It's that time of year for gamers of all types to gather around and watch what the industry has to present to the ever demanding public. Despite there being several large gaming related events where big announcements are made, E3 still carries a significant amount of weight in terms of publishers and developers going full force with their biggest announcements.
It used to be that E3 held the biggest surprises in terms of new games and announcements, but as the years have progressed it seems like the biggest surprise announcements now come from independent announcements such as Nintendo Direct or other events like GDC and PAX.
E3 now exists to show off more of what we previously knew about, but in greater detail, clearing up the questions we had about each game and giving us a solid idea on things like its release date and intended platform of choice. It's more of a opening day event for new games to show their stuff rather than a sneak preview at a previously unknown act.
E3 still means a lot to me for many reason. It was the first press event I covered back in 2011. It was the first event that at a young age, I dreamed of one day going to. It's also the event that helps to keep in touch with my family miles away from home, specifically, with my mother.
My mother had always been there when it came to gaming. Despite spending a little more time than I should have during my high school years, she realized how much it meant to me and how much enjoyment it brought to me during those times.
I didn't exactly enjoy my high school experience. I didn't hate going to high school, but compared to what my friends were experiencing at the time, my experience wasn't as interesting, eventful or memorable as others. I wasn't the smartest kid, almost failing several of my classes, nor was I the most popular, often getting forgotten by students and teachers alike. I didn't go out on the weekends, sneaking away to do the things kids my age shouldn't do. Rather I would spend my time away from academic life playing games, learning about games and the developers behind them and dreaming that maybe one day, I would finally make it out of my high school and find the freedom and choice to pursue the things I wanted to do.
During this time, I enjoyed the time I spent in, enjoying the privacy and quiet escape from academic and social pressures. My mother always seemed to have an interest in what I was doing, the things I was interested in and the goals that I wanted to achieve. She was the best person I could possibly have during that time when it came to talking about the things I loved. Most people would vent their opinions and thoughts to their friends or message boards, I chose to talk to my mom. She listened, she offered her opinion, she occasionally read the same issues of EGM and Nintendo Power that I read. She would watch me play through games, taking a break from her job and life to watch me make my way through Eternal Darkness or explore City 17 in Half Life 2. The fact that she could even tell what those games were and who made them, already made her knowledgeable than most mothers. I was certain that on more than once occasion she was able to help a naive parent make a video game related purchase that would otherwise go unassisted at Best Buy.
Through my mother, I had found that nerdy friend that we all want to have. Oddly enough, she couldn't actually play many of the games I was talking about despite my continual efforts to find her a game she could enjoy. She couldn't accelerate from the starting line in Need for Speed, move the two analog sticks to aim and shoot in Halo, or figure out how to get out of a car in GTA.
She was able to play three games somewhat. In Mario Kart: Double Dash she would always be neglected to the back, tasked with the job of throwing shells and keeping other drivers off my back. In Soul Calibur she was capable of occasionally winning through button mashing. She also became pretty good with Puyo Pop, beating me more than I would like to admit. She was never looking to get better and actually play the games, she just wanted to learn more about them. She was interested in the industry itself. It's trends and the legacy it created. Just like me, she always wanted to learn more.
Somehow, someway, it had gotten her attention and became a hobby for her to follow. At first I thought this was just an act of kindness to show her interest in her son's life. I have realized that years later, its not only a way to connect with her me, but its own interest as well. She may not admit it, but in many ways, she a true gamer, more so than most people I know who play games on a daily basis.
E3 is still a moment for us to get together and commentate on all of hits and misses from each publisher. I have realized as I have become older that for many people, people connect with their parents in different ways. Most parents I know talk to their kids about politics and sports. They talk about the things that need to be said, the check ins on each other's life and wellness. I can honestly say that I don't really know anyone else who has an hour long conversation with their mother about the Wii U or anything gaming related, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
So while most gamers will be live streaming E3 and discussing afterwards on their forum, message board, soapbox of choice, I'll be logging onto Facetime and chatting with my mom while we watch E3 together. To us, its our Super Bowl, our World Cup. Its our mother son bonding time that still unites us together years, miles and ages later.
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