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CNN Live Today

Electronic Entertainment Expo Under Way This Week in Los Angeles

Aired May 23, 2002 - 11:42   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The Electronic Entertainment Expo, E3 for the game playing crowd, is under way this week in Los Angeles. Retailers and distributors can test drive a hot new title for interactive entertainment out there. That means Game Cube, Xbox and PS2 for all of you.

Now if this Greek to you, CNN's James Hattori is standing by. He is on the floor of E3. He is going to do some show and tell for us this morning.

Hey, James.

JAMES HATTORI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Leon, how are you?

I know you're a big game fan, but we're here at the Xbox booth, and these are some of the hottest new games Xbox is introducing, like some 130 titles this show alone. By the end of the year, they will have, like, 200 titles.

With us is J. Allard , who is general manager.

We're looking "Panzer Dragoon," is that right?

J. ALLARD, X-BOX: "Panzer Dragoon" by Sega, yes. And look at the graphics on that. That is incredible. What's the breakthrough about this. Well, I mean, it's the only game in the world where you can fly on a dragon, great atmosphere. In fact, it's very cinematic in quality. You can turn and you can shoot behind you. It's like you're flying on a dragon. It's the closest thing to it.

HATTORI: It's amazing, isn't it?

What about some of your other titles. In fact,let's talk about your other strategy. Xbox is also going online. They have announced that Xbox Live, which will be starting beta, which will allow players to play each other over the Internet, is that correct?

ALLARD: Yes, the gamers are really psyched about Xbox Live. We'll be introducing it this year. We're going to have probably 12 games at launch, and by the end of next year, 50 online games. So it's kind of the world's biggest playground, with the greatest rides.

HATTORI: And $50 initially, or a year's worth of service. ALLARD: One thing about Xbox Live is we'll have a communicator that allows you to talk to your friends no matter how far they're playing and what games you're playing. They'll works on all online games. So it will be $50 for the headset for a year's subscription, as well as a free game.

HATTORI: This is still very early, isn't it, I mean, in terms -- and we are looking at behind us at "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic," which is not going to be an online game, but still a very hot title.

ALLARD: Yes, it's the first RPG that's ever been created in the "Star Wars" universe. So gamers have just been flocking to it this week.

HATTORI: Let's take a quick look. Come on in. And see how it's going here. Let's look over your shoulder here as we play. Tell us about it.

ALLARD: Well , this is a role playing game. So you actually develop your character all along, and for "Star Wars" fans and RPG fans, the combination just couldn't be better. It's developed by a company called Bioware that's made really, really successful RPG games over the last years, and it's one of the most anticipated things in the booth.

HATTORI: It doesn't hurt to tie into a huge blockbuster movie, does it?

ALLARD: Well, you know, the movie is doing all right. And "Spiderman" is another big hit right now, and it's doing very, very well in Xbox.

HATTORI: Jay, thank you very much for your time. Good luck at the show. Take care.

Xbox of course isn't the only game or company on display. There are some 1,000 companies here on the floor of E3. Nintendo is a big player with its Gamecube. Sony Playstation has announced it is also going to go online this summer with fewer games, not as ambitious plans.

Nintendo, however, is going to its strategy of some of the old and familiar titles, like "Mario Brothers" and "Legend of Zelda," and some of the oldies but goodies.

Leon, you remember those games. You were around, what, back in the days of "Pong," right?

HARRIS: Yes, as a matter of fact, I took my driver's license test on a dinosaur, yes, I was back there then. You know what I'm interesting in, did any of these guy who develop these games, did any of them bring any kids in here to this E3 and let them play these games and give them some feedback?

HATTORI: Well, you know, the feedback comes all the time. They have beta testers, is what they are called. The public gets a chance to play it. They get feedback before it gets released out to the public. So these guys are testing these games up and down the aisles before they are released.

HARRIS: All right, good deal. We'll let you get back to playing around, because we know that's what you were doing before the camera light came on.

HATTORI: Hey, hey, hey.

HARRIS: I know. I know you.

James Hattori out there at the E3. Have fun. Check back with you later on.

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