While 
the video game industry was optimistic going into E3, the investment community was a bit more skeptical.
Certainly, the introduction of new consoles would give shares of the sector a boost, but would it be enough to bring back the glory days? Analysts were uncertain. But as E3 draws to a close, some of those industry observers have become more optimistic about the next 12 months and beyond.
The 
video-game industry’s annual E3 trade show is much like a carnival. And to get a true sense of the barely controlled chaos, you need to look past the game booths and crowded show floor.
This year, Nintendo offered people who were unable to attend the show (which is the vast majority of the gaming population) the opportunity to play demos of the unreleased games at more than 100 Best Buy locations around the country. That gave fans a bite of the smorgasbord.
E3 is a constantly moving, nearly organic being. Capturing all of the show’s eccentricities is impossible, but here are a few snapshots of the industry’s annual party-trade show.
Microsoft 
spent over an hour and a half showcasing the Xbox One and the many games that will launch with the new console—but only one moment made the entire crowd gasp.
Phil Spencer, general manager of Microsoft Game Studios, announced Monday that Microsoft’s next generation console would be available in November—at a price of $499. And almost immediately, the air went out of the room.
Will 
Santa come before Christmas this year? Game makers certainly hope so.
As publishers and console makers in the video game industry gather in Los Angeles for E3, their annual trade show, sector players are looking for a lift ahead of the holidays.
E3, 
the annual video game extravaganza, has mostly been a closed gate. Industry insiders can attend, as can media and retail partners, but the heart of the industry, the gamer, has been forced to watch from afar.
The Entertainment Software Association hasn’t changed its official policy on the show, but that’s not stopping E3 2013 from breaking out of its cage this year.
Ever 
since Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One, the world’s been abuzz over conflicting information about whether you’d have to keep the console connected to the Internet, exactly how intrusive the new, improved Kinect would be, and the fate of used games.
With E3 2013 looming, Microsoft has finally given clearer answers to those questions — though they’re not going to make everyone happy.
The 
fate of used games on the Xbox One continues to get murkier.
While Microsoft has confirmed its new console will support used games, the methods behind that process have been somewhat confusing thanks to mixed messages from Microsoft executives. But a new report sheds some light on why there hasn’t been a clear answer yet.
The 
Internet might be a haven for cat lovers, but when it comes to gamers, dogs rule.
Activision has a viral hit on its hands with Call of Duty: Ghosts, but not for the reasons it likely expected. The German Shepherd seen wearing a motion-capture suit in the game’s first official trailers and screenshots has become something of an internet sensation.
There 
were a lot of fancy features showcased in Tuesday’s unveiling of the Xbox One, but there were plenty of unanswered questions as well.
That was to be expected, of course. With E3 looming and months left before the system releases, Microsoft had to keep some of its powder dry. But the company also dodged some pressing questions and gave conflicting answers on others — and that’s infuriating some gamers.
The instant backlash against the Xbox One, in fact, has been rather astonishing. To help understand it, here’s a list of some of the things we don’t know that we probably should, as well as areas where Microsoft just made things more confusing by constantly flip-flopping.
Since 
the rumormongers starting whispering about Microsoft’s next-generation console over a year ago, one of the most controversial topics has been the fate of used games.
Some reports said the system would make it impossible to play them. Analysts scoffed at this, saying Microsoft wasn’t stupid enough to alienate a substantial portion of its audience with such a sweeping move — not to mention anger its biggest retail partner, GameStop, who sees significant revenue from used game sales.
Chris Morris: Journalist 