Apparently there's some thing called E3?

I follow on Twitter a few gaming people. And read a gaming website. And there are two events that happen a year that gets all of them riled up... I can't remember the other one, but it's basically a variant of what's happening right now, the Electronic Entertainment Expo. Nominally for the gaming industry, it's a huge event that drags gamers from across the country to attend. It features numerous booths from many different companies, but the main aspect are the talks by various companies and console makers. The big three, Microsoft (Xbox), Sony (Playstation) and Nintendo (Wii), are generally huge hitters, and in this year's con, Nintendo has stepped aside, Microsoft is shooting itself in the foot, leg, chest and anywhere else it can hit, and Sony is handing them a gun and saying 'we aren't doing that'.

Which is all very well and good, but... I'm not a hardcore gamer. There are dozens (hundreds?) of games I've got, and haven't played any of them. And I don't have a console (okay, I got a PS2, but don't use it), so don't care about the Next Gen. I play on the PC, and use GOG, Steam and Desura for more than my gaming needs (including the indie bundle deals). Which means... I'm looking on at this with bemusement.

Because it doesn't matter aside of the really hard core gamers. Microsoft have solidly declared themselves only for the small fraction of the world that has internet, and is setting up practices that give all problems to the user and all the money to them. And yet... will it hurt them?

Most people don't care. They'll see "shiny new Xbox" and buy. Stereotypical parents will be directed to the new happening, and get it for the kids. Even the hardcore gamers that are turning their noses up at it... a good proportion of them will still get it.

Just like when we get a new Doctor. A small group of people will get all frothed up about it... but then we'll all accept it and move on as if it was always like this.

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