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Square Enix E3 2015 conference live report

We're done. Lots of new RPGs, and a (brief) look at Deus Ex and Hitman.

Strike another one off the list - Square Enix is done, and it used its E3 platform to show its heavy emphasis on RPGs as well as handful of its western properties. There were times when it felt like we were watching a show from an older, drier time at E3, but the quality of what was on show just about won out.

Watch live video from SquareEnixPresents on www.twitch.tv

Our live coverage of this event has finished.

Hello hello, sorry for rocking in slightly late - have just come in from the Nintendo's slightly underwhelming digital event.

Martin Robinson

matthewhaycock: I missed the Nintendo conference. Was it that bad?

Disappointing, yeah. In fairness to Nintendo it's rocking out a lot more first party games this year than either Sony or Microsoft, but there's nothing there to appeal to anyone beyond hardcore.

Martin Robinson

We'll see Hitman, Deus Ex and hopefully some Final Fantasy (although I think it's optimistic to expect the 7 remake just yet).

Martin Robinson

I think we may have seen all we're going to see of Lara in yesterday's Microsoft conference.

Martin Robinson

X201: Only two more conferences to go and we can declare the first dub-step free E3 in years.

I think Square may just be about to ruin that party.

Martin Robinson

Five minutes behind schedule, but we're up and running.

Martin Robinson

Phil Rogers on-stage.

Martin Robinson

And he looks absolutely terrified at the prospect of heading up a conference.

Martin Robinson

The fear in his eyes has subsided though, and he's into a groove as he outlines what's ahead for Square across the next year.

Martin Robinson

houldendub: He probably has to get 9 million views to make this conference viable.

Ding ding ding.

Martin Robinson

Just Cause 3, which we'll have a full preview of tomorrow morning.

Martin Robinson

It's by a new team at Avalanche - the Just Cause 2 team is making Mad Max.

Martin Robinson

Someone pointed out to me earlier that E3 shows are theatre now - not the dry presentations they used to be, now that they have global audiences.

Martin Robinson

Right now, this feels like an E3 conference from that older way of doing things.

Martin Robinson

Let's game now though. Roland Lesterlin, the game designer of Just Cause 3, is up on stage.

Martin Robinson

It's got a release date, which not that many people seem excited by.

Martin Robinson

I feel bad for being negative about the Nintendo conference after the first few minutes of this.

Martin Robinson

I think this kind of prolonged marketing fluff is best left outside of a show. It's just dull and patronising.

Martin Robinson

I mean, most E3 conferences are dull and patronising, but at least they have a sense of spectacle.

Martin Robinson

Ooooh wait nice cars! I take it all back.

Martin Robinson

Wait, I missed the fact the villain's called Di Rebello. That's beautiful!

Martin Robinson

The mild applause is hilarious.

Martin Robinson

Yosuke Saito up now - and he's showing an all-new game.

Martin Robinson

This chap has worked across Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, IIRC.

Martin Robinson

It's a Platinum Games joint!

Martin Robinson

They're everywhere this year.

Martin Robinson

Saito did Nier, I've just been reminded, and Yoshida, character designer of FF12, is onboard.

Martin Robinson

*And* it's got the same director as Nier. That's quite the rollcall of talent.

Martin Robinson

It's a new Nier!

Martin Robinson

Wow.

Martin Robinson

That's about as leftfield as you can get. It's on PS4 for now.

Martin Robinson

BRING IT. This is what E3 conferences should be about. A man in a freaky mask.

Martin Robinson

This could be our Konami 2010 moment. Please keep this up Square Enix!

Martin Robinson

Robert Purchese

Just magical.

Martin Robinson

So Platinum is confirming it's not an action game, like its previous work.

Martin Robinson

They've got previous in other genres, of course, with the likes of Okami under their belt when a lot of the team worked as Clover.

Martin Robinson

Rayza: Is it just me or does this whole thing have a really weird atmosphere

It's quite starchy, with occasional outbursts of wtf. I approve.

Martin Robinson

Elsewhere Platinum has been confirmed to be working on StarFox Zero.

Martin Robinson

What *aren't* they making.

Martin Robinson

Tomb Raider does make an appearance. Here's hoping for a look at some proper gameplay and not some fluff about mo-cap or anything.

Martin Robinson

Oh balls.

Martin Robinson

Nemesis: E3 gives me this weird fascination with watching the presenter's hands. I dunno why.

I always get freaked out about hand gestures. They become more pronounced in big shows like this, as the presenters are made very conscious of them.

Martin Robinson

Nemesis: E3 gives me this weird fascination with watching the presenter's hands. I dunno why.

Like, the Battlefront developer yesterday didn't move her hands enough. Some people move them too much. Someone like Andrew Wilson gets it just right. Forceful, meaningful swipes of those well manicured fists.

Martin Robinson

This is some good, quite naturalised hand gesture action from Horton. Strong. Others could learn a lot from it.

Martin Robinson

Robert Purchese

Square Enix Montreal's head of studio, Patrick Nooooooo.

Martin Robinson

And some quite expressive hand gestures. Big sweeps, occasional pinches. Another strong showing.

Martin Robinson

I'll hand it to Square, they've got these gestures down pat. Pun not intended and now I want to shoot myself.

Martin Robinson

Er, make that a Lara Croft game on mobile. I was dazzled by his hands.

Martin Robinson

Lara Croft Go which - if Hitman Go is anything to go by - is worth looking forward to.

Martin Robinson

Robert Purchese

Montage me-do right now. Life is Strange, Dragon Quest Heroes and Heavensward.

Martin Robinson

Now for something a little more racy, Kingdom Hearts 3.

Martin Robinson

But wait! It's the CG trailer for the Final Fantasy 7 remake again.

Martin Robinson

Is this intentional, or the mother of all boo boos?

Martin Robinson

Will we see any gameplay?

Martin Robinson

No, of course not.

Martin Robinson

Well, in the meantime the old version will be out on PS4 this winter.

Martin Robinson

Noooow it's Kingdom Hearts 3. You can tell because of the manchildren have started screaming in the audience.

Martin Robinson

No, wait. It's not.

Martin Robinson

Master o the trolls, Square Enix everyone. It's another mobile game, but the looks of it.

Martin Robinson

They really are phenomenal at the old bait and switch. Well done all.

Martin Robinson

Kingdom Hearts Unchained Key, which has already been announced in Japan, and it's coming to America.

Martin Robinson

They will likely call a press conference in Europe soon to announce further details and then just guff in our faces.

Martin Robinson

Anyway, this is definitely Kingdom Hearts 3!

Martin Robinson

No, no it's not. It's two enthusiastic men in chairs.

Martin Robinson

This is Kingdom Hearts, right?

Martin Robinson

No, no it's not.

Martin Robinson

It's Roy. He's in the audience.

Martin Robinson

This is Kingdom Hearts 3?

Martin Robinson

It is! And mighty fine it looks too. Full of colour and character and verve.

Martin Robinson

Robert Purchese

"Thank you" screams a man in the audience as it comes to a close.

Martin Robinson

He's still screaming, while those sat next to him shuffle their seats away.

Martin Robinson

World of Final Fantasy!

Martin Robinson

This got unfairly forgotten yesterday in all the noise around Final Fantasy 7. I think it looks great!

Martin Robinson

And this is the same trailer we saw yesterday. I hope Square didn't pay too much to put this show on.

Martin Robinson

Hiroki Chiba, the game's director, on stage to talk abut the game. He's not moving his hands at all, just using them to grimly hold on to the lectern.

Martin Robinson

Lunastra78: I sense a severe lack of hand gestures

He's doing it all with his eyes.

Martin Robinson

Not much there beyond what we already learnt yesterday.

Martin Robinson

Now it's the Hitman reboot.

Martin Robinson

Coming first in a small trial this December that slowly opens out.

Martin Robinson

So kind of Early Access. Maybe. Perhaps.

Martin Robinson

Or constantly evolving, to put it kindly - the game seems to have special timed events.

Martin Robinson

It sounds like it's open world, and almost MMO-like.

Martin Robinson

Some gameplay would help explain it to us better. Come on, give us a gander.

Martin Robinson

You're excited to start talking about it, we're excited to see it.

Martin Robinson

If this is just the trailer from yesterday....

Martin Robinson

Funnily enough Agent 47 looks a lot more like Timothy Olyphant now.

Martin Robinson

This is at least proper look at gameplay. Of sorts.

Martin Robinson

This looks like a smart new direction for the Hitman series.

Martin Robinson

Robert Purchese

Only Deus Ex left, I think.

Martin Robinson

Ah, Star Ocean first.

Martin Robinson

It's quite amazing that it's 2015 and we're seeing a new Star Ocean on-stage at E3. Mental, but very welcome.

Martin Robinson

Star Ocean Integrity and Faithlessness. Wow.

Martin Robinson

That's quite a mouthful. It's not quite Infinite Undiscovery, my personal favourite mental Square Enix RPG name.

Martin Robinson

blarty: Someone's gone a bit 'Work Experience week' with the transitions.

They were super trippy.

Martin Robinson

Nemesis: Only one collar up; like a dog with funny ears

I think it's some form of communication. Two up is a cry for help.

Martin Robinson

Rob_Nomad: i don't understand why i always see "lasagnA" everytime, it's "lasagnE" (plural) :D

New facts, I did not know this so the last hour hasn't been a complete waste of time. Thanks!

Martin Robinson

Star Ocean is coming out the end of this year in Japan, next year elsewhere.

Martin Robinson

Now we have Deus Ex, right?

Martin Robinson

I'm fascinated to see how they're going to troll us with this one.

Martin Robinson

The French really have a special way with their hands.

Martin Robinson

Those gestures scream 'no-one dicks with my collar'.

Martin Robinson

Everyone in the office seems to think this is on the Dong engine. Or the Dung one. Pretty sure it's Dawn, but now hoping it's not.

Martin Robinson

Mary was another podium grabber, for those keeping score.

Martin Robinson

This isn't gameplay. Yet. It's a CG trailer.

Martin Robinson

Is this gameplay? It's so frustrating seeing it all cut up amidst all this fluff.

Martin Robinson

From the little snippets in there it is looking impressive.

Martin Robinson

2016 release, PC, Xbox One and PS4.

Martin Robinson

Early 2016 release, too.

Martin Robinson

Robert Purchese

Square president Matsuda on-stage now to wrap up.

Martin Robinson

Of course no-one's messed with his collar, yet he still feels the need to grasp the podium.

Martin Robinson

ONE MORE THING.

Martin Robinson

SHENMUE 3!

Martin Robinson

jiveguy: Please be Pele Fantasy, please be Pele Fantasy

\o/

Martin Robinson

An all-new RPG project, from a newly formed studio called Tokyo RPG factory.

Martin Robinson

Dedicated to creating Japanese RPGs.

Martin Robinson

Please tell me Matsuno's back!

Martin Robinson

This is an all-new series. Not a Final Fantasy. Not a Dragon Quest. It's Project Setsuna.

Martin Robinson

And it's out next year globally. That's all we're getting on it for now, it seems.

Martin Robinson

Well, 2016 is going to be great.

Martin Robinson

Kostabi: It's got to be hard speaking a second language while this nervous. Actually feel sorry for the guy.

You're right, he's doing a great job.

Martin Robinson

In a nice touch, Square Enix is bringing everyone on stage to finish.

Martin Robinson

It was stilted, but there was some grand stuff there - a new Nier developed by Platinum, no less, a (sort of) look at Deus Ex and Hitman and an all-new project.

Martin Robinson

They all know what to do with their hands now.

Martin Robinson

It's all climaxed in one big show of hands. Amazing stuff.

Martin Robinson

Robert Purchese

Patriotic Final Fantasy music plays while the president delivers one final rousing message. This is really sweet!

Martin Robinson

We're not done yet. The PC Gaming Show is at 1am tonight.

Martin Robinson

(After that we are so, so done)

Martin Robinson

Hopefully see you there!

Martin Robinson

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