The E3 video games show held in Los Angeles earlier this month brought together some of the industry’s biggest names.
As well as details of the initial software for the Wii U (above left), the show offered more information about big franchises such as Halo and Call of Duty, which will hit shelves in Q4.
“The team came away from the show feeling very positive,” said Sainbury’s senior games buyer Toby Burton. “A lot of the annual titles are very strong and will deliver great numbers this Christmas.”
But the real excitement was generated by new properties such as action-adventure game Watch Dogs, which features a lead character who can take control of electronic devices. A demo showed him jamming phones and manipulating traffic lights. The title is expected next year on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
Another device that got a lot of attention was Sony’s Wonderbook accessory for the PS3 - a hardcover book that interacts with the Playstation Eye camera and Move controller to deliver an augmented reality experience.
The first title is the Harry Potter-themed Book of Spells. “Wonderbook looked great, and we feel our customers will buy into it,” said Burton.
New PS3-exclusive The Last of Us, due to launch next year, also impressed. Promising a tense and emotional experience, the game tells the story of a man and his 14-year-old daughter fighting for survival in a post-apocalyptic world.
However, there was no word on when the ‘mature’ Star Wars title 1313 would be out - or even whether it would launch on the current generation of consoles.
“Star Wars 1313 looked incredible and whetted the appetite for the next round of consoles from Sony and Microsoft,” said Asda head of games Andrew Thompson.
Tesco did not attend E3, instead hosting its own event in London last week.
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