:00:00. > :00:44.All of which can only mean it is time for E3,
:00:45. > :00:48.the world's maddest video games expo, in the heart of downtown Los
:00:49. > :00:54.This is where new games are launched and new hardware is lauded.
:00:55. > :00:58.It is always big, loud and bright but this year,
:00:59. > :01:02.for the first time, it is not just open to those who work
:01:03. > :01:09.15,000 members of the public have also been allowed in,
:01:10. > :01:21.All of which means things have got a lot bigger.
:01:22. > :01:23.How exciting it is, depends on whether the big console
:01:24. > :01:25.manufacturers have any big announcements or not.
:01:26. > :01:28.This year, Microsoft generated the most excitement by announcing
:01:29. > :01:46.And with that, Phil Spencer kicked off the Xbox E3 press event.
:01:47. > :01:50.It is a big year for Xbox as it announced a brand-new console,
:01:51. > :02:01.Its high-end spec includes six teraflops of graphic performance.
:02:02. > :02:10.It is capable of producing 4K high dynamic range visuals at 60
:02:11. > :02:16.As well as producing Dolby Atmos audio.
:02:17. > :02:20.All this adds up to a whole lot of horsepower for a console.
:02:21. > :02:25.It is being billed as the most powerful console ever,
:02:26. > :02:29.but is more computational grunt enough to shift Sony from its number
:02:30. > :02:37.In an attempt to do just that a parade of 4K resolution games
:02:38. > :02:39.assaulted the senses, including a peek at the latest
:02:40. > :02:41.addition to the popular Assassin's Creed series,
:02:42. > :02:50.The Expendable's Terry Crews brings the smack down to Crackdown 3.
:02:51. > :02:59.Open World smashed everything in sight, destructo-fest.
:03:00. > :03:07.As well as family-friendly platform Super Luckey's Tale.
:03:08. > :03:10.These games will play on the old Xbox One and will play
:03:11. > :03:13.with 4K graphic enhancement on the Xbox One X.
:03:14. > :03:17.Leading that 4K charge with the new machine,
:03:18. > :03:21.racer Forza Motorsport 7 and Anthem, a new sci-fi exosuit game
:03:22. > :03:35.One of the few games where high-end lighting effects
:03:36. > :03:41.A strong line-up then for the new Xbox.
:03:42. > :03:51.Very little in the way of fan favourites and franchises such
:03:52. > :03:57.Some franchises people know will be coming,
:03:58. > :04:04.I spent last month, I was at both the studios last month looking
:04:05. > :04:08.We fill this arena with great games without even bringing
:04:09. > :04:18.Is more power than important when bringing out a new machine?
:04:19. > :04:20.Nintendo has done quite well with its new machine
:04:21. > :04:26.which is arguably the least powerful console on the market.
:04:27. > :04:33.Power important to the discerning premium customer.
:04:34. > :04:38.And we know it is released on November seven.
:04:39. > :04:41.We do not know what games are like when you actually power
:04:42. > :04:44.the machine up, grab hold of the controller and play
:04:45. > :04:48.To find that out, I have to go over there.
:04:49. > :04:51.OK, now you may think that my driving here is a little
:04:52. > :04:55.scrappy, but there is method to my madness.
:04:56. > :05:00.By damaging the car I can see the additional level of detail
:05:01. > :05:05.A smorgasbord of different weather effects going on here.
:05:06. > :05:08.All of them showing what this machine is capable of.
:05:09. > :05:13.The first time I played a game on the new Xbox One X and I just
:05:14. > :05:18.The most recognisable of all titles will be launched with this machine
:05:19. > :05:25.The beautiful game to look at and as you expect,
:05:26. > :05:31.But there is more to this than just incredible graphics.
:05:32. > :05:36.That was Mark and, interestingly, no talk of VR at Microsoft but,
:05:37. > :06:00.I received a challenge recently, come and play me, at Killer
:06:01. > :06:04.It didn't say "if you dare", but it might as well have done,
:06:05. > :06:07.because, as it turns out, Ben is somewhat of a combat expert.
:06:08. > :06:16.Ben has just taken me out in about 20 seconds.
:06:17. > :06:19.I could have done it quicker than that if I didn't screw
:06:20. > :06:23.We're playing Killer Instinct, a five-year-old combat game.
:06:24. > :06:26.It's a big eSports title with players competing for millions
:06:27. > :06:28.of dollars each year, but it's not only its popularity
:06:29. > :06:35.So there, Kathleen has blocked low and the only reason I know
:06:36. > :06:39.she blocked low is because I heard that sound, that you heard there.
:06:40. > :06:42.Ben is relying on his hearing because he's blind,
:06:43. > :06:46.which makes his win even more impressive.
:06:47. > :06:49.If you throw a fireball...it travels and that rather satisfying
:06:50. > :06:54.connections sound at the other end when it hits the opponent.
:06:55. > :06:59.When I say, do you realise you're fighting a guy who can't see,
:07:00. > :07:02.they are like, no, I did not realise that at all.
:07:03. > :07:10.And that starts conversations in itself about how games
:07:11. > :07:14.And you're passionate about taking that conversation further now?
:07:15. > :07:17.I think it needs to go further because gamers without sight
:07:18. > :07:21.Things like being able to tell your friendly team
:07:22. > :07:24.and your enemy team apart, so different footsteps.
:07:25. > :07:33.Audio only games have been around for many years and it's only
:07:34. > :07:35.now that sound designers are beginning to harness
:07:36. > :07:41.I'm now beginning to understand how crucial sound design
:07:42. > :08:11.Currently, blind gamers have to memorise the menus within games.
:08:12. > :08:15.That is one of the big barriers. It is not compatible with the software
:08:16. > :08:18.that blind people use for technology. If that barrier is
:08:19. > :08:21.something that can be removed you would see aid begin Chris on the
:08:22. > :08:33.amount of wind accessible games that there are. Ian Hamilton's job is to
:08:34. > :08:36.make gaming more accessible. Innovation is still being done. I
:08:37. > :08:41.think there is always going to be new barriers to be overcome. Ian has
:08:42. > :08:45.been working with people like Ben for years, but it is really now down
:08:46. > :08:49.to the console makers to bring about change. We want to make sure that
:08:50. > :08:52.games and consoles that we build our accessible to any kind of player,
:08:53. > :08:57.whether it is somebody that a site issues, hearing issues, we are
:08:58. > :09:00.working with APIs, without control as we have announced co-pilot mode
:09:01. > :09:03.where two people can use to controllers to play one version of
:09:04. > :09:08.the game. So somebody maybe cannot use all the buttons. Microsoft is
:09:09. > :09:12.really leading the way when it comes to accessibility for blind gamers.
:09:13. > :09:16.They have released a new text to speech API, which means for the
:09:17. > :09:23.first time in gay menus will be read out. Let's see what Ben thinks about
:09:24. > :09:28.this. -- in game menus. There are other developers, Sony, Nintendo,
:09:29. > :09:33.anybody else, making their content more accessible using in gay menus.
:09:34. > :09:37.That is brilliant. If I can go in and buy a game on the first day
:09:38. > :09:38.without having to worry about how much a paper but this is its
:09:39. > :09:45.accessibility, that would be ideal. Sony kicked off its PlayStation
:09:46. > :09:50.press event with a bang, thanks to a trailer from developer
:09:51. > :09:52.Naughty Dog's latest adventure, Oh, thank you.
:09:53. > :09:56.I'm sipping! The crowd certainly liked that Sony
:09:57. > :09:59.made it snow in sunny LA for robo dinosaur mash-up
:10:00. > :10:01.Horizon Zero Dawn's expansion, And everyone's favourite friendly
:10:02. > :10:09.neighbourhood Spiderman swung into action in a new game
:10:10. > :10:12.which features an innovative use of his athletic abilities
:10:13. > :10:19.and his web slinging. And, unlike Xbox, who didn't even
:10:20. > :10:31.mention VR, PlayStation renewed its commitment
:10:32. > :10:37.to techno welding goggles, sorry, virtual reality,
:10:38. > :10:40.by showing off a host of VR games, And an utterly bonkers
:10:41. > :10:50.Final Fantasy VR fishing game. Final Fantasy 15:
:10:51. > :10:52.Monster of the Deep. PlayStation is riding high
:10:53. > :10:55.at the moment with its PS4 But, with the superpowerful
:10:56. > :10:59.Xbox One X on the horizon, will things like VR help Sony
:11:00. > :11:02.to maintain its lead? I think that over the long-term it
:11:03. > :11:06.really is an opportunity to create a new entertainment medium,
:11:07. > :11:09.but I do stress that it's I think in the last six months
:11:10. > :11:16.to a year we've seen a little bit of over hyping of the
:11:17. > :11:23.category out there. We saw this as the start of a very
:11:24. > :11:31.long process of bringing VR You'll see lots more
:11:32. > :11:35.technology innovation. I think content makers,
:11:36. > :11:46.game makers and others, That is it for the shortcut of Click
:11:47. > :11:50.here at each three. There is much more on BBC I player. You can also
:11:51. > :11:51.find us on Facebook and Twitter. Thank you for watching. See you
:11:52. > :11:53.soon.