Will MTV Steal Xbox 2's E3 Buzz?

Man, what a massive announcement today — Xbox 2 (or 360, or whatever it's called) will debut on MTV on May 12th, four days before Microsoft's annual pre-E3 press conference. When I first heard the news, it felt like someone had spoiled Christmas morning. I mean, that's what E3, and all of the pre-show press conferences, are to me — Christmas morning. You gather with thousands of like-hearted game fantatics and gawk at what Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have under their trees. I'd been looking forward to unwrapping the Xbox 2 at the E3 press conference, and now that day I'd marked on my calendar seems a lot less special.

But, what a nutty view, right? Two seconds after my initial feeling, I realized what a lucky life I lead as a games journalist. This MTV unveiling — celebrity-tacky and faux-cool as it may be — will be a great way of letting *all* gamers share in this historic moment, and not just lucky bums like me. It's a revolultionary idea that should have the competition slapping its heads and saying "why didn't *we* think of that?" The whole world will be able tune in at the same time to get its first peek at the future of gaming. What a brilliant way to kick-start critical momentum for Microsoft's next-gen console. They know they've got a small window before Sony crashes the party with PS3, and they're starting the next round with guns blazing.

I wonder though, if the early reveal will dull Microsoft's buzz at E3... The world press — from gaming mags, to CNN, to Newsweek — everyone will be looking for the big stories; the products and events that will define this year's show. Usually, the top stories are decided on before the show even opens, once the three first-parties' pre-E3 conferences have concluded. Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo will take turns selling their visions of where gaming is heading, wowing audiences with their Next Big Things. As the excitement builds to a climax for those three presentations, what will the big stories be? Microsoft will surely get a lot of attention, but before, the full debut of Xbox 2 was a shoe-in to steal the most headlines. With Sony and Nintendo not likely to reveal nearly as much about their next systems (which won't hit until next year), Microsoft's vision of the future will be the only one you can touch, experience and play. But when E3 week rolls around, Xbox 2 will already be yesterday's headlines. Reporters will be looking for the big *new* stories. And what the press latches onto, what gets them the most excited at the show, could likely influence coverage (and therefore, valuable exposure) heading into the rest of the year. Will the exclusive MTV deal outweigh a potential drop in coverage elsewhere, as the gathered world press searches for their own breaking stories?

It will be very interesting to see what people are buzzing about, and getting excited about, the week *after* the MTV special. Will Microsoft hold back certain key announcements until E3 to give the audience at its conference reasons to cheer? And, with not as much to show or reveal, will Sony and Nintendo be able to hold their own against any momentum the MTV special starts to build?

I'm really just thinking out loud; I don't have the answers, but I'm getting more and more excited to find them out :)