Microsoft E3 Press Conference (UPDATED)

OK, the Microsoft E3 Press Conference started on time, and was shorter, and was a hell of lot more compeling than Sony's E3 Press Conference.

UPDATED: Don't have time to watch the full hour and twenty? Catch the 10 minute highlights on Xbox.com.

10-minute version (Xbox.com)

GameSpot.com (click on the "Tuesday" tab)

The press conference started off with a much bigger bang than Sony's with Gears of War -- intro'd by Cliffy B.

UPDATED: On the hardware front, Peter Moore announced three new Xbox 360 additions for this fall -- the wireless headset, wireless steering wheel (to be time with Forza 2), camera, and the HDVD player (to be available "this holiday").

New upcoming Xbox Live Arcade games promo'd included the following:

• Contra (Whoot! Holla for ol's school co-op over Xbox Live!)
• Frogger
• Pac-Man
• Sonic
• Time Pilot from Konomi
• Ultimate Mortal Kombat
• Rootbeer Tapper

Xbox Live Arcade is also going to get a version of the Lumines puzzle game (Lumines Live) that includes an integration with Warner Brothers that'll let you have live music videos behind the action. Could they have picked a better example than Madonna? Please?

And Microsoft showed a huge list of cool next-gen clips:

• Lost Planet
• Table Tennis
• Mass Effect
• NHL 2K7
• Crysis
• F.E.A.R. 360
• Too Human
• Viva Pinata
• Moto GP 06
• Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth 2
• Sonic Next-Gen
• Madden NFL 07
• World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions
• Saint's Row
• WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007
• John Woo Presents Stranglehold
• Enchanted Arms
• Test Drive Unlimited
• NCAA Football
• Dead Rising
• Dance Dance Revolution Universe
• SUPERMAN RETURNS: THE VIDEOGAME
• Crackdown
• N3: Ninety Nine Nights
• Gears of War

They announced Forza 2 (mheh; but that's just me), and (woohoo!) Fable 2 -- which would be exciting enough on its own, but it will also support (A) 12 people on Xbox Live, (B) an Xbox Live Camera attached through USB, and (C) some program called "Xbox Live Vision" (or maybe that's the name for the Xbox 360 camera experience). Looks like Eye Toy has some competition.

There was also some cool (but pre-rendered) Blue Dragon footage, and Splinter Cell Double Agentb footage that mixed pre-rendered movies with in-game gameplay.

This week will see the first Xbox Marketplace downloadable TV content (including a Gears of War "docudrama" that starts on Live and finishes on MTV).

Microsoft also did show the HD-DVD player which can be plugged in to the Xbox 360, and will be available "this holiday season".

UPDATED: And while Grand Theft Auto 4 will be available October 16th 2007 on Xbox 360, there was no mention of exclusivity -- or even if Xbox is getting it first. Peter Moore did get another tatoo, though.

The press conference also touched on Windows Vista, demo'ing a flight sim and Age of Conan, with mention that there'll be more joint Vista/Xbox 360 titles.

Shadowrun was officially announced for both PC and 360. Developed by Fasa Studios, it will launch with Windows Vista in January 2007.

And the reeeeaaaallllly compelling Alan Wake -- which was supposed to be a no-show for E3 -- had an awesome trailer.

UPDATED: One of the biggest announcements was Bill Gates' (who evidently hasn't been to E3 before) announcement of ""Live Anywhere" -- which basically extends Xbox 360 Live, Xbox 360 Marketplace, and versions of the blade interface across all Windows platforms -- your Gamertag and friend's lists will populate across any sign-in. To show the integration, Xbox Live Marketing Manager Major Nelson mailed a custom car from his phone to a PC, then customized it on the PC and put it into the Xbox 360 game. I'm trying to figure out which game (Forza 2? PGR4? Something else?

And they ended with an amazing teaser trailer of Halo 3 -- allegedly running on the game engine --punctuated with the words, "Finish the Fight ... 2007."

"Finish the Fight"? How about you finish the story I bought from you in 2004? How 'bout that?!

The press conference -- and the trailer -- was shown in the Hollywood Chinese Theater, making Micorosoft's symbolism clear: "This is our Star Wars. "