E3 2011

This year's E3 is shaping up to be quite an exciting event. The web is buzzing about all the possibilities and it's just getting better as we get closer. Nintendo is set to unveil its newest console, codenamed Project Cafe, via a live broadcast on the web. Hopefully Nintendo has learned from their recent lackluster launch of the 3DS that in order to sell this new piece of gaming hardware it needs a solid list of interesting first and third-party launch titles, not promises of what will happen in the far off future.
The same concept is relevant to the 3DS. If Nintendo wants to have a shot at keeping their grasp of the handheld world they better bring a long list of soon-to-launch 3DS titles to the show. As tantalizing as the upcoming remake of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is, we as gamers need completely new titles to keep us from dwelling on shelling out $250 for a handheld. I can't speak for anyone else, but I still feel that Nintendo killed off the DS early. Considering their launch list for the 3DS, I would have been more than content to wait for a more diverse selection at launch.
I'm also curious about what Microsoft's strategy will be this year. Obviously Gears of War 3 will be a major title at the show, but there are also rumors of a new Halo title, Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3 are competing against each other for dominance, and what about the future of the Kinect? I have never been a fan of it, and last year Microsoft pimped the heck out of it. So what will they have on hand for those who did invest in it?
And then there's Sony. They've had a lot to deal with, and I commend every effort and incentive everyone in the industry has put out in the world to soften the blow of the damage caused by the hackers. It's really woken up the industry as a whole and forced game companies to learn how to handle an awful situation. Rumors of Sony's next console are trickling out, so perhaps we'll hear more about it at this year's show. It's coming up fast, and I'm very eager to see how it all plays out.