Low-profile start to E3 fair takes a look at future of virtual reality

The Electronic Entertainment Expo, E3, an important videogame convention, got off to a lowprofile start at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Tuesday.

Replete with big names, the event promises to give visitors a glimpse into the future of virtual reality.

It is also expected to set the stage for a contest between Sony’s PlayStation 4 (PSP4) and Microsoft’s Xbox One.

At the event, long queues to try Nintendo’s 3DS consoles caused the stand to crash repeatedly.

For the third consecutive year the company that created the Wii console opted to make a recorded presentation while Sony and Microsoft had organized live events.

Nintendo fans took to social media to express their disappointment at the company’s announcements that included more additions to its hit line of Amiibo figurines and the debut of Star Fox Zero.

Sony, the video game market leader, thanks to PS4, was less visible at this year’s event and chose to focus on current devices and those expected to debut in 2016.

Meanwhile, Microsoft made Xbox users happy by announcing its plans to bring Xbox 360 games to Xbox One.

Microsoft hopes to capitalize on this strategic decision in the third quarter of the year where Xbox One consoles sold 10 million units against the over 80 million of Xbox 360.

Sony had sold more than 24 million PS4 consoles.

Closeddoor presentations for highlyanticipated Microsoft games including “Halo 5: Guardians” were the also top crowdpullers at the expo.

Sony’s latest virtual reality offering, Morpheus, was relegated to a corner where visitors could try up to 10 games, including “Eve Valkyrie” that has also been developed for virtual reality headset, Oculus Rift.

If Morpheus was barely visible, Microsoft’s augmented reality HoloLens was presented only in private rooms, a strategy similar to the one adopted by Oculus VR that only displayed its last model of Oculus Rift, much like a museum exhibit.

From being nonexistent at the E3, barely two years ago, virtual reality was showcased by 10 percent of the exhibitors this year.

However, it still didn’t occupy prime spots in most of the stands, a sign it is still not very high priority for the video gaming sector.