The Agony and the Ecstasy of the Electronic Entertainment Expo

E3 is almost upon us! It’s a time of great excitement for video game fans the world over, but yet, it is also a time to be wary. Because not everything you’re about to see is going to be awesome. Some of it will suck.

Worse, some of it will suck so bad it’ll be awkward

Today we’re looking back at some of E3’s more memorable big reveals that went a little pear-shaped. I’ve tried my best to include some genuine feel-good stories, but really, those aren’t anywhere near as much fun as the trainwrecks that’ll dominate the above gallery.

(Top image by Vinterbird | NeoGAF)

Total Recall is a look back at the history of video games through their characters, franchises, developers and trends.

The Legend of Zelda: Twlight Princess (2004) – For those present, as you can tell by the hoots and hollers, it was a day to remember. It’s been viewed a little negatively as time has worn on, the reaction deemed unprofessional, and while that reaction may have a point, there are few (if any) series as universally adored by E3’s hardcore crowd than Zelda. So let them have their fun.

Series creator Shigeru Miyamoto bursting on stage with a giant Master Sword was also pretty great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8zfV19ihwA

Rock Band (2007) – Former Xbox figurehead Peter Moore is a passionate, prominent video game executive. He is not, however, very rock and roll.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW9-naRu_os

Gran Turismo PSP (2009) – The fact of the matter is that Polyphony Digital boss Kazunouri Yamauchi had a translator up on-stage with him to unveil Gran Turismo on the PSP. He did a pretty good job considering Yamauchi was so nervous.

History, though, will remember him as the man who just didn’t a fuck, his cool demeanour looking a little too cool when you hit pause on a YouTube vid

PlayStation 3 (2006) – It will be a long, long time before another major E3 presentation comes along as memorable (and awful) as this. It gave birth to 1000 memes, and took Sony years to recover from.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB_GMm5qxpM

Kinect (2009) – Microsoft’s Kinect sounds amazing on paper. And in certain instances during the company’s otherwise excellent 2009 event, looked amazing too. But this moment, well, it was awkward at the time, and now we’re two years on, has proved strangely prophetic given the lacklustre quality (and recognition capabilities) of Kinect games to date.

Jamie Kennedy @ Activision (2007) – Whoever thought hiring someone as thoroughly unfunny as Jamie Kennedy to host a video game press conference got their comeuppance and then some with his wasted, excruciating performance at Activision’s 2007 showcase.

You’ll notice people aren’t laughing with him. They’re laughing at him.

Ravi Drums (2008) – This “demonstration” of Wii Music at Nintendo’s 2008 conference isn’t just one of the worst things you’ll ever see at E3. It’s one of the worst things you’ll ever see.

Wii Vitality Sensor (2009) – The worst thing that can happen at a big product reveal like this is not hearing the crowd boo. Even games writers are too professional for that. No, the worst thing that can happen is hearing…nothing. Not the clicking of cameras, not the hammering of keys, just a few thousand people staring blankly at the stage, all thinking the same thing:

“Is this for real?”