Electronic Entertainment Expo - E3 2009

The Game Critics Best of E3 Awards Nominees were named today, an EA was the publisher with the most games nominated!  (18 nominations total!) Stay tuned, winners will be announced Tuesday June 23.

In the meantime take a closer look at EA's nominees for the Best of E3!

EA.com's Matthew Pruitt spoke to Mike Laidlaw about Dragon Age: Origins. Some crucial questions about the game are answered, so what are you waiting for? Watch the video!

If you're at the show, check out today's events on the EA Live Stage at the EA Booth, #1501 in South Hall!  If not, stay tuned for coverage on EA.com!

11:00 AM? NCAA Football 10—Get a firsthand look at TeamBuilder, NCAA Football 10’s highly anticipated create-a-school feature, as presented by senior product manager, Kendall Boyd and designer, Ben Haumiller.  Don’t miss this rare opportunity to get a run-through of TeamBuilder straight from the folks that created what is being celebrated as “the best new feature of any sports game this year.”

12:00 PM? Fight Night Round 4: Get up close and personal with boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, as he takes to the EA SPORTS stage to go toe-to toe with Fight Night producer Mike Mahar. Watch the jabs, slips and weaves, as punches fly in the first ever physics-based boxing game from EA SPORTS.

1:00 PM? Dragon Age: Origins, Mass Effect 2 and Star Wars: The Old Republic.  Join Paul Barnett, Creative Director of Mythic Entertainment, as he talks dragons, aliens and Jedis with the 2 most famous physicians in gaming.  BioWare co-founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk reveal new details of the 3 biggest, most ambitious games to come out of BioWare, along with their latest mind-blowing trailers.

2:00 PM ?Star Wars: The Old Republic – come by and witness the world Premier cinematic trailer from BioWare and LucasArts, “Deceived,” which showcases events around the destruction of the Jedi Temple. It was the crowning achievement of the Sith Empire’s ambitious military strategy and the moment that changed the history of the Old Republic forever. You may have read about it before, but our first cinematic trailer captures this event with breathtaking action and beautiful detail.

5:00 PM ?All Points Bulletin – Conflict, customization and celebrity, the three C’s that define All Points Bulletin, the latest game from Realtime Worlds. Join Realtime Worlds own Dave Jones as he walks you through the mean streets of San Paro and introduces you to  the Criminals and Enforcers that make up this modern, crime-ridden city.

Lead Designer Mike Laidlaw sat down with EA.com to answer some questions about the upcoming Dragon Age: Origins, the latest undertaking from BioWare, makers of Mass Effect. The epic tale of violence, lust and betrayal is BioWare’s deepest story to date, more than seven years in the making.

Q: What was the concept behind the creation of Dragon Age: Origins?

A: In Dragon Age: Origins, you are a Grey Warden, one of the last of an ancient order of guardians who have defended the lands throughout the centuries. Now you are tasked with uniting the shattered lands and stopping the rise of endless hordes of the twisted darkspawn and their leader, the Archdemon--who just happens to be a giant, ferocious dragon. Betrayed by a trusted general in a critical battle, you must hunt down the traitor and bring him to justice.

As you fight your way towards the final confrontation with the Archdemon, you’ll have to face monstrous foes and engage in epic quests to unite the disparate peoples of a world at war... and who knows, play your cards right and you may even be properly rewarded for your efforts...

Q: This game features an incredibly rich story—where did it come from and how did it evolve?

A: BioWare has an experienced team of talented designers and writers who have spent years building the world, developing the characters and crafting a story around the epic themes of violence, lust, and betrayal.

Q: The game is said to have very broad appeal—what accounts for that?

A: Dragon Age: Origins is a dark, mature, fantasy experience. It offers all of the cool aspects of fantasy such as magic, dragons, and badass warriors, without any of the overdone elements. You’re not going to see elves prancing along in little green tights in this game. Instead you’re going to see a hell of a lot of violence, some lust, and a whole lot of options for you to decide how your game plays out in what is easily one of the best stories ever experienced in a video game.

Q: Part of the game is about making tough decisions—how does that play out in-game?

A: The game is littered with choices and ways you can shape the game experience. In fact, we were talking around the office and we figured out that you’d have to play the game something like eight times all the way through to see all of the content in there! With so many choices and ways to make this game a unique experience, we really wanted to make people struggle emotionally and morally with the choices they are going to have to face. There is no Good/Evil slider to help guide you, or let you know if you made the correct choice. There is no correct choice to make in Dragon Age: Origins. Each choice you make will have rewards and consequences. The only gauge you have when playing this game is whether or not you can look at yourself in the mirror after you’re done playing.

Q: What's the one thought/feeling about the game you want people to come away from E3 with?

A: We want people to fully realize that Dragon Age: Origins reinvents fantasy and it is something that you must experience first-hand whether you own a PC, PLAYSTATION 3, or Xbox 360.

-John Riciitiello EA's CEO is on the stage 

-The Sims 3 Trailer.  The Sims 3 is in stores tomorrow!

-On Stage: Chip Lange GM of EA's Hasbro Division- Littlest Pet Shop!  Three new adventures to take your pets coming this fall, not to mention all new ---Littlest Pet Shop Online!

-Purchase a Littlest Pet Shop Plush Toy and get a code to activate the pey's online life, connect with friends in a safe online world!

-On Stage: Dyan Williams, Sr. Producer of The Charm Girls Club, for the Wii and NDS.  Four girls on stage to demo Charm Girls Club Pajama Party.

-On Stage: Pat Soderland on the Need for Speed team- Unveiling the all new Driver Profiles in NFS Shift.

-Driver Profiles give players a unique persona based on their performance.

-Brand New BMW M3 will be given away in the E3 booth at the end of the show on Thursday, NFS Shift Tournament will determine the winner.

-On Stage: Drs. Ray Muzyuka and Greg Zeschuk: Dragon Age Origins is going to be deeper, darker and lustier than anything BioWare has ever done before.

 -Will post the trailer here later, check back!  Dragon Age Origins out October 20th.

-On Stage: The Drs. are back.  Mass Effect 2 Trailer.