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E3 - Electronic Entertainment Expo 1999 May 17, 1999 LOS ANGELES, May 14: More than 1900 new software titles were introduced at the 1999 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). And for the first time in the show’s history, we’re happy to report, the largest number of title launches were in the puzzles, children’s and family game categories. We did our best to check out all 1900 titles, but this is a huge show (the Los Angeles Convention Center was booked solid with more than 400 exhibitors), so we focused on the edutainment rather than the entertainment software there. Many of these products won’t be released until fall, but we think they’re worth the wait. Here’s a glance at some of the software and trends we saw: 1) Educational software designed for the middle school and high school student. Some combine fun with serious learning, such as an ecological science-adventure simulation based on Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace; others provide more structured learning, such as the Advantage 2000 series from Encore Software, each covering 10 core curriculum subjects. 2) Programs based on movies, TV shows or popular children’s book characters. For instance, Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace, has spawned several programs: a terrific Insider’s Guide (a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie), a Pod Racer game (at 600 MPH), several children’s learning programs using characters from the movie, and an action-adventure game following the movie’s storyline. There are also new titles based on Madeline, Pooh, Cat in the Hat, Sesame Street, Maurice Sendak’s Little Bear and Arthur, all faithful to their book characters. And for Blue’s Clues TV fans, there will be an early learning series. 3) Better quality of graphic displays and the use of flat panel wide-screen format. This is hot stuff for the gamer and was especially impressive to us. You have to see it to believe it. 4) Software and hardware for very young children (six to 18 months). The Learning Company and Knowledge Adventure both have new titles that offer a variety of toys, colors, music and movements for the very young. Most of this software is designed as a parent-and-baby activity and comes with parent guides. We saw mice shaped like kiddie coupes, brightly colored keyboards and a colorful Little Tykes computer station for children, complete with digital camera, graphics pad and child-friendly software. 5) A broad range of new and interesting products for girls. There are new titles in the American Girl and Purple Moon lines, both offering creative and familiar settings that have been popular with young girls; there are also new programs focusing on writing. Several new Barbie titles are being launched, including a hi-tech Barbie Gotta Groove program using a digital camera with real-time 3D animation and motion capture; and many others. 6) Hobby and special interest titles. There’s software for scrapbooking, home remodeling, amateur audio and video editing, makeup and clothing selection, print and craft creativity, and just about any other activity. 7) Brand name tie-ins with popular products. Examples: wallpaper, paint, carpeting, furniture and appliances are available for you to preview in a 3D mock-up of a room in your home. Programs such as Total 3D Home let you look at the product and then buy it online or check it out at local stores. Ditto for clothing, with Cosmopolitan Virtual Fashion Makeover, where you enter all your body measurements and can see an exact likeness of your body dressed in various clothes and accessories. 8) Almost all new software now has links to Web sites for further learning, fun, help or updates. 9) Software titles for "Trekkies." Simon & Schuster will release the complete guide to Star Trek: The Next Generation. All episodes, complete scripts (searchable), characters, ships, weapons, a video clip from every episode and just about anything you’d ever want to know about Star Trek: TNG. Patience, fans, the program will be here in the fall. 10) More emphasis on rating entertainment software as to suitability for various ages, and a push for enforcement of sales to age ranges based on the ratings. And finally, after listening to the keynote speaker Don Tapscott, author of the best-selling books Growing Up Digital: The Rise of the Net Generation and The Digital Economy: Promise and Peril in the Age of Networked Intelligence, it was clear to us that some very interesting trends in the way we play, learn, shop and work are on the horizon. Most revolve around the Internet. Stay tuned. |
