TNL's Microsoft E3 Conference Retrospective [featuring lots of pics!]
This is the first in a series of four reports I'll be posting about each pre-E3 press conference this year.
Same format as my nVIDIA party thread that was posted in Fight Club: Light on the text and heavy on the pictures, because that's what the people demand! :D
On with the show...
Upon arriving outside the Microsoft press conference at 6:30pm last Monday night (5/12/03), I wondered where to park my car. There were a lot of expensive parking lots outside the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Downtown Los Angeles, and I wondered if I could wrangle a free spot.
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I pulled up and spoke to this lady who was wearing an Xbox badge and directing traffic... After I mentioned that I was with TNL, she waved me right into the event staff lot! ;) I got a primo place next to the auditorium. Sweeet!
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The tents outside the Olympic Auditorium where press conference entry badges are distributed. It's nice to be on the list!
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The auditorium lobby was packed with journalists flocking to the free food like sharks...
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Welcome to the Microsoft Press Conference!
http://img.ranchoweb.com/images/tedrancho/xbox_menu.jpg
What's Daddy Gates serving for dinner tonight... Hey, are those French Fries or "Ed Fries"?
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For the more health-conscious attendees, wheatgrass was available to graze on. I guess they'll serve any food that matches the black-and-green Xbox color scheme...
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Sushi is also available in consideration of the three Japanese journalists who cared enough about the Xbox to attend ;) One veggie roll, one shrimp roll, one spicy tuna roll, and one crab roll. And green Xbox Wassaaaabi!
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This chef was actually from Japan. A very nice guy who seemed surprised and pleased to get his picture taken.
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A-ha! So that's why the line for pretzels was so long!
http://img.ranchoweb.com/images/tedrancho/xbabes1.jpg
XBabes were handing out snack bags throughout the auditorium. These two were "all that and a bag of chips"!
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What do you think--could they convince fence-sitters to buy an Xbox?
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A closer view for Bahn's consideration. Might that be the infamous "Sista Girl" in the middle who flirted with him later that night?
Soon enough, I found TNL's Ali on his way out to a cigarette break (one of many)... He showed me to where the rest of the crew was seated on the upper level mezzanine.
http://img.ranchoweb.com/images/tedr...ox_balcony.jpg
Our view from the balcony overlooking the auditorium floor. "Dude, what's in this XBeer?"
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As Ali and I await the start of the show, I enjoy a cold XBeer. Now that's how you throw a press conference!
http://img.ranchoweb.com/images/tedr...xbox_view2.jpg
Say, is the back of Gaming-Age's Marty Chinn in the front row?
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People begin to file in as the announcement comes over the PA: "The Xbox Conference is about to start!"
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The camera crews are at the ready for live broadcast.
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Lights, Camera, Action! With all the club lights and techno pumping, you might have thought you were at a rave. A bit blurry on account of the XBeer?
By now the software announcements of the Xbox Conference are well-known history, so I won't go into much description here. Basically, they showed a lot of pretty cool games, a few clunkers, and blew everyone away with the HALO 2 live demonstation finale at the end. During the show, every five minutes Reno yelled, "HALO 2! I want my HALO 2!"
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NFL Quarterback Peyton Manning was a surprise guest onstage, giving the new Xbox Live Sports Network a hearty thumbs-up.
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Attendees leave as the conference show ends. We came, we saw HALO 2, it kicked ass... Now let's go home.
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A tired group of XBabes pose for a group shot after the show. "This won't end up on the internet, will it?"
CONT'D...
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Who's that milling about on the sidewalk after the conference? Sega's Yuji Naka? Bahn got him to autograph his Sonic Advance 2 cartridge (yes, that's Bahn, face obscured on the left).
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Yuji Naka actually waited in the taxi line for a half-hour along with the rest of the attendees. You'd think Sega would send a limo for the prince of Sonic Team...
And that wraps up our Xbox Press Conference 2003 report! Out of all four conferences, it was definitely the best in terms of the perks--nobody does media hospitality quite like Microsoft!
Re: TNL's Microsoft E3 Conference Retrospective [featuring lots of pics!]
Her tits are huuuuuge!
Are his eyes normally like that?
Very cool little photo report, dude. :)
Re: TNL's Microsoft E3 Conference Retrospective [featuring lots of pics!]
I think he had a few too many cold ones! :lol:
Bahn had his sonic advance signed? shit, he should have brought either one of the genesis sonics with him, or a copy of sonic CD.
