[Scarlett.]

According to an email I got

[andyman]

Low grade, old low tech!


But i like it..

[Lewis.]

What was the announcement?

[Scarlett.]

18:24: Welcome to our live blog of Microsoft's E3 2009 conference. It's starting five minutes earlier than planned, with speculation that Microsoft will throw in an extra surprise.

18:28: Now just waiting for the show to begin.

18:30: The show begins. It's opened with a trailer of The Beatles: Rock Band, and now people are playing the game - 'Day Tripper' - live on stage.

18:33: The instruments are all Beatles-themed, mainly with black and white trimming. The game's background visuals are cartoon-y and stylised.

18:32: Giles Morton is introduced on the stage. He says that the game will all be master tracks and include "never heard before studio chat" from the fab four. Nine of the 45 songs will now be announced.

18:35: A trailer shows gameplay and those nine songs - 'I Saw Her Standing There', 'I Want To Hold Your Hand', 'I Feel Fine', 'Day Tripper', 'I Am The Walrus', 'Back In The USSR.', 'Octopus's Garden', 'Here Comes The Sun' and 'Get Back'.

18:37: Abbey Road will be DLC after launch.

18:38: 'All You Need Is Love' will be available as DLC soon on Rock Band, with proceeds going to charity.

18:40: Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison take to the stage, followed by Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

18:41: Paul says, "I love it, but I can't play it. I like the way I walk." After chatting between themselves about how much they like the game, they leave.

18:42: Marketing director John Schappert now appears. He lets everyone know that there will be "no charts, graphics or attach rates" today. The crowd cheers. There will also be ten world premieres too.

18:43: "Now, less telling and more showing." He leaves and Tony Hawk comes on, clutching the skateboard motion controller.

18:45: Hawk talks about Tony Hawk Ride, how the controller can be grabbed and moved to play, and how easy it is to use.

18:47: After a trailer, h says that he hopes everyone has the chance to ride one on the show floor, and makes an exit.

18:48: The lights dim and a Modern Warfare 2 trailer plays. It's the same one that was released last week, confirming the November 10 release date.

18:50: Two members of Infinity Ward take to the stage. "We know you just want to see the game", one says. "So here it is".

18:50: The other whips out a controller and plays on the big screen. It's the snowy mountain stages from the trailer, first shimmying across a tight ledge, then going first person up a steep cliff face using pick axes.

18:51:The graphics are fantastic - the ice breaking away with every axe, and a team mate above grabbing on for dear life. After reaching the top and leaping across a crevice, the player himself slips and his rescued.

18:53:The demo says "In the interest of time...", and cuts forward to some actual gunplay in a snowy village. After knifing a sentry by a parked car, he scopes out a few buildings and avoids a patrolling jeep. The screen has frosting around the edges to emphese the cold.

18:53: Now an airbase is in sight, and it cuts away again to fast forward to a firefight inside the airport. Planes explode as enemies cover, and gameplay wise it looks the same as before, including cover and ironside mechanics. Now the player retreats, sliding down a hill and firing on enemies coming over behind them.

18:54: Snowmobiles appears over the hill, which is then used to escape, going through dense trees, avoiding fire and falling trees. A helicopter appears over head, then the demo ends. The crowd applauds.

18:55: "Activision will release two map packs exclusive to 360 first," says one of the developers.

18:57: Square Enix bring on the producer and director of Final Fantasy XIII, with a translator.

18:58: Now here comes the first look of the game for 360. It features a boss battle, and the translator explains that there will be four active time gauges - the more available, the better attacks are available - and the first showing of summon Odin.

19:00: "We hope you enjoyed the demo." They say the game will be released spring 2010.

19:00: Every game from now one will be Xbox 360 exclusives. With that comes Cliffy B from Epic Games.

19:01: It's an Xbox Live Arcade title called Shadow Complex, a game in the vein of Metroid and Castlevania, powered with Unreal 3.

19:02: Now it's being played - it is in 3D but from a side-on perspective, with a cartoon visual style and heavy on combat, as well as a very typical Metroid map. There will be 120 hidden items to be found, ten hours long, and lots of exploration. "Oh and by the way, some pretty cool boss battles as well." It will be out this summer.

19:06: Next is Joy Ride, another Xbox Live game. Is is a Micro Machines style racer in a desert environment, with huge jumps and avatars. It will be free to download and play, with upgrades available to purchase. Tracks can also be shared. Coming this summer.

From DS

[Spike]

Sony and Nintendo presentations at E3 tomorrow
Nothing spectacular is expected to be announce by either