E3 2011 thoughts.

For those who don't know I'm a pretty big fan of the electronic video game. With this in mind, I was inspired to chime in on the happenings at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo). If I was to sum the whole thing up it would be with a defeated sigh. When the big three console gaming companies (Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo) come out on stage and open a window to the gaming future I usually feel like a child looking through the toy section of a catalog before Christmas, but this year something happened; I realized that gaming and I may be growing apart.

The industry suddenly has this idea that if it's not different we won't be interested in gaming anymore, but what ever happened to innovating the game itself as opposed to the way that it is played? I don't need to wave a controller/hand or any other thing in front of my TV in order to feel connected to a game, nor should I ever have to look at my controller while playing.

I remember a time not so long ago when the best of the gaming experience consisted of you feeling like a specific character, or group of characters in a compelling situation with a decent story around it. Gaming was becoming more cinematic and evolving to a point of being true art. Connection between the player and the character was at an all time high. Now, imagine sitting down to watch Citizen Kane, but in order to make the movie actually play, you need to wave your hands in front of your face. By the end, you wouldn't have experienced the movie at all, you would only have focused on moving your arms around for 2 hours.

People like President and COO of Nintendo North America Reggie Fils-Aime would tell me that I am afraid of change, however I would counter that these so called change bringers are literally remaking 20 year old games with a gimmick attached to stay afloat.

Will my saying this change anything? Probably not, but at the end of the day as long as some developers are still making experiences as opposed to activities, gaming is a medium still worth fighting for.