Microsoft E3 Keynote 2011: Monsters and Mice and TVs, Oh my

Folks, it is E3 time and that means we are up to our noses in announcements. First up on the list is Microsoft. Later, we'll talk Sony.

First off, Halo. The franchise that makes men out of mere boys all while taking their IQ and respect points away from them. Halo 4 has been announced for the X-Box 360. Folks, Master Chief is back and he's badder than ever, having to awaken from a dying ship



The game is due out in December of next year, just in time for the Mayan Calendar to end. And speaking of Halo, it seems Microsoft slipped us a remake of the classic that started it all



Due out this November, it's time for Fratboys to rediscover their roots. But on the other side of the fratlore lies Gears of War 3, with John DiMaggio as Marcus Fenix and with a special appearance by Ice-T



Let's see those two duke it out for who gets the fratdollar.

But outside of that, Kinect is the domination. And we've got something exciting. First, Kinect Sports 2 by RareWare



And if that wasn't enough, Kinect Fun Labs



And if that wasn't enough, Sesame Street, part of the Children's Television Workshop, is jumping on the Kinect bandwagon with Once Upon a Monster



Also, it seems the force is with us all with Kinect Star Wars where you can play a Jedi, a podracer, a starfighter, or a Rancor



And even Disney wants in on the action with Kinect Disneyland Adventures. Finally, exploring Disneyland in the sanctuary of your own home, complete with hugging, high-fiving, and realistic ride simulation



Meanwhile, it seems Minecraft, the popular shape your world and build your homes game, has been announced as an X-Box 360 title. Though we have no trailer, we have a link at the bottom as confirmation

Also, for those who enjoy Fable, here's a new taste of Fable: The Journey itself



Other games involved includes, but is not limited to, Mass Effect 3, Forza 4, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Ryse, Call of Duty: MW3, Tomb Raider, and UFC. But that's not the only thing announced. X-Box Live TV has also been announced.

Xbox Live is also getting a few more features to beef up the entertainment experience. The service is going to get YouTube, Bing for search, and voice control to control all of it.
You'll be able to use Bing to find more content to watch, by searching the Web, YouTube, Live TV, and all the services on Xbox Live, including existing ones like Netflix and Hulu Plus. And voice control will let you speak your search item, such as the name of a movie, TV show, or game.

That means less time fiddling around with a controller. "You no longer have to navigate through the menus to find content," said Mark Whitten, head of Xbox Live.


Guess I better start cancelling my Cable service.

For more information on the Microsoft Panel, go to Engadget. Meanwhile, I shall await the Sony Panel and the 3DS Update.

Works Cited:
Cnet