E3 2006

Shigeru Miyamoto, legendary video game designer for Nintendo, is known as the Spielberg of video games. The creator of iconic characters like Mario and games like the Legend of Zelda, plays tennis with the real Steven Spielberg using Nintendo’s new Wii controller.  (Branimir Kvartuc / AP)

People walk past the Sony Playstation 3 booth.  (Robyn Beck AFP/Getty Images)

Rapper Method Man pauses while playing NBA 2K6 at the Microsoft Xbox exhibit.  (Reed Saxon / AP)

Fire-eating dancers entertain visitors on the stage of electronic games software publisher NCsoft.  (Robyn Beck AFP/Getty Images)

A man tries out an educational Espresso program at the UK exhibit.  (David McNew / Getty Images)

An exhausted attendee falls asleep in a hallway near an ad for the “Pirates of the Caribbean” game  (David McNew / Getty Images)

Paris Hilton signs autographs promoting her Gameloft video game, “Paris Hilton’s Jewel Jam,” during the Electronic Entertainment Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center Thursday.  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

The Family Guy at the 2K booth is one of several video games based on television shows that were featured at E3.  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

Robert Myers of Ubisoft’s “Brothers In Arms: Hell’s Highway,” lends a helping hand.  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

“24” at the 2K booth is one of several video games based on television shows featured at E3.  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

As this man’s shirt indicates, electronic gaming provides a level playing field for kids and adults.  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

Namco demonstrator Ian Alas sports a Pac-Man hat at the company’s mobile games booth.  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

Visitors take aim in a shoot-em-up game at the Namco booth.  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

Visitors demo Capcom’s “Dead Rising” during.  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

Lauren McCorcle models a Medusa-like character from Sony Online Entertainment’s “Gods & Heroes.”  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

“Desperate Housewives: The Game” at the Buena Vista Games booth.  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

Attendees wait in line for an exhibit in front of a promotional poster for director John Woo’s “Stranglehold.”  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

The Korean musical group “F Sharp” performs at the “Power of Korea Game” exhibit.  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

“Mr. Chrome” of VIA Technologies helps promote the “Girls of Destruction” -- seven gaming girls from New Zealand, Canada, America, Sweden, China, Russia and Spain who are partners with VIA Technologies.  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

Nintendo’s booth, complete with flashy special-effects lighting. The company’s handheld DS Lite and the Wii game system were featured.  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

The Sony Playstation 3 exhibit at the Electronic Entertainment Expo at the L.A. Convention Center on Wednesday.  (Myung J. Chun / LAT)

Peter Moore, corporate vice president of Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division of Microsoft Corp., shows off the Xbox’s HD-DVD player during the Microsoft press conference.  (Lucas Jackson / AP)

Corporate Vice President Peter Moore shows off a ‘Grand Theft Auto 4’ tattoo before introducing a trailer for the video game. Taking a dig at the presentations by his Sony competition, the executive said “Some guys do rubber ducks, some guys do tattoos.”  (Lucas Jackson / AP)

A new driving control console, including a steering wheel, gear shift, and pedals, sits next to a new wireless headset that Microsoft announced at their presentation of new software and hardware for their Xbox 360 consoles.  (Lucas Jackson / AP)

Microsoft Corp. Chairman and Chief Software Architect, Bill Gates announces Microsoft’s new “Live Anywhere” initiative, designed to link user’s mobile phones, XBox 360s, and personal computers during a presentation of new software and hardware for their XBox 360 consoles.  (Lucas Jackson / AP)

Executive Vide President of Sales & Marketing for Nintendo America, Reggie Fils-Aime, left; President of Nintendo Co., Ltd., Satoru Iwata, center, and Senior Managing Director and General Manager of the Entertainment Analysis and Development Division, Shigeru Miyamoto, right; use the new Nintendo motion sensing controller to play tennis on the new Wii gaming system at Nintendo’s press conference.  (Lucas Jackson / AP)

President of Nintendo Co., Ltd., Satoru Iwata, talks about the new Nintendo motion sensing controller for their Wii gaming system shown on the screen behind him.  (Lucas Jackson / AP)

Opening Nintendo’s 2006 news conference, the Senior Managing Director and General Manager of the Entertainment Analysis and Development Division Shigeru Miyamoto uses the new Nintendo motion sensing controller to guide a virtual orchestra.  (Lucas Jackson / AP)

Security guards for the Los Angeles Convention Center look at a U.S. Army OH-58 army helicopter on display at the U.S. army’s area promoting a video game at E3.  (Kevork Djansezian / AP)

Richard Wagner, a video wall programmer, calibrates a wall screen presentation in preparation for E3.  (Ric Francis / AP)

SHOWTIME: Exhibition workers prepare a poster for the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The industry gathering, scheduled Monday through Friday, comes as hardware makers plan to unveil new systems.  (Ric Francis / AP)

An advertisement for Warner Bros.’ “Happy Feet” video game by Midway hangs in one of the main entrances as workers prepare for the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).  (Ric Francis / AP)

Exhibition workers prepare for the Electronic Entertainment Expo in one of the main hallways in the L.A. Convention Center.  (Ric Francis / AP)

Travis Spell rolls up a poster for display at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) on Monday before its Wednesday opening.  (Ric Francis / AP)

The Sony Playstation 3 console and its new controller is shown in this picture after the Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. 2006 E3 media event at Sony Studios in Culver City, Calif., on Monday. The new controller adds motion sensors to detect six degrees of movement.  (Kevork Djanseezian / AP)

Phil Harrison, President of Worldwide Studios for Sony Computer Entertainment America, left, demonstrates the new PlayStation 3 game controller while Ken Kutaragi, President and Group C.E.O. of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc., looks on during Sony’s E3 2006 press event on Monday.  (Chris Weeks / AP)

Kaz Hirai, Sony Computer Entertainment America President and Chief Operating Officer, announces the North America price and release date for the Sony Playstation 3 console during the press conference.  (Kevork Djansezian / AP)

Members of the news media photograph the new controller for Sony Playstation 3 during Sony’s 2006 E3 media event.  (Kevork Djansezian / AP)