With expectations of Xbox landing in living rooms across America, Microsoft has slid into the casual gaming market in order to attract a larger base of players. Nintendo expects to do the same, except their main targets will be the hardcore gamers.
"We're going to be where the consumers are and, right now, they are basically everywhere," said Executive VP of EA Games Patrick Soderlund. "We treat our games as a service. We continue to listen to what consumers are telling us and what consumers want more of."
Expanding to where gamers are is certainly part of the Xbox strategy as games, TV shows, movies, and music are meshed together Microsoft shoots for an all-in-one entertainment system. The new Xbox Music Service is one example as it will offer over 30 million music tracks to Windows 8 and Windows Phones.
The unveiling of Xbox's SmartGlass allows users to experience entertainment between the Xbox console with Apple iPads, Smartphones, and Windows 8. Available entertainment features include tracking TV shows and watching relevant additional content all on the fly. For gamers, they can manage game content or view other players while being immersed in their own game.
"With Xbox SmartGlass we're opening new doors for producers, artists and creators to develop far more than single-screen TV experiences," said Xbox Live Executive Marc Whitten.
Microsoft has spread itself out from unveiling heavy titles in Halo 4 to more friendly games such as Dance Central and Nike+Kinect. Rather than rely on major titles, game developers are creating games with everyday playing experiences. Both Microsoft and Nintendo are making games available through both consoles and mobile devices.
In following the Nintendo Wii's series of fitness games, Microsoft teamed up with Nike to bring Nike+Kinect in hopes to attract players through family friendly gameplay. Dance titles has also boosted Kinect's popularity as Xbox plans to release its latest Dance Central 3 game which features R&B singer Usher.
While the Xbox heads into the casual gaming realm, Nintendo's Wii U will look to expand its reach to the hardcore gamers. Known for family casual gaming, the Wii U will look to compete with Xbox with core gaming titles like Assassin's Creed 3, Batman: Arkham City, and Mass Effect 3 to name a few. Gamers can see that Nintendo will be working towards establishing unique gameplay while keeping core gamers familiar with its basic game controls.
The extremely popular title from Rocksteady studios, Batman: Arkham City, will make its debut on the Wii U bringing both familiar and new gameplay into the mix. Using the Wii U's new game controls, players can quickly access gadgets, explosives, and maps instantly with touchscreen.
"Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition harnesses the power of the Wii U system and the Wii U GamePad with features that allow fans to further immerse themselves in the role of Batman like never before," said Martin Tremblay, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "WB Games Montreal evolved the incredible hit game by Rocksteady into a truly unique experience on Wii U."
Unique gameplay using Wii U controllers can also be seen with Nintendo's version of Assassin's Creed 3. Nintendo and Ubisoft are collaborating to give Wii U gamers a more unique experience using the new tablet controllers. Using the tablet displays, players can instantly access maps and information within the Assassin's Creed Database.
Players can also swap out weapons during combat and have the ability to control camera views. The controls suit very well with the game's fast paced action and larger maps.
Other key features in the game includes a new engine offering enhanced physics, combat system, and realistic weather systems. Assassin's Creed 3 is expected to be released around the same time as the availability of other game console systems.
