Topic: Should Nintendo do a live E3 next year ?

I'd prefer to see a live E3 next year, but I doubt it'll happen unless they want to show something big like the NX. There'll be more people watching a live conference than there would be watching a prerecorded show, and I like to see the audience's reaction.

@IceClimbers: Eh, then we'll just have to disagree. I think there's a certain charm to the live presentations, awkward moments and all. And other people love it, too. They love retelling all of those awkward moments from the past, and looking forward to what might happen in the future...lol

If they are revealing new hardware, then yes, they should do a live event. The benefit of the Digital event is that they can deliver a clean well crafted presentation, and then present the live demos later at the Treehouse stream.

If they are revealing hardware, they need the live demonstration to be intertwined with the presentation, because it's a critical part of the initial reveal. A simple trailer simply won't do anything.

I think Nintendo have already proven that the pre-recorded format works better. If you don't agree then here is a decent metrics. E3 2012, the year before the Wii U release. It wasn't the first time they showed the Wii U but it was the big push before launch. They had two shows at E3, a traditional conference and a Nintendo Direct before the show.

Pre E3 2012 Nintendo Direct: 1million views
Nintendo Presentation E3 2012: 195million views

The next year they dropped the live show. I wonder why. Pretty clear cut if you ask me. And when people say that you can't demo hardware on a pre-recorded video? Why not? What's so different about hardware that it can't be explained in a pre-recorded video? At the end of the day it's still a video demonstration. At least with a pre-recorded video they can fine tune the thing. Hell, they've cut to pre-recorded videos to explain their hardware since forever anyways!

@skywake: You CAN do all of those things with a pre-recorded video, but a pre-recorded video just misses that honest energy you get from a live crowd. Also, I don't get your numbers?... Was there a typo, or is it early and I'm missing something rather clear? You have the Direct video before the conference as getting 1 million views....ok....and the conference itself (live in 2012, correct?) getting 195 million views.....??? Something's off with those numbers, right? Like a period missing or something somewhere? Also, can you link your source? I tried a few searches and couldn't come up with anything. Seems like tough statistics to find reliably.

Anyway, think back. Think of your favorite (and perhaps your most groan-worthy) E3 moments. Go on. Now, I know most of you won't be honest because, hey, you're on the internet and you need to be argumentative just to be argumentative, but if you look DEEP INSIDE YOURSELF, young Skywalker (ha...see what I did there?), I bet you that moment was during a LIVE E3...not some pre-recorded video. Like that time Microsoft lowered a flippin' car from the ceiling...(stupid moment, but memorable)...or when PS4 delivered some cutting lines directed at Microsoft during the unveil E3...or this year when the crowd KNEW Last Guardian footage was coming up and you could barely even hear the guy trying to announce it.

Yea...personally, I don't get those same moments from a pre-recorded video. It's all too clean and too planned. Some of you said you hate the "awkward" E3 moments? Well...those are "real" in a way. But these pre-recorded videos, honestly, the whole thing feels "awkward" to me because it's so detached.

The live moments are memorable. It goes back to my first post. Yea, we live in a world where many, many things can now be done online. Taking classes online - check. Going to the freakin' doctor online - check. But then, why do we still have classrooms? Why do we still have doctor's offices? Isn't online more efficient for everyone? More accessible? Cheaper, even? Yes, perhaps, but it's MISSING something. That human interaction, that vibe you get from not only seeing a couple people unveil a new console in a whited-out room that reminds you of the germ-free zone in a hospital, but a WHOLE AUDITORIUM of people reacting to it.

It's just..different. And in my opinion, WAY better. And I know it doesn't technically make sense, so to some of you people, you just scoff and continue to say, "Well Direct has proven to be hrumph hrumph hrumph..." and that's fine. You stick to your guns. I'm sticking to mine. I think they should go with a live presentation if they have a new console on their hands.

They could do both a Live Event and a Digital Event.

@rallydefault: Regarding the figures, I see where @skywake got the numbers and using that source it's 195 thousand rather than 195 million. That said the figure is inaccurate given it's assuming you watched the live conference via Nintendo's Youtube channel which for most would not be the case. You'd need to factor in views from sites such as IGN, Gamespot, Gametrailers, etc. which would likely bring the number above 1 million. Nintendo probably dropped live conferences for Directs to avoid any cringeworthy moments which are plentiful during those conferences (remember things like the vast majority of E3 2008 and the Skyward Sword demonstration in 2010 for example). Now the cringeworthiness only comes from game announcements such as Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival and Metroid Prime Federation Force.

The trouble is believability. People don't want a hardware demo to be fine tuned, they want to see the real thing in action in a believable setting. If something goes wrong, then they have an actual red flag. That's the main reason anyone does a live conference.

With individual games on old hardware, live demos are nice too, but they don't have the same impact hardware does, and they are simpler to convey, so separating the trailers and the live demos into two separate presentations works fine. With new hardware, you can't sum up everything in a trailer. Generally, you need slides and long explanations to convey your product, alongside which you need to make an immediate visual impression upon the consumer.

This doesn't really cut it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWGfQ21_b0Q

From this, I still don't know how the New 3DS really works, I just saw a bunch of CG images demonstrate the concepts. I have no idea how well the input works, what size the device it, etc. If it were the OG 3DS, then I would be curious about the circle pad, the OS, I might even want to see the 3D slider turn on to see that it works.

No, because something could go horribly wrong if they did a press conference.

I feel like people who need live crowd reactions at press events are the same people who also need canned audience laughter in sitcoms.

What difference does it really make to you if Nintendo has a digital or live event? Unless you are at the conference, you are going to watch it on the internet anyway

Why is watching a magic show in stage better than watching a prerecorded magic show?

Same reason, audience verification. I remember seeing something once on TV where a magician was doing these "crazy" things in front of the Smith family (like Will and and Jada). And I rolled my eyes. This guy is in front of a bunch of actors. Anything I'm seeing could EASILY be doctored after the fact and the reactions could be staged. On the other hand, I believe every Penn and Teller stage presentation I see on the internet, because it's filmed in front of an audience. If they pull camera BS, we will know.

Well, it would help if that wasn't a 2 minute video cut out of a 10 minute presentation.

And again, all of your concerns would be covered extensively during its 3 days on the show floor by every gaming website in existence.

What kind of comparison is this? You don't need any audience verification for game announcements...

My point with the video is that unlike a game, you can't present hardware with just a trailer.

The problem is that the biggest impact of a hardware reveal is the initial reveal. Consumers need to be intrigued enough to investigate further into the press's show floor experience. If you ask me, a critical part of that is a live demonstration off the bat.

Yes you do. Trailers are cut to make games look at their best. In a prerecorded video, demos can be cut and modified as well. If there is a live audience, you can't do that. That's why things like Treehouse Live were so awesome, because we got 3 days of upfront and personal demos. But with hardware, people are going to want to see it immediately.

@iKhan: You didn't take one thing into consideration. The new CEO thing it's going to be his first time showing anything on the big stage. And i don't think he's going to get the same love from the fans if he presents live.

Im thinking live event for, a proper tribute to Mr. Iwata (he deserves a big round of applause which you wont get on a direct), reveal the new CEO, and introduce the NX.
Direct for the NX launch titles with a tree house too.

You know, I can see both sides of it, but for a console reveal I think it's got to be a live conference. Nintendo is already having problems staying relevant and reaching the mainstream. After the Wii U's failure, it's going to look really bad revealing their newest console in another one of their little "Nintendo-fan-only" streams. I know it all hits the internet and reaches the common person in more or less the same way, but impressions have more of an effect than most people realize. When the other companies and revealing their consoles in big ways and making big deals out of them and Nintendo is being kind of chill about theirs, it sends a message--it sets a tone. Nintendo needs flash more than ever, or they're going to keep looking like the niche/kiddy company. A lot of gamers want to feel good about getting excited for the next console, like they used to with all the other ones. Nintendo needs to send a message that this is a big deal.

And I know that there are a limited amount of people in the room at a live event, but hype those people up and they're going to have a much higher chance of a great first impression of the new console, and they're going to bring that excitement to their publications, where their readers will feel the same way. The importance of the reveal itself cannot be overstated.

Yeah, I meant thousand for the video of the E3 show. And the point people are making about the live event being "live" are moot... because the Direct was also broadcast live. Both of them were on twitch, both of them were posted on youtube after the fact. The direct had a much, much bigger impact. They're both on Nintendo's official channel BTW if you want to verify it.

From Nintendo I'd say most of the best moments have come out of the Nintendo Directs. I mean sure the unveiling of the Wii on stage? That was a moment. Same again with Twilight Princess way back when. The live audience does give an energy when it's done right. But it can also swing the other way. And sure the live sections do matter to a degree, just look at the Smash Bros invitational and the NWC. But pre-recorded can be just as good if not better.

I mean when I think back at the unveiling of their last platforms, all of which had actual live shows. I don't really think of the actual live showing. For the 3DS the thing that stuck in my head was the Promo Trailer where Iwata gets sucked into a 3DS. For the Wii U the only things I remember are Non-specific Action Figure and that silly little trailer they had where you could keep playing New SMB during sport. With the Wii sure, there was the bit where Miyamoto came on stage and played Tennis. They also demoed Twilight Princess and from memory the demo was a bit janky. But mostly I remember the sizzle reel.

Yes, the crowd has energy. Yes that's exciting. And nothing will ever beat moments like when they first showed Twilight Princess. But for communicating an idea? For getting people hyped in general? TBH I really like the pre-recorded show better. The only thing you're missing is the audience.... and watching it at home? When you're watching it as everyone else is and you see the chat go wild? It's pretty damn close.

Yes, they should. Live events bring a sense of grandiosity, giving a presentation to a live audience creates a sense that a lot of people are watching. Nintendo needs this kind of attention to show off their console, they need to appear big, bold, and confident for a wider audience to take them seriously.