From a new press release:



Super Smash Bros. Tournament Highlights Nintendo's E3 Approach E3 Expo 2014

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Over the last few years, Nintendo has repeatedly reinvented its approach to E3 by creating unique ways to break news and get fans at home involved in the fun, while also offering great experiences for on-site attendees. That mission continues in 2014 as Nintendo offers a series of new channels to communicate news directly to its key audiences, including fans, media, analysts, investors and business partners. This includes a new format for unveiling news: the Nintendo Digital Event; a Super Smash Bros. tournament; a full slate of live, in-depth game demos from the Nintendo booth; and an opportunity for fans to play Super Smash Bros. for Wii U for the first time at their local Best Buy.

"We demonstrated last year that we are never afraid to reinvent a proven tactic or to break completely new ground if we believe it will provide the best experience for our fans, followers and partners," said Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's president and chief operating officer. "So, whether you're attending E3 in person or joining online, there's an amazing lineup of games, experiences and events coming your way."

At E3 2014, Nintendo will offer four unique experiences, all under the unifying banner of "Play Nintendo."

Super Smash Bros. Invitational
2014 will see the arrival of not one, but two new Super Smash Bros. games: Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. To commemorate this occasion, Nintendo is inviting 16 highly skilled Super Smash Bros. players to the NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles to compete in a Super Smash Bros. for Wii U tournament. Thousands of fans in the audience and countless more watching a live stream online will see new Super Smash Bros. characters clash with existing favorites in action for the first time. More important than declaring a winner, however, this event is a celebration of all things Super Smash Bros., and a great way for new and veteran fans to take part in a tribute to this legendary franchise. More information about the 16 invited participants in the tournament, the identity of the announcers, and how fans of the franchise can view the tournament in person and via webcast, will be communicated shortly.

Nintendo Digital Event
Every year, Nintendo looks for the best way to show its games and share its news with fans, media and other key audiences. In 2013, Nintendo decided to forgo a traditional press conference and use a video - in that case a Nintendo Direct - to share its news from E3. The company is building on that approach at E3 2014 with the "Nintendo Digital Event," a new kind of video program that will reveal and provide further detail about the gaming experiences on the way for Nintendo platforms in 2014 and beyond. The Nintendo Digital Event will air at 9 a.m. PT on Tuesday, June 10.

Nintendo Treehouse: Live @ E3
This year, Nintendo will offer fans a deeper look at Nintendo's biggest games of E3, with information directly from the source. The "Treehouse," the Product Development department at Nintendo of America, will provide in-depth game demos live and unscripted from Nintendo's booth. This new program will be live streamed during all hours of the E3 show. Fans can get settled in, open their browsers and experience the Nintendo games at E3 like never before.

Super Smash Bros. Smash Fest @ Best Buy
In 2013, Nintendo broke new ground by expanding its E3 activities outside of the walls of the Los Angeles Convention Center and letting fans play some of the games being played on the show floor at participating Best Buy stores. The partnership between Nintendo and Best Buy continues in 2014 and will mark the first time around the world that fans have had the opportunity to get their hands on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

More details about each event, including dates, times, locations and game content will be revealed shortly. To follow all of Nintendo's E3 activities, keep an eye on Nintendo's Facebook page, Twitter feed and YouTube channel. Or visit http://e3.nintendo.com.

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That video was pretty good. I'm fine with them not having a big press conference. I just hope the stream doesn't suck this year, although I've learned my lesson with Directs since then to go straight to Youtube and not Ustream. The live demos from the treehouse folks should be interesting. I may go check at Smash at Best Buy too as long as it's at the one near me and it's the whole week and not a special event for a couple hours like last year's stuff.

Posted by

DeputyVanHalen

on: 04/29/14, 17:29

Edited:

04/29/14, 17:30

"Digital Event" sounds like a prime hype train candidate. BUT I've learned not to expect much out of E3 anymore.

Maybe Microsoft will hang itself again, but I doubt that.

Posted by

missypissy

on: 04/29/14, 17:39

Reggie said:

"We demonstrated last year that we are never afraid to reinvent a proven tactic or to break completely new ground if we believe it will provide the best experience for our fans, followers and partners,"

NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO DITCH AN E3 FULL CONFERENCE AGAIN, I THOUGHT THAT WAS MADE QUITE CLEAR LAST YEAR.

Posted by

pokepal148

on: 04/29/14, 18:21

That video was pretty great. Reggie Fils-Aimech! LOL!

Looking forward to the Smash tournament and the Smash at Best Buy, plus stuff from the treehouse. I don't think the lack of a presentation with a live audience is worrysome at all. If they can deliver a ton of content with some great surprises, I will be entirely pleased.

Posted by

anon_mastermind

on: 04/29/14, 18:24

@anon_mastermind
I agree, 99.9% of the audience is watching it on a computer screen anyway, so I don't see the big deal. Seeing a room of random people clapping about something isn't going to make me any more or less excited for something and the Directs flow much better than the press conferences ever did.

Posted by

DeputyVanHalen

on: 04/29/14, 18:29

Just a clarification, TB. There is going to be an invitational tournament for the top 16 Smash players live at Nokia Theater at E3, and there will be kiosks to play at Best Buy. No tournaments at Best Buy, I don't think.

Posted by

anon_mastermind

on: 04/29/14, 18:48

Edited:

04/29/14, 18:48

Oh fuuuuuuuck!!!

I assume it'll come to Van just like they did last time. Oh shit oh shit.

I'm pretty dang good at Smash, hopefully I can rip people up.

They better provide recent builds by the way. Every build last time was a very old one. Didn't leave as good an impression as they could have.

Haven't watched vid yet since I'm at work, can someone give a summary please? I guess Nintendo isn't doing the live conference on stage then?

Posted by

carlosrox

on: 04/29/14, 18:51

@carlosrox
Just read the PR in the OP for a summary. No live conference but there will be a live Smash Bros Wii U tournament. You need to watch the video at some point though, it's great.

Posted by

anon_mastermind

on: 04/29/14, 18:54

The issue isn't the method of delivery, the issue comes from the negative "oh Nintendo's skipping e3 again" type buzz that Nintendo is going to inevitably get from these announcements.

Look at those wii u sales (or lack thereof). NINTENDO DOESN'T NEED MORE NEGATIVE BUZZ!!!!!!

Nintendo needs to rebuild their image because right now they look like that girl at school who thinks everyone likes her when really everyone finds her absolutely insufferable. If doing so means having an ACTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE instead of fiddling around with their stream settings on ustream then they should not only have an actual press conference but they should have a damn good one.

Posted by

pokepal148

on: 04/29/14, 18:55

@pokepal148
Nintendo chose to host a live Smash Bros Wii U tournament in the Nokia theater, with the top 16 Smash Bros players in the world, rather than host a conference there. Trust me, this can only mean good things for Wii U.

Posted by

anon_mastermind

on: 04/29/14, 19:01

If it ends up being the same Best Buy as the Wii U event from last year, I'll definitely have to swing by. It was a great place to get StreetPasses!

Posted by

GameDadGrant

on: 04/29/14, 19:05

Nice video. I like that Mega64 got involved in the promotion...pretty brilliant, actually. I may actually have to go to Best Buy this year and try it out...if only to get StreetPasses. Maybe I'll get the rest of the puzzle pieces that I'm missing by then.

Posted by

ludist210

on: 04/29/14, 19:15

You guys are insane. An opportunity to play the new Wii U Smash Bros for the first time, and you're focused on friggin' StreetPass Puzzles?? WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE

Posted by

TriforceBun

on: 04/29/14, 19:38

@TriforceBun
Haha, I was gonna say something along those lines. Streetpasses > seeing/playing the new Smash Bros for Wii U months before it releases.

Admittedly, I would be pretty excited for potential streetpasses if I didn't max out my plaza every time I took the subway (Toronto).

Posted by

anon_mastermind

on: 04/29/14, 19:42

Probably a mistake. I think there's a certain element lost when it is just a direct or whatever instead. Ask yourself if the E3 2004 trailer of Zelda would have resonated as much had it just been part of an online video instead of a live event. I think a press conference is absolutely more capable of getting people excited than a pre-prepared online video.

Oh well. As long as the lineup is solid they should be alright.

Posted by

Stephen

on: 04/29/14, 19:42

@TriforceBun

Um, gonna be in line for quite a bit to play it, I'm sure. Might as well try for 100 StreetPasses in a day and all of the puzzle pieces.

Posted by

ludist210

on: 04/29/14, 19:43

@Stephen
I think the lineup is going to be great. Nintendo has a ton of first and second party teams that have gone dark for a long period of time and we don't know what hardly any of them are working on. Plus, the treehouse thing would be a total flop if they didn't have a lot of games to show off. I'm sure there are going to be at least a few big reveals this year.

Posted by

DeputyVanHalen

on: 04/29/14, 19:47

Here's hoping for Mario Strikers U, if Next Level Games started after Luigi, it should be in development for over a year now.

Posted by

anon_mastermind

on: 04/29/14, 19:49

@anon_mastermind
I could see that. We know Zelda is coming, but I'm expecting this year to be like 2010 where they just start announcing a bunch of stuff that we had no clue was coming.

Posted by

DeputyVanHalen

on: 04/29/14, 19:51

The Treehouse does the localization for Nintendo, right? If it's going to feature that department, I wonder if that is a sign that DragonQuest is getting a release here in NA? Maybe be shown off at E3?

Posted by

GameDadGrant

on: 04/29/14, 19:55