E3 Round-up E3 certainly didn't disappoint games fans this year as new games were announced and competition in the games console market was turned up a notch. Sony's PlayStation 3 may have been the most eagerly awaited announcement at this year's event in Los Angeles, but after achieving somewhat of an anti-climax, it was the new Nintendo console that got most people excited.

A revolutionary new controller eclipsed disappointment over the choice of name - Wii (pronounced 'We') - and grabbed the attention of most E3 attendees. The controller, which is shaped more like a TV remote control, has some motion sensitive elements built in, allowing the movement of the controller to be translated on screen.

Unsurprisingly, there was much excitement over this development, with the new controller attracting interest all round. Nintendo displayed a couple of uses for the motion sensor, including the swinging motion for tennis games.

The excitement that followed Nintendo's announcement was in stark contrast to the aftermath of Sony's presentation. The firm announced the pricing for its new console, and a launch date - an eagerly awaited fact for games fans. However, it was not the console that was taking games fans' breath away, but the price.

Available from 17 November in Europe, the 20GB model will sell for €499 and €599 for the 60GB version; the PlayStation 3 comes with a hefty price tag - significantly dearer than Microsoft's Xbox 360. Of course, there are some advantages, such as the high definition output and wireless capability, but Sony has cut much of the functionality for the cheaper model.

Add to that the fact that Microsoft says it intends to sell some 10m units before the PS3 gets to market, and the popular console could have a battle on its hands.

Bill Gates made the announcement of the target at Microsoft's presentation, which also saw the introduction of Live Anywhere - an extension of the Xbox Live service, which will allow PC or Windows-based device users to connect to the Live service and go up against 360 players.

And there was good news for Halo fans - Halo 3 is on the way, although not until 2007.

One new thing Sony did announce is the introduction of tilt control to its controllers. However, in light of Nintendo's announcement, it may not have had the wow factor that it could have.

Perhaps one of the most reported events of the expo was Paris Hilton's appearance to promote her new game "Jewel Jam". However, unluckily for Hilton, she managed to get the name of her own game wrong, calling it "Diamond Quest" instead.

Copyright © 2006, ENN