E3 2017 Impressions

I am not able to attend E3 in Los Angeles this year but have tried to keep up with all of the game releases coming from the various studios. I am impressed with what I have seen and think we have a number of really good games soon to be released. Unfortunately there is no unbiased way to talk about what is expected to come out. I have my favorite video game companies and also work for one. So instead of naming specific game titles that I am looking forward to playing, I thought I would talk about trends.

First, the graphics all seem to be getting much better. We have had the XBox One and PlayStation 4 consoles out for a few years but the games now being released seem to be much better graphically than the launch titles. This is because the game engines have had time to evolve and can now take advantage of the hardware included in the latest consoles. We all benefit. I also noticed that there are a lot more games being shown in 4K. They sure do look good. Well at least the demos do.

The second thing I noticed from the show this year is how many games realize that the story matters. Perhaps it is the type of game that I am more likely to play, but video games have evolved from a circle munching dots on the screen to complex scripts that draw the players into the story. More and more, video games are starting to resemble blockbuster movies.

I normally am not a fan of sports games. This year I have seen quite a few sports games that are really tempting. I may even pick up one or two and give them a shot. Look for reviews in the future.

While it may be fun to be at E3 for a few hours, I am not sure the chaos would be worth the trip and so I have stayed home this year. I think I am actually getting more out of the show because I can pick and choose what I watch without having to wade through the large crowds. Yep, it is a great show this year.