Yesterday, I put up my thoughts on Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference. This year, Microsoft renewed their focus on making the Xbox One a gaming platform. They didn’t tout that you can use the console to watch TV or look at fantasy football. And because of that, they put up a much better E3 Press Conference this year.

It’s Sony turn to step up to the plate and show their stuff. Now they can’t hide behind the mistakes of their rival to win this year’s E3. No, they have to do this by impressing the gaming world. In my opinion, they managed to do it. They beat Microsoft’s clinicially antiseptic and “serious” press conference this year… again. But not by much.

If you missed it, you can watch it through the link below.

The reason why Sony do E3 Press Conferences so well is because they know how to tease gamers without revealing too much. They know what we want to see and show us just enough to whet our appetite and get our mouths watering. We know we wanted to see more of Destiny. So they opened the show up with an epic trailer for the game. They knew we wanted to see what Uncharted would look like on the PS4, so they revealed a trailer showing us just that at the end of the show.

While they never really showed too many live game demonstrations during the event, they did show a lot of taped gameplay. It’s not as impressive as them showing off the game live but the footage that they did show off was fantastic. Far Cry 4 looked good. Arkham Knight’s gameplay trailer was excellent! It made me want to get a PS4 (even though I know it’s going to show up on other consoles).

Another thing that made the Sony Press Conference were the surprises they revealed. I didn’t expect them to reveal them releasing a version of Grand Theft Auto V for the PS4. Or that I could play Far Cry 4 with my friends who don’t have the game. Or the re-release of Grim Fandango. Or a Destiny bundle to come with a white PS4. Or Infamous First Light, A DLC game that doesn’t require the main game! Or announcing PlayStation Now to Vita. Or the announcement of the console formerly known as PS Vita TV, the PlayStation TV. They kept on revealing more and more stuff and that just got everyone watching excited.

Also, unlike the Microsoft Press Conference, not everything went off without a hitch. There were a couple of mistakes that could’ve wrecked the experience but it made the show much more entertaining in the long run! A random “Hulk Smash!” audible when some guy was discussing Destiny. The team demonstrating Little Big Planet 3 had problems traversing their game. It was moments like these that made the show engrossing than Microsoft’s well-rehearsed press conference.

Of course, not everything was good. Sony used the press conference to report they will be making a PlayStation “exclusive” television show based on the Powers comic book series. I’ve never read the comic myself and the premise does sound interesting (a former superhero turned cop who investigates superpowered crimes) but, without showing anyone what the show will be about, I don’t think people unfamiliar with the series cared for this. They took a few minutes to announce a Ratchet and Clank CGI movie! Normally, I would be stoked for news like this but to announce this during E3? I kind of question their decision to do this and it seemed like fluff to fill in an extra couple of minutes.

Also, after they showed more about The Order 1886, I’m kind of skeptical the game will be any good. It looked like a steampunk version of Ryse: Son of Rome which wasn’t that good. If the gameplay is going to be movie-FPS-movie-QTE-movie-FPS, I know I, along with a lot of gamers, am going to hate it.

Fortunately, the boring/bad parts were all bunched up right before the reveal of Uncharted 4, which got me hyped again. I wish they actually showed a little more action though. Come to think of it, most of the games were actually just trailers! I really wish they showed more actual gameplay throughout the press conference.

The reason why I say Sony edged out Microsoft this year was because they did what an E3 Press Conference should do: get people excited for their products. Sony did exactly that and made me look to the future of what they’ll be bringing to consumers in the coming months. Well played, Sony.

Now all you have to do is live up to the hype you just built up. Right now, that’s your only job.

What did you think of Sony’s E3 Press Conference this year? Did you think it was better than Microsoft? Or do you think they lost this year to their rival? Whatever your opinion, please leave them in the comments section below!