Nintendo, one of the gaming industry’s Big 3 may not be present in this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) but there are a few companies in E3 that made quite a statement during this year’s event. And although they may not have the big presentations that wow people, they do offer some pretty interesting ideas. Here are some good examples of how small companies can leave a big impression.

MOJO by Mad Catz

Mad Catz, a peripherals manufacturer for various video game consoles in San Diego showed its intent to expand its product line as it announced its own gaming console at E3 this week – the MOJO.

The MOJO will run on Android which makes it in direct competition with other start-up companies such as Ouya and the Gamestick. It has at least 16GB of on-board storage which can be expanded via a microSD card slot. There’s also two USB ports which supports accessories compatible with Android, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, a microUSB, Ethernet and a HDMI port.

The MOJO will ship with a Bluetooth controller called CTRL which also features a “mouse mode” that allows users to play games designed for touchscreen devices even though the controller doesn’t have a touch pad. There’s no information yet about the MOJO but it is scheduled to hit shelves before the end of the year.

Nvidia Shield

Nvidia is finally ready to make its portable gaming console available to consumers as it drops the “project” off the Nvidia shield and offers the device for pre-order after its official announcement in E3 this week.

The Nvidia Shield will sport a Tegra 4 quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM, a 5-inch display with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels with a pixel density of 294ppi with multi-touch. It also has integrated speakers, 16GB of flash memory, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS, Mini-HDMI output, microUSB 2.0, microSD card slot and a 3.5mm audio jack with microphone support.

Also on the console’s specs sheet is a 3-axis gyro and accelerometer, dual analog sticks, a D-pad, left/right analog triggers and bumpers, A/B/X/Y buttons and the usual set of Android buttons which include volume control as well as an Android Home and Back buttons.

The Nvidia Shield is now available for pre-order on its own website for $349 and will start shipping by the end of June. Nvidia is also offering a carrying case and tags for the Shield on its website for around $20 a piece.

VIRTUIX OMNI

Last but definitely not the least is the Virtuix Omni. The Omni is an omni-directional treadmill that functions the same way as a D-pad in a gaming console but in a virtual reality way. Paired with a VR-heads up display such as an Oculus Rift, the Omni provides one of the most immersive experiences in the gaming world, if not the only one.

And at E3, the start-up provided a short presentation and a live demo of the device. And it’s actually quite amazing to see how the Omni worked. In fact a lot of people really liked the Omni that the company already received funding only a few hours after launching a kickstarter campaign a few weeks ago.

As with other kickstarter projects, the future of the Omni depends on a number of different factors, but seeing the amount of support it has received in such a short amount of time, it’s definitely interesting how the Omni can revolutionize and disrupt the gaming industry.

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Dell’s gaming arm – Alienware also made some news this week at E3 as it announced its latest and most powerful gaming laptops, the Alienware 14, 17 and 18 which are designed with different types of gamers in mind. For instance, the Alienware 14 was designed for the enthusiast gamer who requires a machine that provides enough gaming performance and yet is handy enough for day-to-day use.

The Alienware 17 on the other hand is built to showcase immersive and graphics-intensive games with the latest technologies for desktop-grade performance while the Alienware 18 will be of course designed for the more hard-core of gamers.

All three models feature a new, iconic and angular design that was lifted from jet engines and stealth bombers and is constructed from anodised aluminium and magnesium alloy body. According to Alienware, over 60% of the main mechanical components of the laptops were made from various metals that add to the machines’ durability.

Moreover, the laptops were built using customer feedback. The new Alienware 14 now sports an anti-glare LCD display with wide viewing angles for reflection-free gaming in nearly any lighting condition, including a premium Full HD panel option with IPS. The Alienware 17 on the other hand has an optional 3D panel for an immersive visual experience, while the Alienware 18 sports a full HD display with PLS wide viewing-angle technology.

The laptops also feature a number of components including a full voltage, quad-core 4^th generation Intel Core i7 processor (Haswell processor), Nvidia GeForce 700 series graphics, DDR3L memory, and support up to four storage drives. The Alienware 18 will feature Nvidia SLI dual graphics technology as standard and will offer an overclocked CPU option with a maximum speed of 4.3GHz. All three models will sport Ethernet technology by Qualcomm’s Killer networks, Klipsch speakers and Dolby Home Theatre v4 audio.

Alienware has also updated their Command Center software which provides intuitive, user-friendly access to company-exclusive applications and controls under one centralized hub. The Command Center includes the exclusive AlienFx lighting control system which allows users to create their own custom lighting themes and special effects.

The new devices have up to 20 colors to choose from across 10 different lighting zones, which totals to over 10 trillion lighting combinations. Furthermore, the company has worked with a number of game developers to incorporate this lighting system to over 60 game titles. 

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The PlayStation 4 has made quite a lot of news in recent months even when nobody has seen the actual console yet. But this week at E3, Sony has finally showed the world its newest gaming console, showcasing the device’s hardware design and providing additional information about the system.

Sony’s next-generation platform will launch for around $399 this holiday season. The external design of the system is subdivided into four sections. The power indicator rests at the top of the device and gives off a “PlayStation” blue color whenever the machine is turned on. The foreside and backside of the device is slightly angled which allows users to gain access to the power button and disc slot when the console is placed either horizontally or vertically as well as help conceal connected cables.

See Also: E3 2013 – Microsoft Xbox

PS4 peripherals include the stand-alone Wireless controller (DualShock 4) and the PlayStation camera (PS4 eye) which will both be available for $59 at launch. The PS4 will sport a single-chip eight-core AMD Jaguar custom low power APU with a Radeon-based graphics engine, 8GB of RAM and a Blu-ray optical disc drive.

Just like Microsoft’s Xbox One, the Sony PlayStation 4 a number of publishers have also developed games exclusively for Sony. These include the following:

However, unlike Microsoft, Sony is imposing less restriction with the PS4 in terms of use of second hand games and internet connectivity requirement.

Aside from its main attraction at E3, Sony also unveiled new details about PS Plus, its paid PlayStation Network subscription service. PlayStation Plus now offers single membership which lets gamers enjoy all of the program’s benefits across the PS4, PS3 and PS Vita systems. Benefits of the program include exclusive game discounts, cloud game saves, early access to beta programs and content, and access to the Instant Game Collection.

The Instant Game Collection provides gamers with immediate access to a library of games – including blockbuster hits, innovative indie games, and classic titles which will extend to the gamers on the PS4 system along with online gameplay, ensuring that gamers always have a selection of games to discover and enjoy with other members of the community.

Moreover, Sony will offer the #Driveclub PS Plus Edition to PS Plus members which delivers all the authenticity and immersion users would expect from the full #Driveclub experience in the Instant Game Collection. Furthermore, one digital title will be rotated each month.

Lastly, Sony announced that it will be providing cloud gaming services by 2014 starting in the United States. The cloud gaming services will provide users of the PS4 and PS3 systems (support for PS Vita to follow shortly) immediate access to a catalog of critically acclaimed titles.

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The Electronic Entertainment Expo also known as E3 kicked off yesterday with a major bang with the biggest companies in the realm of gaming unveiled their latest products for the entire world to see.  

Leading the pack is Redmond-based Microsoft with their highly anticipated and highly controversial Xbox One which was first revealed in an event in Washington last month. But this time around, Microsoft is providing more information about its new gaming console. For starters, pricing for the device has now been confirmed.

Each Xbox One system will include the actual gaming console (which features 500GB hard drive, a Blu-ray player and built-in Wi-Fi), the new Kinect, (1) Xbox One wireless controller and a free 14-day trial of Xbox Live Gold for new members. The Xbox One launch bundle will be available for $499.99 in the U.S.

Microsoft is also throwing in a limited edition commemorative bundle to fans who reserve the system at major retailers. Reserving the commemorative bundle will ensure that users will be able to get the console on day one. Each bundle will include an Xbox One System that comes with premium black packaging with a limited edition Xbox One Day 1 wireless controller and a unique commemorative Day 1 achievement. They will also get exclusive launch titles such as Forza Motorsport 5, Kinect Sports Rivals and Dead Rising 3.

And speaking of games, here’s a list of available new titles for the Xbox One

As for the “always-on” internet connection, Microsoft has clarified that the Xbox One will not require this feature but will need to connect to the company’s server at least every 24 hours to ensure that the user will have all the new updates to a game. If a user is playing with his own profile on a different machine, the user will be required to check-in hourly. Failure to comply with this security check will disable all forms of gameplay (including single-player games)

Moreover, Microsoft will limit the use of second hand games. Users can no longer lend or sell their games to their friends, sell it on ebay or any other form transfer or ownership. Instead, game publishers will be responsible to enable the trading of games. However, a game can only be transferred to another person once and if and only if he/she has already been in a user’s friend list for at least 30 days.

Microsoft also unveiled in E3 a refresh of the Xbox 360. The new Xbox 360 sports a new design that resembles the Xbox One brand elements. It is available in multiple value-packed editions for $199 (4GB version), $299 (250GB edition) and $299 for the 4GB Kinect bundle.

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