“It is with deep sorrow that we mourn the loss of Shigeru Miyamoto earlier today. He has brought incredible joy to countless people through his work here at Nintendo, and was a dear friend to us all. I considered him one of my closest friends, and his death came as a monumental shock, one that it will take some time to recover from. His loss will be felt by his family, his friends, his colleagues, and all who have ever picked up a controller and have felt joy because of the work that Mr. Miyamoto has accomplished. We will continue his legacy of making fun and original games for many years to come.”
-Hiroshi Yamauchi
“He was an inspiration, the greatest inspiration I've ever known. He inspired me to create great things, and his loss has left me with a hole in my heart that is impossible to fill.”
-Satoru Iwata
“Shigeru Miyamoto was a visionary and a genius, but most of all, he was a friend. Even when he was teaching us, or giving suggestions, he always did so in a way that made us a part of his incredible dreams. I can't overstate how much I'll miss him.”
-Masahiro Sakurai
“When I first came to work with Nintendo, Mr. Miyamoto greeted me as he would an old friend. Even then, I was impressed by his creative vision, and as I got to know him over the years, I realized how lucky I was to be working with him. Though we were often an ocean apart, the impression he left on me made me feel like he was in the room even when I was working at the offices in Redmond. I'm proud to be a part of this company and I'm grateful to have gotten to know Mr. Shigeru Miyamoto.”
-Howard Lincoln
“He never failed to blow my mind. Without his vision, I would've just been making fancy toys with no batteries.”
-Ken Kutaragi
“You know, we could never get one up on those guys, and Shigeru Miyamoto was why. Every time we'd come up with a genius idea, he'd come up with something even better. Even though he was the number one reason we were losing, I could never bring myself to hate someone with that much humility and grace. He was a fun person to share the planet with and the world's a lot worse off now that he's gone.”
-Tom Kalinske
“It's such a huge loss for the industry. I have nothing but respect for Shigeru Miyamoto, and it's an enormous loss that he's gone. It won't be the same without him.”
-Norio Ohga
“He was a genius. I mean, that's all you can really say. The guy made...some of the greatest games ever, games I've spent a lot of time with. I admit, I shed a tear when I learned he'd passed away... my daughter wouldn't have her name without him!”
-Robin Williams
“You know, I heard about that, and it's such a tragedy...the level of creativity to create such amazing games...I mean, we get into the industry just as he goes....I don't think we can fill the hole he left. We can try, but nobody's gonna be able to do what he did.”
-Bill Gates
“Oh, I played Super Mario Bros., I played Legend Of Zelda. Making movies and making games, they're two different things, I learned that first hand. Losing a creative mind like his is always a horrible tragedy, it's a loss for the world and...I met him once, he was a very humble man.”
-Steven Spielberg
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Video Game Industry Mourns The Death Of Shigeru Miyamoto
Today, people from throughout the video game industry are paying their respects to Shigeru Miyamoto, who passed away yesterday when his bicycle was struck by an automobile. Miyamoto is known for creating the Super Mario series, perhaps the most famous video game franchise ever, among countless others including The Legend Of Zelda and Star Fox. Nintendo has already released a statement on Miyamoto's death. In a letter, Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi called Miyamoto's death a “monumental shock” and vows that the company will “continue his legacy of making fun and original games for many years to come”. Sony figure Ken Kutaragi also released a statement mourning the loss, and even Sega has issued a statement on Miyamoto's death, calling him a “titan in the industry” and stating that “the community of game makers has suffered a tremendous blow”. The upcoming E3 conference, which starts in just a few days, will go on as scheduled, though its organizers state that the ceremonies will be somewhat muted and that there will be a memorial to Miyamoto, with tributes to his life and work throughout the event.
Even outside the gaming world, celebrities are expressing their condolences. Figures such as Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst have commented, as have figures in the sports world like Ken Griffey Jr., whose likeness appears on numerous games for Nintendo systems. Griffey said in a statement, “Shigeru Miyamoto was a good friend, and losing him so young is a horrible tragedy. I'll miss him and I wish his family all the best.”
-from an article posted on Gamespot.com, May 7, 2000
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*The normally excited GameTV hosts are seated on the couch as the show begins, looking somewhat somber. John Walden, the old host who left the show in 1998, is there as well.*
Ted Crosley: Hey guys, welcome to GameTV, we're normally a bit more upbeat but, as a lot of you have already heard, there's been a terrible tragedy in the world of video games.
Alex Stansfield: Shigeru Miyamoto, whose work spans more than 20 years with Nintendo, passed away earlier this week as he was riding home on his bicycle. He's created some of the most beloved characters in video game history, Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Link, Zelda, so many legendary games have come from the mind of this man and his loss leaves some really big shoes to fill.
Gary Westhouse: So we're going to devote a good portion of this show to commemorating the life and legacy of Shigeru Miyamoto.
Brittany Saldita: We'll all be sharing our memories of Mr. Miyamoto's games, and we've asked some of our fans to tell us their best memories of him, which we'll be reading on the show also.
John Walden: I had...the enormous honor of being able to interview him back in 1998, we'll be replaying some of that interview and I'll also share what it was like just to get to meet him and shake his hand.
Lyssa Fielding: For those of you hoping for reviews and news about the newest games, don't worry because we'll still be doing those as well, but we'd be shirking our duty as hosts and as gamers if we didn't pay respect and homage to the man who really is the reason most of us are sitting here today.
Steve Horton: He's given us countless hours of fun and I'm sure he's done the same for many of you.
Ted: This is GameTV, and today we're going to be celebrating the life of the great Shigeru Miyamoto.
*An alternate, more somber theme song plays over clips of Miyamoto's games and footage of him, including of his interview with John Walden, in lieu of the normal intro sequence.*
(…)
Alex: So to end the show, we're going to do something we've never done before. We usually put games up here on the Hall of Famewall, but today is a little different, because today, for the one and only time, we're putting a person in the Hall of Fame.
*The cast mounts a picture of Shigeru Miyamoto on the GameTV Hall of Fame wall.*
Ted: I can't think of anyone who deserves it more than Shigeru Miyamoto. Truly, the greatest game creator of all time.
Brittany: I really couldn't agree more, I remember coming back home, playing Super Mario Bros. when I was 14, and being so blown away. I played so much Donkey Kong as a kid. I played Legend of Zelda until my fingers fell off. It just...it's such a shame to lose him.
Alex: Shigeru Miyamoto, you'll be missed by everyone who loves video games.
Lyssa: Oh, definitely.
Ted: That's it for this week's episode, we'll be reporting from E3 in a few days, so.... definitely be here for that, hopefully we'll see some good games at the show and have lots of fun.
Lyssa: It's what he would have wanted, I know it is.
-excerpted from the May 9, 2000 episode of GameTV
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The Show Must Go On, But Miyamoto's Death Casts A Pall Over E3
Shigeru Miyamoto's tragic death, less than a week before the annual E3 expo in Los Angeles, has understandably added a somber element to the usually hectic and exciting trade show. Though postponing the event was never discussed (too many hotel rooms booked, the convention center already reserved for months), certain events have been changed and some have been completely scrapped in the wake of what has happened. Nintendo's presentation, in particular, has been dedicated to Miyamoto. Miyamoto was originally to help present The Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask, but that task will now fall to Eiji Aonuma, the game's director. Nintendo's presentation will include a Miyamoto memorial segment, and Nintendo's booth will include a box where attendees can leave their condolences. Sega's presentation is also said to be at least acknowledging Miyamoto, and the event itself will have a tribute to the Mario creator that attendees can watch if they so choose.
-from an article on Gamespot.com, May 10, 2000
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May 11, 2000
*The crowd cheers as Reggie Fils-Aime, the new president of Sega of America, takes the stage. A picture of the Sega Katana is on the display screen behind him.*
“Hello, everybody, and welcome to E3. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Reggie. I'm about kicking ass, I'm about taking names, and I'm about making games.” *The crowd cheers in wild applause at this* “And I'm here to introduce the newest game console from Sega, a machine that will usher in a revolution in home entertainment. I give you, the Sega Katana.”
*A video begins to play on the screen. A young man is walking down the street. The camera pans up, and the man is revealed to be Ryo Hazuki. He is confronted by a group of thugs, and takes a fighting pose. The video is rendered with the Katana, and the graphics look significantly better than the previous Shenmue game, or anything that's ever been seen on the Ultra Nintendo. The thugs rush Hazuki, and he begins to fight them. Hazuki moves incredibly fluidly, and all the characters are shown with amazing detail. The video then switches over to show Virtua Fighter 4. The game looks awesome, the days of blocky characters are gone, it's a HUGE step up from Virtua Fighter 3 and the characters perform some incredibly impressive moves. The crowd cheers this, and then continues to cheer as the video switches over to Tekken Tag Tournament to show off that game.*
FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE
*More footage from Tekken Tag Tournament is shown, the game's graphics are a significant bump from Tekken 3. Next up, Way Of The Samurai. It's a beat-em-up by Treasure, and the character and graphical details are so good that the audience gasps during the trailer showing off the game. It's all in-game footage in real time, cherry blossom leaves fall as the main character executes a combo.*
GO ONLINE FOR THE ULTIMATE MULTIPLAYER CHALLENGE
*Footage is then shown from the Katana's online games. First off is Phantasy Star Online, which shows players teaming up, talking to one another in the in-game chat and then going to battle a huge looking boss. The next game that's shown is Chu Chu Rocket, followed up by a new Daytona game, Daytona: International, that shows an online lobby, followed by players racing against one another from across the globe, the game's graphics are significantly better than anything Gran Turismo has ever offered.*
BE AN ORIGINAL
*Footage from Jet Set Radio is shown, showing the player following another character through the city on their skateboard, before tagging a graffiti sign on the side of a building. Footage from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 is then shown.*
GET INTO THE GAME
*Footage from the Katana's sports lineup, including NFL and NHL 2K1 is shown off, showing the players and arenas in amazing detail. Footage from a new baseball game is also shown.*
AND EXPLORE NEW WORLDS
*Footage from Enix's Revolution Alpha is shown, depicting an enormous world ripe for exploration. The character is travelling through a massive town, and then rolls out of the way of an attack by a vampire, drawing gasps and cheers from the crowd. Then, the night sky is shown, we see a shadow and then very briefly, the character NiGHTS, which draws loud applause as we see very brief footage of a new NiGHTS game with beautiful graphics that sends the crowd into a frenzy.*
RELIVE THE PAST...
*A brief montage of Saturn game covers is shown before someone is seen opening up a copy of the Saturn's Sonic the Hedgehog 4, sticking it into the disc tray, and beginning to play.*
OR WITNESS THE FUTURE.
*Someone briefly browses from a shelf before pulling down a DVD of Superman: Man Of Tomorrow, opening it up, putting it into the disc tray and sitting down to watch it, this draws enormous cheering, possibly even bigger than the cheers for NiGHTS.*
SEGA KATANA
*A rapid-fire montage of Katana games is shown, followed by a young man sitting down, controller in hand, ready to play, a keyboard in his lap as he connects to his friend across the world. We see his friend, a Japanese girl, smiling and nodding her head before firing up her own game.*
THE FUTURE IS YOURS.
*The Katana logo is shown, and the Sega scream is heard. The crowd applauds and cheers loudly.*
“As you can see, the Sega Katana is compatible with all Saturn games, and can play DVD movies as well. We hope to make the Sega Katana not just your go-to system for the hottest games available, but your complete entertainment world as well. The Katana has been designed with the future in mind. It contains a cutting edge processor that far outstrips anything else available, and will be state-of-the-art for many years to come. The Katana controller, which you can see right here... *he holds up a controller much like OTL's Dreamcast controller, complete with VMU slot, the biggest difference is a second analog stick on the right side, inspired by the Ultra Nintendo's controller* has been designed with the modern gamer in mind. You see this central slot? This is the space for the Katana VMU, the virtual memory unit that not only stores your saves and profiles, but also has a screen that opens up new gameplay possibilities.”
*Reggie elaborates on the VMU for a minute or two, showing off its features and how it can be used as a sort of second screen experience for certain games.*
“The Sega Katana will go on sale in North America on March 17, 2001. It comes with a controller and a VMU. It will retail for $249.99.” *The crowd applauds loudly at the price, which is at least 50 dollars less than expected.* “We hope to launch the Sega Katana with at least ten games on the very first day. Launch games will include Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, Way Of The Samurai, Phantasy Star Online... and this game. Take a look.”
(Authors' Note: The following trailer was done by our reader and contributor Pyro!)
“It was supposed to be a simple mission: rescue Becky, beat the bad guy, and return home before dinner time… except that jerk, Captain Chaos, cheated and time travelled to beat us.
*Clip of Captain Chaos activating the Multiversal Annihilation Engine from When Universes Collide. He begins transforming into an eldritch abomination of titanic proportions.*
“We fought back as best we could…”
*Keen, Lindsay, and Mortimer McMire open fire on the newly renamed Kayoz, but the creature swats them all into the abyss*
“But we failed, and Kayoz destroyed the multiverse.”
*Clip of a cackling Kayoz taking the remnants of the destroyed worlds and fusing them into one planet*
“But he didn’t count on one thing.”
*Clip of Commander Keen waking up in a warzone where Robotnik’s Badnik horde are fighting Wizeman’s Nightmarean hordes from Nights Into Dreams. Keen avoids a crashing Buzzbomber.*
“That we’d survive.”
Keen: Yikes! What’s happening…?
*Dr. Robotnik descends from the sky on his Egg-O-Matic*
Robotnik: I remember you. Welcome, “Commander” Keen, to Battleworld! You won’t survive the experience!
Keen: *Unsheathes his trusted Neural Disrupter and aims at Robotnik* Oh yeah, Egghead?
Voiceover: Launching with the Katana in 2001…
*Clips of Keen and Sonic the Hedgehog (along with Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose) fighting enemies creatures from Golden Axe. Lindsay and Nights flying side by side. Mortimer McMire and Vectorman surrounded by Warhead’s forces. Becky busting moves with Toejam and Earl with an embarrassed Keen facepalming*
Voiceover: An adventure too large for one universe!
*More gameplay clips. Ax Battler swinging his sword. Joe Mushashi jumping from the shadows and throwing his kunai before using his ninjitsu skills from Revenge of Shinobi. Alex Kidd and Knuckles punching through a wave of enemies. It ends with the assembled heroes and villains confronting Kayoz in the Dark Abyss. The mad god is easily the size the skyscraper in comparison. A full shot reveals the full cast, save for three figures obscured by shadow.*
Kayoz: HAHAHA! You ants think you have a shot at stopping me?
Becky: *Whispers to Keen* You know you still gotta eat your vegetables after this.
Keen: *Dramatically aiming his disrupter at Kayoz* Not NOW Becky!
Voiceover: COMMANDER KEEN: WORLDS UNITED!
*The crowd wildly cheers the Worlds United trailer, as Reggie Fils-Aime claps as well.*
“And here's Tom Hall to share even more details about Commander Keen: Worlds United.”
*Tom Hall comes out and gives a presentation of several minutes about the basic idea and features of Commander Keen: Worlds United, which looks quite impressive visually on the Katana. Reggie returns to the stage.*
“Thank you for that incredible presentation, and remember, Commander Keen: Worlds United will be available only for the Sega Katana on launch day, March 17, 2001. Now, I'd like to introduce Mr. Yu Suzuki to talk about the upcoming sequel to the 1998 hit Shenmue.”
*Yu Suzuki takes the stage and shows off Shenmue II, which is still in fairly early stages of development. No release date is given for the game, but it still looks impressive enough to excite the crowd and get them talking. He remains on stage as Virtua Fighter 4 is announced, drawing wild cheers from the crowd as a preview video for the game is shown. Reggie once again returns to the stage to talk about several more games, including Phantasy Star Online, Way Of The Samurai, and Jet Set Radio. Tekken Tag Tournament is then introduced, before Reggie then introduces Sega's line of new sports games for the Katana, including NBA 2K1, NFL 2K1, and NHL 2K1. After that, a series of beautiful screenshots are displayed on the screen.*
“For several years, the amazingly talented folks at Enix have created some truly epic games for the Sega Saturn. From the depths of space in Planetary Probe and Laika's Journey, to the realms of fantasy in next year's Dragon Quest VII, Enix's record of creating amazing adventures is without blemish. Now, on the Sega Katana, they'll do it again. Introducing Revolution Alpha.”
*Images are shown of three young teenaged heroes, two boys and one girl, exploring a massive temple ruin as the camera pans up to reveal a huge world beyond. Mountains, valleys, forests, and at the very edge of the screen, a glimmering city.*
“In Revolution Alpha, you'll guide three heroes on their quest to recover the Alpha Heritage, a collection of artifacts that hold the key to overthrowing a powerful ruler and his mighty army.”
*The game's combat is shown. It's much like Secret Of Mana, but with elements of games like Illusion of Gaia as well.*
“Along the way, you'll explore dungeons and solve puzzles, battle huge monsters and find countless treasures. This game builds on Enix's classic action role playing titles for a brand new experience that's only possible on the Sega Katana. Revolution Alpha will be released in North America before the end of 2001.”
*Another trailer is shown, this one depicting a kitchy 60s-style spy motif as a woman sneaks around an enemy compound. The game's humor is somewhat like that of the James Bond films, and the entire trailer has somewhat of an Austin Powers feel to it while also showing off the game's stealthy, FPS gameplay.*
“In No One Lives Forever, you're Cate Archer, a spy who must travel the world and battle villains bent on world domination. No One Lives Forever is another Katana exclusive, set to land on the system sometime next year. And finally...”
*The same dark nighttime sky from the Katana trailer is shown once again. NiGHTS is shown flying through the sky, floating down toward a house. He lands on the roof and is suddenly captured in some kind of tractor beam, being pulled into the sky as a dimensional hole rips open. A boy rushes to the window, looking on in fear as NiGHTS is taken away. He reaches up to him, but the hole snaps shut, and NiGHTS is taken.*
Boy: Nooooooooooooooo!!!
*NiGHTS awakens and is lying on the floor of a vast room. A voice calls out to him.*
Voice: With your power, I will have control over the dreams of an entire world... you will never escape my castle, it is more vast than you can imagine.
*NiGHTS is shown in a gameplay scene, roaming the halls of the castle and being attacked by vicious beasts. In the cramped corridors of the castle, he's unable to take flight. We see the boy from before, grabbing his friend the next day at school.*
Boy: I saw him, NiGHTS is in trouble, we have to help him!
*Several kids gather and join hands in a circle. They nod, and we see each of them falling asleep in their own beds. Inside the castle, one of the kids calls to NiGHTS. He leaps into the child's dream, just as a bunch of enemies dive at him.*
Voice: You think you can escape me?
*The child twists and turns in bed. Inside the dream, the child is trapped in a Nightmare Crystal.*
Voice: You don't have much time, or else this child will be trapped in their nightmares forever!
Children: NiGHTS, help me!!!
*The familiar NiGHTS gameplay is now seen, NiGHTS flies through the air, collecting items and performing tricks, battling bosses, fighting on the ground alongside a child. Several dreams are seen, each depicting a different landscape as NiGHTS fights to protect that child's dream. NiGHTS can be seen running through the castle again, dodging a massive hand as it bursts through a wall.*
Voice: You have no hope! These children will have nightmares eternal, just like the rest of this world!
NiGHTS: *looking up into the sky to see a sky full of stars, slowly blinking out*
*The boy from before is lying in his bed in a fetal position, sobbing in fear.*
Boy: Help me, NiGHTS...
*NiGHTS looks up at the sky and takes flight, disappearing in a flash of light. The game's logo appears.*
NiGHTS INTO THE LABYRINTH...
*The crowd applauds wildly, Reggie once again takes the stage and smiles.*
“These are just some of the games we have planned for the Sega Katana. In fact...”
*A very brief video shows on the screen, depicting some Katana gameplay footage of a new Sonic game. It's just a tease, but it's enough to make the crowd go wild.*
“We're only just getting started. But just because the Sega Katana is being released next year doesn't mean that the Saturn's days are numbered. In fact, the Sega Saturn is set to see some of the year's best games, and now it's about to become easier than ever to hop on board the best system of the last generation, because as of right now, the Sega Saturn is getting a new MSRP..”
*”$99” is displayed on the screen, drawing some applause.*
“For just $99, you can experience games like Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and 5, the Tekken series, Resident Evil, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, Virtua Fighter, Virtua Racing, NYPD: Narcotics Squad, and more. And for $129, you can buy a Sega Saturn equipped with the Ring and packed with last year's Game of the Year, Soul Calibur. It's still topping charts around the world, and if you haven't played it yet, it's time to see just why millions of players have taken up their swords and leapt into the world of Soul Calibur. But we're not just here to talk about old games, we're here to talk about new games, and the Saturn has plenty of great new games on the way, including the horror title Extremis, developed by Sega both here in North America and across the ocean in Japan. Extremis is a brand new concept, centered around a global pandemic that infects animals, turning them into vicious, mutated beasts. Check out this gameplay footage and see why Extremis is going to be the most terrifying game ever made.”
*The gameplay footage from an early level of the game shows a man creeping around inside of a large barn. The silence is broken only by the occasional sound of a low braying. As the man explores the darkness, he occasionally hears the braying and the sound of animals in pain. Finally, the man comes face to face with a massive, mutated bull, roaring in rage as its horns lower to gore him. The man is unable to dodge in time, and he is impaled through the stomach as the bull contains to roar and buck around like crazy. The man is lowered from the horn and tries to crawl away as the bull stays on him, goring him several times. The man tries desperately to shoot at it, but his wounds render the gun unstable. Eventually, the bull kills him, leading to a Game Over screen.*
*The next scene is from later in the game, at a zoo. Now the man is joined by a teenage girl, and they sneak around the zoo, staying out of sight of various mutated and dangerous animals. They hear a loud roar behind them, and turn to see a tiger ready to lunge. The tiger is about to strike but is taken down by a huge, bulky creature of indeterminate species as the crowd gasps and cheers. The protagonists sneak away, hoping the creature doesn't turn its eyes on them instead. The two duck into a zoo office, where they meet a middle-aged female scientist who tries to explain to them what's going on. As she does so, there's a very loud bang at the door, as a creature tries to break in. The player has to shoot at the creature before it can bust into the room. The man barely manages to shoot the creature dead after taking some damage, but it's a very close call. The footage ends, and the crowd claps and cheers.*
“Extremis is set to release on October 31, Halloween. Just don't show this game to the trick-or-treaters, or you'll give them nightmares. Next up is a racing game, and this is a throwback to a bygone era.”
*Footage from Vintage Speed Series, a racing title featuring all vintage cars, is shown, looking quite impressive and fun. Reggie briefly describes the game, then footage is shown of The Savateur, a beat-em-up taking place in the Victorian era and involving the martial art of savate. Next is Arbiter of Sin 2, drawing plenty of cheers from the crowd. The game depicts the protagonist's war against heaven itself, though it also shows him having doubts about Lucifer's intentions. A trailer is then shown for Samba de Amigo, then a trailer is shown for Onimusha, which is much like OTL's game, an action combat game taking place in ancient Japan. It looks less graphically impressive, obviously, but for the Saturn it's still quite good and is announced as a Ring exclusive, with Keiji Inafune appearing in the preview video to discuss the game. Reggie closes the show by discussing four RPGs, first Planetary Probe II, then Dragon Quest VII, and then the game Skies of Arcadia. Though it's developed in collaboration with the Lords of Skylein team, it's much closer to OTL's game than anything resembling Skylein. The trailer, which shows off the beautiful air combat and fierce aerial action, impresses the crowd and is probably the best looking Saturn game of the entire show. Finally, Panzer Dragon Saga II is announced, drawing an even bigger reaction from the crowd. It shares some plot elements with OTL's Panzer Dragoon Orta, but is ultimately an RPG the same as Saga, and is announced to be on five discs.*
“Panzer Dragon Saga II is set to be released next summer, exclusively for the Saturn Ring. It will also be compatible with the new Sega Katana, but if you choose not to upgrade right away, Panzer Dragoon Saga II is a clear demonstration of our intention to continue supporting the Sega Saturn well into the future. We want to thank all of our fans for enjoying Sega's great lineup of games, and there's one more person I'd like to personally thank before ending the presentation. Before coming to Sega, I did play a lot of Nintendo games, and some of my best memories as a young man come from playing games like Super Mario Bros. and The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past. Though we at Sega have been competing with Nintendo for many years, many of us wouldn't be here in this industry if it wasn't for the contributions of the great Shigeru Miyamoto, whose incredible works have inspired many of you to begin playing video games in the first place. I think everyone here owes Mr. Miyamoto a great debt of gratitude, and I speak for everyone at Sega when I say thank you, Mr. Miyamoto, for the games and for the memories.
Enjoy E3, everybody.”
-Reggie Fils-Aime's keynote speech at E3 2000
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Brittany: And even though Microsoft isn't giving a big speech here at E3, they've got a big presence at their booth, where they're showing off the Microsoft Xbox, the new gaming system set to launch next year.
Ted: The new Xbox comes with a hard drive, something the Ultra Nintendo and the Sega Katana don't have, that hard drive is gonna store all your saves and we imagine it can store plenty of other things as well.
Brittany: And here is the big Microsoft Xbox game by developer Bungie, it's The Covenant, it's a fast-paced third person shooter very reminiscent of games like Ballistic Limit and Squad Four: Rebellion.
*Footage of The Covenant is shown on screen, depicting a man in a green suit of armor, somewhat like Master Chief but without the helmet, charging into a crowd of enemies and firing wildly, blowing up the tank in the middle of the enemy crowd.*
Ted: You can switch between a bunch of different weapons at once, you can take a stealthy approach or just go in shooting everything, we really like how this game looks and it's being shown off here at the Microsoft booth along with a port of The Witcher. Microsoft didn't have very many games here today, right now they're just showing off the console and all its features.
Brittany: I'll tell you right now, looking at the screen, this footage does look better than what we saw on the Katana. Ted, I know you're kinda biased, but you've seen what the Katana can do and you see here what the Xbox can do, what do you think?
Ted: The Xbox is really impressive, I'm not gonna lie. I have to see more games though, Sega was here showing off a bunch of games, where are all the Xbox games?
Brittany: Mechwarrior X was also announced, but there's no gameplay footage yet.
Ted: There's no games!
Brittany: With the Xbox, right now it looks to be quality over quantity, and both The Covenant and The Witcher look like really fun and amazing games, I'm going to go back and play more of The Covenant, Ted, are you gonna join me for some multiplayer or just stand here looking for more games?
Ted: I'm gonna go kick your butt at The Covenant.
Brittany: You're on!
-excerpted from GameTV's live report from the floor of E3 2000
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*Nintendo's E3 keynote begins with a montage of Shigeru Miyamoto and various Nintendo figures, including Hiroshi Yamauchi, Howard Lincoln, and Masahiro Sakurai discussing what Shigeru Miyamoto meant to them. It ends with a picture of Miyamoto at work on Super Mario Bros. in 1985, with a quote from him. The crowd cheers as Howard Lincoln takes the stage with Eiji Aonuma. Lincoln speaks.*
“Shigeru Miyamoto was an inspiration to all of us here at Nintendo, and we hope to honor his legacy today by showing how far video games have come as a result of his creativity and devotion to his work. And I can think of no better way to honor Mr. Miyamoto's legacy than the game you're about to see here today: The Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask.”
*The crowd applauds as a full trailer for The Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask is shown, introducing the land of Termina and the moon that is set to fall and bring destruction to the world. It depicts Link's various masks and some of his transformations, including the Deku, the Zora, and the Goron, and even shows footage of Link battling the massive Twinmold as a giant. The trailer ends with the moon falling on Termina and Link screaming as he dons the Deku Mask. The crowd cheers after the trailer ends, and then Eiji Aonuma, with a translator, takes the stage to talk about the game.*
“Majora's Mask takes place in a world full of mystery and danger. It is designed to play like Temple of Time, but with a fresh set of challenges to keep even the most seasoned Zelda players guessing. The game takes place over three days, and that is a strict time limit. If you fail to save the world in those three days, the moon will crash into Termina as you have seen. That means that you must plan carefully and manipulate time to accomplish everything you need to accomplish. There are six dungeons in all to explore, and each dungeon will require different items and masks to complete. These dungeons are home to guardian spirits that Link can befriend in order to protect the world and prevent the moon from falling.”
*More gameplay footage is shown, showing off more of how the various masks can be used. It's much like OTL's game, though a new transformation mask, the Gerudo Mask, allows Link to transform into a Gerudo hero somewhat like Ganondorf, which gives him both speed and strength and allows him to climb to very high areas easily.*
“Though you are on a time limit, there is still plenty of opportunity for exploration, which is required if you are to gain the necessary skills and items you'll need to explore the dungeons and save the world.”
*After a bit more description of the game, Aonuma cedes the stage to Lincoln, who gives the game's release date, November 16.*
“The Legend Of Zelda is surely one of Nintendo's greatest and most beloved series, and there's another series that's very near and dear to fans' hearts, one that we've neglected over the past few years and one that's long overdue for a brand new game. That series is Metroid, which last had a new game in 1994 with Super Metroid on the SNES. Many players have fond memories of Super Metroid, and so do we. And that's why we're bringing Super Metroid to the Game Boy Nova. Take a look.”
*A brief gameplay trailer is shown for Super Metroid for the Game Boy Nova. There are a few small graphical updates but the original game is fundamentally the same and looks excellent on the Nova's screen. The trailer ends.*
“But that's not the only Metroid game we're releasing this year.” *The crowd cheers* “Last year, you got the first look at Metroid: Darkness, Samus' new adventure. The game's release is rapidly approaching, and we've got lots of new things to show you about the game. Here's a look.”
*The full gameplay trailer for Metroid: Darkness is shown. The game plays very similarly to Super Metroid but with vastly superior graphics. Samus is running and jumping through corridors in a variety of environments, there are large, open areas to explore as well but the familiar side-scrolling gameplay is maintained. New weapons are revealed, such as the Cluster Bomb, the Spider Ball, the Quake Jump, and the Graviton Bomb, which crushes enemies across a large area. Samus has a new slide kick, both in her Zero Suit form and her suit, and speaking of her Zero Suit form, it is detailed fully in the trailer, Samus has both blaster weapons and melee weapons and can also kick, punch, and grapple her enemies, she's shown punching a Space Pirate across the screen in one scene and shown leaping up and blasting enemies with a flamethrower in another. Several bosses are shown, Samus is seen in her Zero Suit fighting some kind of armored bounty hunter, another boss is a crab-like beast that grabs Samus and tries to crush her, there's some kind of mechanized tank, and also a horrifying looking giant wasp creature that stings at Samus multiple times. Then a few brief cutscenes are shown, some rooms when Samus enters them start up cutscenes that then seamlessly transition back to gameplay, Samus is shown in one gameplay scene fighting oncoming enemies as civilians flee for their lives behind her. The gameplay can best be described as Super Metroid but with a LOT more going on, the game takes full advantage of the Ultra Nintendo's capabilities despite its retro playstyle and fans cheer several times during the trailer before it ends and gives the game's release date as October 26. Lincoln then returns the stage and segues from the Metroid trailer to a preview of Castlevania: The Occulted Circle, using the term Metroidvania as the bridge. The Occulted Circle depicts a quest where two vampire hunters must go through a castle as 13 vampire lords are meeting, destroying the vampire lords will usher in a new century of peace, failing to destroy them will doom the world to 100 years of vampire terror. The game plays like an updated Symphony of the Night and draws more cheers from the crowd. Lincoln then cedes the stage to a couple of Rare employees (not the Stampers, just speakers for Rare) who preview the game Conker's Twelve Tails, which, unlike the vulgar game of OTL, is a fun looking but fairly plain family-friendly 3-D platformer. After that, this trailer begins.*
*Edison and Madera, now adults with a young son, look out the window of their London home, out across the city. A somewhat melancholy song is sung by a woman during the trailer as the scenes play out.*
Edison: Fifteen years ago, my world changed forever...
*Brief scenes from The Dreamers, including the storm that chased Edison and Ella from the island, Edison's animal friends, him meeting Madera, and Gruntilda, are shown.*
Madera: We got our happy ending, and our son is as wonderful as we could have hoped for.
*An eight-year-old boy plays with his school friends in a park as storm clouds gather.*
*Lightning streaks through the sky.*
Edison: But for every dream, there is a nightmare...
Madera: And for every happy ending...
*A massive black energy pillar opens up in the middle of the city. Edison and Madera cling their son tightly to them.*
Madera: ...there is a story yet to be told.
*A black wind emanates from the pillar, snatching the boy out of Edison and Madera's arms. They watch helplessly as the wind takes him away. They hear Gruntilda's laugh.*
Edison: That witch!
Madera: But how?
*A cloaked woman lands in front of Edison and Madera, she removes her cloak to reveal that she's a grown-up Ella, decked out in adventure garb.*
Ella: Because you didn't listen to me!
*The melancholy song continues to play as Edison, Madera, and Ella are shown exploring a new world full of beautiful landscapes. Meanwhile, Edison and Madera's son James is in a cage as Gruntilda stirs up something in a big pot.*
James: Are you gonna eat me...?
Gruntilda: Why would I eat you when I'm trying to keep you as my son?
*More cutscenes are shown, Ella seems to be much more keen of an adventurer than her brother or his wife, they are rusty while Ella hasn't stopped exploring in 15 years.*
Madera: You ever...thought...maybe...you should...settle down....have kids?
Ella: After what's happened to yours I don't think I need the stress!
*More scenes play, Gruntilda is shown with James who now looks to be totally under Gruntilda's control.*
Edison: Snap out of it, James!
Gruntilda: Show them what mommy taught you!
James: *blasts Edison and Madera with magic, knocking them to the ground*
Madera: How...?
Gruntilda: *laughing*
*A few more scenes play, finishing with Edison, Madera, and Ella standing together on the bow of an airship.*
Edison: I will find you, no matter what...
DREAMSCAPE
2001
*The crowd applauds as the Rare reps discuss a bit more about Dreamscape before once again ceding the podium to Lincoln. Lincoln then talks for a bit about Sony before introducing Mark Cerny, who shows off a gameplay trailer for Tales Of The Seven Seas: The Victorian Legacy. The game has a 3-D hack and slash type feel to it, perhaps a bit slower paced than most hack-and-slash games, somewhat Zelda-like in its combat. It also shows off the game's branching quest paths, showing that the choices various characters make in the storyline affect what missions you'll be given, though this is to a lesser extent than previous games. It ends with another scene showing Victoria getting dressed for a wedding, with Dona as her maid of honor. Victoria reveals that she's armed with a rapier sword, which Dona smiles at before the cutscene ends. The release date of the game is given, and then Cerny shows off Wrath and Ruin, a very Legend Of Dragoon-like RPG with a somewhat dark storyline about a young man who wages war against dueling gods. Then another game is shown off, a somewhat serious 3D platformer called Carpathia. The player controls a boy who must traverse a lonely desert landscape, solving puzzles to open up new paths. The stylistic graphics of the game and complicated puzzles earn it some applause from the crowd, and the serious storyline is a change of pace from the somewhat silly mascot platformers the audience is used to.*
*The next trailer shown is the one for Ballistic Limit 3, which is shown to massive applause throughout. It depicts Ash Beckland, Sara, and their fellow survivors still on the desolate planet from the previous game, when they receive a transmission from Earth begging them to come back. Their monitors show readings from Earth indicating that the planet is under massive attack. What's particularly disturbing about the readings is that they're live, despite the crew being light years from Earth. Something near the planet is bending space-time to allow them to see what's happening to Earth in real time. This is what convinces Ash that the team has to return to the planet, despite the risks of transmitting the alien pathogen to Earth. The game's logo is shown and receives massive applause.*
“Thank you and enjoy E3!”
*Cerny leaves the stage and Lincoln returns to the podium.*
“Over the past few years, the number of women and girls playing games has skyrocketed. Shows like GameTV, with its popular female hosts, have certainly contributed, but the presence of brave and well-rounded female heroes like Lara Croft, Claris, Claire Redfield, and Joanna and Velvet Dark have also altered the landscape of games forever. Our latest action heroes are taking girl power to a new level. Check out these trailers and you'll see that girls can kick plenty of butt on Nintendo.”
*The trailer for Oni, an action-shooter game fairly identical to the game from OTL is shown. It impresses the crowd, but not as much as the next game that's shown off, Blackheart, a Metal Gear Solid-esque stealth game with a female protagonist named Sadira Blackheart, a morally ambiguous assassin. The game's trailer shows off the gameplay, featuring somewhat more complex stealth and combat than Metal Gear Solid, and the somewhat dark humor of Sadira earns lots of laughs from the crowd, which applauds the game after the trailer is over. After the Blackheart trailer, Lincoln shares the stage with some Capcom reps to show off Mega Man Legends 2, before next demonstrating the controller for Iron Battalion, which impresses the crowd as Lincoln seems to have quite a bit of fun using the realistic controls to pilot the game's mech. Capcom then shows off the Game Boy Nova game Triple Orb, before showing off the first trailer for Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, which highlights the frightening creature pursuing the new protagonist, Eddie Noguera, through a sewer area. The crowd cheers after the logo is revealed, then Howard Lincoln begins to speak again.
“Coming later this year is the newest RPG from Telenet Japan, Tale Illumina.”
*A brief trailer shows the protagonist, a young woman named Febria, traversing an icy landscape. It introduces the concept of the game's plot as an eternal clash between light and darkness, and when darkness is allowed to spread, the planet becomes colder and colder. Febria is the last of her line, a line of heroes who fight for the light, but who have gradually been snuffed out by the forces of darkness. She is pursued by these forces, and must find her courage and the ancient treasures of light if she is to succeed in her quest to bring light back to the world. The crowd cheers the impressive looking trailer, then Howard Lincoln begins a presentation about Pokemon Sun and Moon, showing off the game's full English trailer, introducing a preview for the new season of the anime, and showing off several new products due to become available, as well as announcing a new Pokemon Stadium game for the end of next year. He then introduces Ted Woolsey from Squaresoft, who introduces some of Square's upcoming games.
“If you enjoy playing Pokemon, it's time to try Squaresoft's take on monster collecting. This is Mystic Creature.”
*A brief trailer showing a group of kids learning to befriend and train magical monsters is shown. The game has a very rustic art style, resembling OTL Vagrant Story somewhat, but is still fairly light-hearted, with the child protagonists having fun training their monsters even as they come across some very bad villains. In Mystic Creature, three children fight alongside three monsters in battle to create a six-character party. There are over 100 creatures in all, but these creatures are unique, there are only one of each in the world, though you do battle with lots of evil creatures that can't be caught as well, as well as human teams training their own monsters. The game features a soundtrack by Yoko Shimamura, and the crowd has quite a positive reaction to the trailer.*
“Mystic Creature comes to the Ultra Nintendo on November 2nd. Also coming to the Ultra Nintendo is Legend of Mana, the newest game in the critically acclaimed Mana series.” *the crowd cheers loudly*
*The trailer for the game depicts a somewhat more serious game than OTL's title, with fully CGI cutscenes showing three heroes swooping over the landscape riding Flammie-like dragons. Gameplay scenes are shown, featuring battles much like those in the first two Mana games, with damage points visible on screen (unlike in OTL's Legend of Mana). The plot of the game is revealed as being a battle for the fate of the world, a mighty Empire conquering all and the players as heroes trying to liberate it, largely like the original Secret Of Mana. The heroes are trying to plant Mana Seedlings in the hope that one will grow into a full-fledged Mana Tree, which will then shine its benevolence on the world and halt the advance of the evil Empire.*
“Legend Of Mana released in Japan earlier this year and topped the charts for a month, becoming the hottest selling new game of January. Now, it's set to launch in North America next month, only for the Ultra Nintendo.”
*A quick trailer is shown for Final Fantasy: Nova Generation for the Game Boy Nova. It's a bit like OTL's 4 Heroes Of Light, with a bit of OTL Mystic Quest mixed in. With graphics quite good for even the Nova, it's an impressive looking game and gets a fair bit of applause from the crowd despite its somewhat basic gameplay. Next, Woolsey introduces the beat-em-up game The Bouncer, which is nearly identical to its OTL PS2 counterpart with somewhat lesser graphics. After that, Super Mario RPG 2: The Plumble Beginning is shown off. The footage starts by introducing the game's plot, which shows the plumbers as babies being dropped off at their parents' home by the Yoshis, followed by the Mario family leaving their world through a portal to our own due to the continued threat from Kamek, first settling in Italy as children before moving to Brooklyn later on, the plumbers are investigating a sewer in the city when they discover a strange pipe that takes them to the Mushroom Kingdom, where they will reunite with those who protected them as infants and realize their ultimate destiny. The gameplay is then shown to be an advanced version of the gameplay of the original Super Mario RPG, with a much larger variety of commands (think Paper Mario's attack repertoire, but in SMRPG style). The graphical style is full 3-D, and though cartoony, looks on par with or even better than the graphics in Final Fantasy VIII. The footage introduces a young woman named Lana who befriends the heroes, and shows the Mario brothers meeting Princess Peach for the first time before the video ends. The crowd applauds, then Ted Woolsey finishes up Squaresoft's presentation.*
“Before I give the stage back to Mr. Lincoln, I do want to let everyone know that we are showing off Final Fantasy IX-” *the crowd applauds loudly as the game's logo is shown* “At our booth, with an exclusive showing for a few very select and special guests, with a general showing for everyone in attendance on a later day. And finally, there's one more game I'd like to briefly preview, take a look at this...”
*A CGI cutscene shows the inside of a house on the beach as the camera pans around it. A familiar music box tune begins to play, and a picture is seen on a desk. The crowd cheers when they realize that the picture is showing the heroes of Chrono Trigger, while the music box song fades into Crono's theme. The picture begins to shake, and then the entire house, as the camera pans up to reveal a massive ship much like the Black Omen is passing over the beach. A time gate opens up and the ship goes into it, while a young man about Crono's age runs out onto the beach, sword in hand, looking up at the sky. He looks out over the ocean and can see that something is coming. He gets into a battle stance, sword in hand, and watches as whatever is out over the ocean comes his way, an all encompassing darkness that looks to swallow him up. He lets out a scream and raises his sword, bringing it down as the screen goes black. A game title is revealed.*
CHRONO INFINITE *The crowd continues to cheer as several very brief snippets of gameplay are shown, revealing the game's battle system (a hybrid between OTL's Trigger and Cross with many more combos) and finally, an anime cutscene of hand that appears to be female, reaching out of the darkness toward the screen, energy radiates around the hand and the hand appears to be wearing a single loose bracelet, somewhat like Queen Zeal's hand in official art, the hand prepares to fire a burst of energy before the cutscene ends. Ted Woolsey leaves the stage and Howard Lincoln returns.*
“We'd like to show a game that a lot of you might have already played, it's coming to the Ultra Nintendo for the first time.”
*A trailer for Unreal Tournament for the Ultra Nintendo is shown, focusing on the game's multiplayer modes and options, with the ability to link two Ultra Nintendos together across two televisions for eight player play, a system first and something that impresses the crowd. Several more brief preview videos for future Ultra Nintendo and Game Boy Nova games are shown before finally Lincoln seems ready to leave the stage.*
“But before we go...we began this show with Shigeru Miyamoto, and that's how we're going to end it. Mr. Miyamoto was working on one final game before he passed, and even though he's gone, his legacy will live on through this, his very last game.”
*The Lylat system and its collection of planets are shown. A distress call suddenly goes out, an alien being crying for help. Five Arwings swoop into battle formation.*
Fox: Star Fox, get ready!
*The Star Fox team: Fox, Peppy, Falco, Slippy, and Krystal, pilot their Arwings toward the planet where the cry for help came from. Gameplay footage is shown depicting Arwing combat, but then things are changed up.... there are ground based enemies repelling the Arwings' attacks. Fox descends toward the planet and lands, and the scene switches to Fox on land with a pistol, charging toward the enemy. This new feature, where Arwings can land and take off on certain terrain, is showcased. Then we see an Arwing on a water planet, it lands in the water and converts to an underwater craft with the same capabilities as the Blue Marine.*
Fox: Engage underwater mode!
*Underwater combat is shown, followed by scenes from various types of worlds, including desert worlds, jungle worlds, factory worlds, and others. Next, the Landmaster tank is shown off. We also see an Arwing landing and converting into a motorcycle that speeds across the planet's surface, firing shots at enemies.
Falco: Now that's what I'm talking about!
*More gameplay scenes are shown, followed by a cutscene depicting the game's villain, a lobster-like warlord called Clawstorm, overseeing the construction of powerful mechs and a fleet of air fighters.*
Clawstorm: I will get Star Fox in my clutches and I will crush them!
*More scenes showing off the Arwing's new capabilities are shown.*
On land...
*The Landmaster tank is shown, followed by the motorcycle and then Falco and Krystal fighting on foot*
In the sea...
*The Bluemarine is shown*
And in the air...
*The Arwing launches a bomb*
Star Fox will always be there!
Clawstorm: Just who do you think you are?!
Fox: We're Star Fox!
*The game's theme plays before revealing the logo.*
STAR FOX 3
*The crowd applauds, though not as loud as they did for Metroid: Darkness the previous year.*
“Thank you, and make sure you visit our booth, and all the booths of our software partners, and make sure you visit the Shigeru Miyamoto tribute if you haven't already!”
-Howard Lincoln's keynote speech at E3 2000
-
*Ted. Alex, and Brittany are getting a crash course on Final Fantasy IX from Ted Woolsey. The game contains very small snippets of the plots of OTL Final Fantasy IX (the game takes place in a fantasy setting and involves crystals) and Final Fantasy X (it's postapocalyptic) but for the most part it's its own game, nearly completely original TTL. It shows a world decimated by a great war, and almost completely devoid of magic. It is discovered that the four crystals can revitalize the world, but only according to the will of the one who finds them, setting off a war between what remains of the world's civilizations for control of the crystals.*
Ted Woolsey: So here we've got the game's protagonist, Scav, and this girl who travels with him, Emia. Scav finds Emia after she passed out trying to cross the Great Wasteland, which separates the small, backward kind of area where Scav lives from the world beyond, where the crystals lay. But Emia, she wasn't trying to leave this area, she was coming from the world beyond, and doesn't remember how she got there.
Ted Crosley: So another heroine with amnesia?
Brittany: Seems to be a common theme in these types of games.
Woolsey: *laughs* But yeah, Scav is a scavenger type, hunting for old treasures and the like, just trying to get by. Emia tells Scav that there's a crystal nearby and she was trying to find it and keep it safe so the bad guys can't get it.
Alex: And the bad guys, they are?
Woolsey: There are several groups of bad guys, but the most prominent is the Arc Remnant, what's left over from the civilization that started the war that destroyed the world. These guys are still trying to get power and they'll do whatever they have to to get it. Problem is, they're used to having technology, and now there's none left, so they've got to use ancient weapons like swords in order to carry out their will. But what they lack in terms of knowledge, they make up for in brutality. These guys are nasty.
*Alex is playing one of the game's battles, Scav and Emia are battling some goblin enemies, the battle system is reminiscent of OTL Final Fantasy IX's, complete with the Trance system.*
Woolsey: So when you get hit enough times, you go into Trance mode.
Brittany: Like a Limit Break?
Woolsey: Right, and each character has their own skills they can use when in Trance.
Ted: So how far along is this game?
Woolsey: We're looking at 2001 for a release, but I can't give you an exact date.
Brittany: Man, I really want to play this thing! I mean, the whole thing anyway.
-excerpted from GameTV's live report from the floor of E3 2000
-
“Microsoft's Xbox will be the true beginning of the next generation of console gaming. We're bringing the best of both worlds, console and PC, right into players' living rooms. Whether it's epic role-playing games, action-packed shooter titles, lifelike simulators, or family-friendly games, the Xbox will have more quality games than any other platform. It will have a robust online community where players can battle one another in their favorite multiplayer titles or simply chat about whatever they like. Players can also swap their creations, such as custom characters or designs, over our new online service, bringing gamers from around the world closer than ever before. The Xbox will play DVD movies right out of the box, enabling the console to be the one-stop shop for family entertainment. We're not just changing the home gaming landscape, we're hoping to change the system forever. I welcome everyone who visits this booth to try out the Xbox for yourself. I promise, it's like nothing you've ever played before.”
-Bill Gates, at Microsoft's booth at E3 2000
-
*The hosts of GameTV are standing together near the front of the convention center.*
Ted: And that's it for our live coverage of E3 2000, but as always, you can see plenty more coverage online at GameTV.com. We'll be bringing you even more reports from the show floor and letting you know which games you'll definitely want to play when they're released.
Alex: Once again, it's been a pleasure and a privilege to get to bring all the excitement of E3 into your homes.
Steve: Join us next week for another awesome episode of GameTV!
Lyssa: Mmm, before we go, our camera snapped this moment of a certain someone bumping into a certain former co-host of mine...
Brittany: *blushing* You're really gonna show it?
Lyssa: I have to!
*Some earlier footage is shown of Brittany playing Tekken Tag Tournament at the Sega Katana booth, someone comes up next to her.*
Brittany: *engrossed in the game, doesn't see the person come up to her and gently turn her head before kissing her on the lips* …!!! Mm..! *she goes to push him away but realizes who it is and she kind of moans a bit before leaning into the kiss, then parting from him* Chris, you scared the crap outta me! You're covering E3 too?
Chris Hardwick: Yeah, mind if we team up for a bit? *smiling, he picks up the player two controller* How's it going?
Brittany: I'm totally getting paid to do this. *we can clearly see the rings on both of their fingers (ITTL Chris Hardwick and Brittany Saldita got engaged in the fall of 1999, their wedding is set for June 2000)* You better not suck at this game. *smirks*
Chris: I think I'm okay at it but if I suck you don't have to tag me in.
Brittany: Fair enough, good luck baby. *gives him a quick smooch before returning to play the game*
*The footage ends, Brittany is blushing as Lyssa giggles*
Lyssa: You two make an adorable couple, don't even act like you don't. And I totally introduced you, too!
Brittany: *smirking* Well I'm glad you did, you guys got anything to add?
Ted: Is there gonna be an open bar at the wedding?
Alex: You won't mind if I bring my Game Boy Nova, I think I might play some Pokemon during the ceremony...
Brittany: *glaring at both of them*
Ted: For GameTV, I'm Ted Crosley...
Alex: And I'm Alex Stansfield and we'll see you next week for another awesome episode of GameTV!
-excerpted from GameTV's live report from the floor of E3 2000
-
Polly Klaas drove up the driveway to her parents' home, back from Stanford for the summer. It had been a year of ups and downs, but mostly ups, as she'd finally figured out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. Her parents came out to greet her, and she got out of the car and ran over to them, embracing them both.
“I've missed you so much....”
“We missed you too, how did your finals go?” asked Polly's mother.
“They went pretty good, I think I did well on all of them...”
“That's good to hear, still undeclared or have you decided on a major yet?” asked Polly's father Marc.
“Well...I've been doing a lot of thinking...about...well, you know about how they say on the news, video games effect people?”
Marc nodded, having remembered all the news reports from endless sources about how games can hurt developing minds, about how they can cause violence....he still suspected that all the violent video games Eric played are what caused him to try and blow up Columbine and kill Polly's friend Caitlyn.
“Those games...the violent ones,” said Polly's mother. “You think they make people violent? You think they might have made Eric violent?”
“Actually, no...games have....well they've helped some of my friends, one of them even helped me. I think I want to be a psychology major. I want to do more research on how games effect people...how the media effects people. And not in a bad way. I....I think games can help people. I think the messages they send can help people cope with the negative emotions in their lives. I just have to learn enough to prove it.”
Polly's parents weren't sure about what their daughter was telling them, but they trusted her judgment. And Polly was right about one thing... a game console had saved her life, though not in the way they ever imagined it would.
-
Games had saved Kurt Cobain's life. He'd been playing them when he was at his darkest moments, and they helped ease his pain just enough for him to stick with getting the professional help that saved his life. He'd recovered from his addiction, he'd extricated himself from the toxic relationships he'd had, and now, sitting in his living room with his bandmates and best friends Dave and Krist, he was ready to enter a new phase of his life.
“If you two wanna keep the band going...”
“Kurt,” said Dave, shaking his head and placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. “It's not Nirvana without you.”
“Besides, maybe you'll change your mind someday,” said Krist, leaning back on the sofa. “Then we can be Nirvana again.”
“I'm gonna do my own thing, at least for a while,” said Kurt, running his hand through his hair. “Believe me, I thought about this for a long time. I've got enough money I can do whatever I want, and me and Kathleen are gonna see the world together. Just go wherever we want.”
Kurt still didn't know exactly what he was going to do on his trip with Kathleen. He'd probably let her decide where to go, wherever she wanted to go was fine with him, and her ideas tended to be a lot better than his.
“We'll probably make some music if we feel like it too,” said Kurt, looking over at Dave. “So what's the name of the thing you guys are gonna do again?”
“Dave keeps telling me he wants to name it Foo Fighters.”
Dave snorted, shaking his head a couple times and looking down at the floor.
“It's just one idea, I dunno.”
“I think it's a good idea,” said Kurt. “I mean, you know, 'fighters', makes you guys sound badass.”
“But Foo Fighters?” replied Dave, thinking about it for a moment. “It's an old World War II term, I thought it sounded cool one day but the next day I'm like, ehhhh I dunno...”
“I think it sounds fine,” Krist said. “Anyway, whenever we figure it out, you'll be first to know.”
“Cool,” Kurt replied, nodding his head.
“And be sure to bring back plenty of awesome souvenirs. I mean, don't get arrested or anything, but bring some cool stuff back.” Dave leaned over and gave Kurt a hug, and soon after, Krist did the same. “We're gonna miss you.”
“I'll have some sweet stories to tell,” said Kurt, leaning back in his chair again and looking up at the ceiling. “Maybe we can be Nirvana again someday.”
-
Chris Perez held his wife Selena close as the two laid in bed together, holding each other tightly. Selena's new album had just released, and had topped the charts for two weeks straight. Selena was still the world's most popular musical superstar, but to Chris, she was just his angel.
“You're still beautiful...” Chris said to her, and kissed her passionately, his eyes locked on hers.
Selena was living a dream, and there were times she thought it was a miracle she was still alive at all. Every once in a while, she'd have a nightmare about that psychotic woman who'd pointed a gun at her, who might've killed her had Chris not been there to stop it. Chris had saved her life, but even if he hadn't, he'd still be her hero.
“Mi amor...por siempre...” Selena whispered softly. She kissed Chris again, arms locked tight around his body in a passionate embrace. Even if she lost all her money and fame, even if the stars fell out of the sky, she'd still have him. “Te amo...mi amor...”
-
Bill Gates looked around, both at the Microsoft booth and at the rest of the convention center. His entourage of security guards kept reporters from approaching him...he'd already given enough interviews for the day. He was excited about the future, excited about the possibilities for the Xbox. So many had gone up against the Nintendo juggernaut, but none of them had the vision that Bill Gates had. None of them really knew what it would take to go up against the combined might of Nintendo and Sony.
And yet, as excited as he was, he was also nervous. He'd navigated the perilous minefield of the government's anti-trust lawsuit, and now was looking to bust a trust of his own. Not with the government's help, but with raw intellect and creativity. This might just be the biggest challenge of his career, but he welcomed it like he welcomed every other challenge in his life. Bill Gates was ready to take Nintendo down.
He saw someone approach his security staffers. They started to block the man's path, but Gates waved them away. This person he was very glad to see.
“Steve,” said Gates, smiling as he walked over to greet his business rival, Steve Jobs. “You're here at E3?”
“Believe it or not, I'm here. How's it going?”
“Well, the butterflies are still swimming in there,” said Gates, looking down at his stomach. “You?”
Jobs smiled and chuckled a bit, shaking his head. He wasn't nervous at all, he wasn't the one trying to launch a groundbreaking product. Not this time around, anyway.
“It's an amazing device,” said Jobs, looking over at the Xbox. “Easily more raw power than Sega's. You'll blow them out of the water.”
“It's not Sega I'm worried about.”
“Of course it isn't.”
“...the offer still stands,” said Gates, looking back at the Xbox before looking at Jobs. “You and me going in on this thing. Apple and Microsoft, teaming up to take Nintendo and Sony down.”
“Is that a serious offer?” Jobs replied, raising an eyebrow. “...or are you just fucking with me?”
The two men looked at each other for a moment, each of them trying to tell if the other one was honestly serious. Then Jobs broke the silence with a laugh, or rather a small snicker. He shook his head.
“You know I don't play well with others,” said Jobs, placing his hand on Gates' shoulder.
“Believe me, I know all too well.”
The two looked at each other again, and then Jobs leaned in.
“Besides... I'm playing my own game.”
Gates raised an eyebrow. Before he could say anything else, Jobs had already turned to walk away. He stopped for a moment.
“By the way... you seen anyone around here listening to an MP3 player?”
Gates nodded, having seen a few reporters with the devices. Crude, low memory things, some with removable disks, some without.
“...they're awful, aren't they?”
Jobs then walked away, leaving Gates with questions hanging in the air. Not just the one about the MP3 player, but...what did Steve Jobs mean when he said he was playing games of his own?
All the while, Steve Jobs took a stroll by some of the other booths. First Nintendo's, then Sega's. On his way to the front of the convention hall, he saw yet another person wearing an MP3 player clipped to their jeans. He looked up and saw someone he thought he recognized from TV.
“Hey there, Mr. Jobs,” said Ted Crosley, waving at Jobs as he walked past. Jobs smiled at Crosley and waved back, before taking one more look at the MP3 player Crosley was wearing. It was a Rio 500. Jobs shook his head.
“Someone should make a better one.”
-
The plane touched down in Orlando, and Tom Kalinske and his family stepped out onto the tarmac. It had been a few days since Shigeru Miyamoto had passed. Normally, Kalinske would be at E3, announcing the next generation of Saturn games, showing off the Katana...but instead, he was on vacation with his family, a vacation he sorely needed. He'd watched the GameTV coverage of E3 the previous day and had been quite impressed with Sega's lineup.
“They're in good hands with that Reggie guy...” thought Kalinske, who had laughed out loud at Reggie's brash introduction. “I hope he does what he says and kicks ass and takes names. For Sega.”
Kalinske and his family stepped into the airport and made their way to the baggage claim area. For the first time in a long time, Kalinske felt the burden of responsibility lift off his shoulders. The burden of pushing that rock, like Sisyphus up the hill. Gone. All of it. He was free now. And though he knew he'd miss working, and would probably take another job with another company down the road, for the moment, he was just going to enjoy his family and enjoy his vacation.
It wasn't every day that a loser got to go to Disney World.
-
“My friend Shigeru Miyamoto had a lot in common with my friend Jim Henson. Both of them were very humble, they had created things that made so many people very happy and had made them both quite famous, but whenever it was mentioned to either one of them how many people they'd impacted, they would both shy away and try to downplay it. Not all creative people are the same. Not everyone born with the gift of creativity is also blessed with the gift of humility. I'm glad I got to know them as a colleague. I'm glad I got to know Shigeru as a creative equal. Whenever we'd get together, you know, over lunch or that sort of thing, we'd just talk about whatever came to mind. It didn't have to be about work. The language barrier was there but that just made every word more important.
Both of them wanted more than anything else to make people happy. Jim was such a kind and gentle soul, and I saw that in Shigeru as well. Shigeru was always helping people to bring out their own creative energies, even when we were working on Star Fox together he'd always be trying to get ideas out of me, and first and foremost he wanted to make sure everything we came up with would be enjoyed by whoever picked up the controller to play this game. Shigeru had what I would call a 'quiet gratitude' about him, the way he designed his games was as if to say 'thank you for playing'. Everything he did was a 'thank you'. He was always thanking others, he didn't want to be thanked himself. I'm sure his last words were probably a thank you to the clerk who sold him that Dragon Quest game.
I'm so glad to have been able to call him my friend. And like Jim, we lost him far too soon. And like Jim...I hope he realized how grateful all of us are for the things he's created, and how grateful I am for the gift of his friendship, however temporary it was. I miss him. I'll always miss him.”
-Frank Oz, speaking on Shigeru Miyamoto's death on the May 19, 2000 episode of 20/20
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END
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(Authors' Note: This marks the end of Player Two Start. However, it is NOT the end of the story! We plan on continuing things right where we left off in a sequel TL called Massively Multiplayer, which we're planning on taking from June 2000 right up to the present day and perhaps even beyond. Why end Player Two Start now? A few reasons. One, the story shifts from this point. The 90s are over, a new generation of consoles is about to begin. Microsoft's about to get into the game, and as the name implies, there will be other players taking the stage as well! Second, as the T-800 said toward the end of Terminator 2: “I need a vacation!” We've been updating this timeline at a fairly prodigious pace over the past year and a half, and we need at least a couple months off to recharge our creative batteries! Third, there's going to be a format change that will allow for more flexible updates and a faster progression of the timeline. The monthly updates are going to be a thing of the past, we'll share more information when we begin Massively Multiplayer. There are a couple of contributors who may have some material to contribute and you're still welcome to post it in this thread as an addendum to the TL, so readers, keep your eyes peeled for that material should it arise!
We want to give a HUGE thanks to all of our readers and contributors, without whom we wouldn't have made it anywhere NEAR this far! Remember to vote for us in the Turtledoves in a couple of weeks, and we'll see you when Massively Multiplayer begins!)
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