredible power of video games, and how they can unite all kinds of different people.
Conclusion
And, well, that’s it. Those are, to me, the ten best E3 reveals of all time. I tried to keep it to a variety of games and companies, but there are of course other great reveals - such as the Nintendo Wii, the Fortnite World Cup and Fallout 4, and just because a reveal hasn’t been mentioned here, doesn’t mean it wasn’t epic.
Let's hope this year brings some good announcements.
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