E3 2006 Coverage Commences

The expo doesn't actually begin until the 10th, but conferences get underway tomorrow and news from E3 2006 is already trickling in. Microsoft is going the extra mile by making an assortment of E3 content, including demos and game trailers, available on Xbox Live Marketplace. There is bound to be a great deal of hoopla about Nintendo's weirdly-named Wii and the PS3. As far as online games go, expect some serious buzz over The Burning Crusade, the upcoming expansion for World of Warcraft. Although I'm not attending, I'll also be watching for news about Vanguard, Age of Conan, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Huxley, Warhammer Online, and a few other titles.

Media coverage of the event has gotten so extensive over the last few years that it's almost as good as being there. This time around E3 Insider, the official site of the expo, is offering everything from Flash-based virtual tours of the floor show to free high-quality video of major press events. One interesting item I came across today is an interview with showNets, the company responsible for building the huge computer network required for E3, which has been doubling in size every year. Just imagine the fun you could have with 50 miles of Gigabit Fiber and Ethernet cable!