Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer announces “Project Scorpio” and the “Xbox One S” at the E3 press conference at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.  Photo by Marcus Siu.

Article and photos by Marcus Siu

LOS ANGELES, June 13, 2016 – Setting the tone for the three day conference the morning before E3, Microsoft announced their latest console upcoming Project Scorpio at the E3 (The Electronic Entertainment Expo) Conference in Los Angeles.  At a fully packed crowd at the Galen Center, head of Xbox, Phil Spencer announced that the console will be able to handle 4K resolution graphics, along with immersive virtual reality.  In addition, it will also be backwards compatible, so you can play any of your previous editions of Xbox games and accessories on them.  It will be the most powerful game console ever and will be released at the end of 2017.

Microsoft also announced another member of the Xbox family that will get released in August of this year; the Xbox One S, which will be just as powerful compared to the regular Xbox One, but is 40% less in size than its predecessor. In addition, it will have a 2TB hard drive to store the games and will support HDR (High Dynamic Range) output. The actual controller has been revised adding textured grip with Bluetooth connectivity. The retail price for the Xbox S will be $299.

Later that evening, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s had a press conference that was a visual and sonic feast for the eyes and ears.   Lasers and sonic effects added excitement to the grandeur atmosphere of the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, along with it’s live orchestra.

Bear McCreary, the composer (Walking Dead, Battlestar Galactica) walked on stage to conduct the 100+ orchestra in the pit and the crowd roared with enthusiasm as soon as they recognized the main characters from “God of War” on the big screen, all in fabulous 4K glory; the characters never ever so realistic and detailed. Then trailer demos from “The Last Guardian” and “Days Gone” followed with the cheers and roars coming from the audience all through the night.

Shawn Layden, president of Sony Interactive Entertainment America, said of Sony’s VR plans: “2016 is a seminal moment in virtual reality. The time has finally come for everyone to enjoy VR in their own homes. At PlayStation, we have a combination of the necessary processing and graphics power already built inside 40 million PS4s already sold worldwide.”

Shawn Layden, president of Sony Interactive Entertainment America announces Playstation VR to be released in October at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.  Photo by Marcus Siu.

Sony gamers will be able to buy their headsets, along with choices of over 50 VR games by the end of the year according to Layden.  One standout game will include “Resident Evil 7: Biohazard”, which is a first person survival horror game in which you are going through a creepy abandoned house with scares all around you.  It will be quite a challenge for VR enthusiasts who will be all alone with no one to hold their hand…ah, the horror…

Sony’s Playstation VR lineup also includes space games, such as Farpoint, Star Wars Battlefront: X-Wing VR Mission, Batman: Arkham VR, Final Fantasy XV VR Experience, and the first person shooter favorite, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, as well as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered.  The retail price for the Playstation VR will be $399.00.

Bear McCreary conducts the orchestra at the Sony press conference at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.   Photo by Marcus Siu.