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With the “most important event in gaming history” unfolding in a little over a week, the gaming nerd contingent at Denuo is a bit excited. We’ll be heading out to the Electronic Entertainment Expo on June 14th to take in all the latest fun from the world of gaming and, of course, bringing back our take on the big reveals and trends spinning out from the showfloor.

Before we pack our bags (ed. note: who are you kidding, they’ve been packed for a month now), this year’s show promises to hold some surprises for the gaming faithful and, with that, bring all sorts of new opportunities for those involved in the gaming space. For those of you following along from your laptop and RSS feeds, here’s what to look for when the expo opens its doors.

WE’VE COME FOR YOUR FAMILY

With a Wii in practically every home, Nintendo proved that there was an audience for gaming far beyond the 18-34 male in the house. While momentum may have slowed for the console, that doesn’t mean the audience is forgetting about gaming (as evidenced by the rapid growth of social gaming).  If anything, families are looking for more ways to play together; something the other console makers are hoping to fulfill with new tech for their consoles.

This year, both Microsoft and Sony are introducing motion control support to their consoles; Sony echoing the Wii’s wand-and-joystick combo with Move and Microsoft’s anticipated Project Natal motion-tracking camera controller finally seeing the light of day.  All this innovation isn’t just for core gamers. If anything, it flies in the face of what core gamers expect out of their systems.  Microsoft and Sony want just as much attention from the Wii-playing family as they do Halo fanboys.  When Natal and Move step out into the spotlight, don’t expect the next Halo or Uncharted to show off the potential of these devices.  Instead, we’ll be treated to accessible games similar to what made the Wii so compelling (think golfing, nerf sword fights, etc.) as well as family-friendly price points, encouraging new players to take the plunge.

SOCIAL CRASHES THE PARTY

E3′s usually a console-exclusive party and for good reason: consoles were the only game in town since the expo began.  Games grew up and out, though, and platforms like iPhone, Facebook, and browser-based gaming are gaining as much attention and playtime as their console counterparts.  While we might not hear any announcements from social gaming giants like Zynga or Playdom, it’s likely we’ll see some new work from the EA/Playfish acquisition, hopefully bridging EA’s console work with extensions into social gaming (like Xbox’s Toy Soldiers add on, ).  Also, expect a lot of social network-based functionality to show up in this year’s crop of games.  Games will tweet achievements, add you on Facebook, and connect gamers far beyond a typical online match, but whether or not gamers want this kind of attention on their habits remains to be seen.

BENNY TORRES WILL FAINT IN THE NINTENDO BOOTH

Because he is a giant Nintendo fanboy.

DEVELOPER PARTNERSHIP A-GO-GO

On the heels of Insomniac Games (Ratchet and Clank, Resistance) signing up to publish their next game with EA Partners, the relationships between publishers and top-tier developers is going to get hot.  Gone are the days of triple-A games coming directly from first-party publishers working with in-house developers (unless you’re Nintendo).  Like we talked about in last month’s PLAYED, developers are the new rock stars of the industry, with the cream of the crop being courted like by publishers looking for the next Halo, Gears of War, or Uncharted.

E3 usually sees games being announced left and right.  While there will be plenty of that, expect a lot more attention given to publishers signing exclusive deals with studios, offering up the promise of greatness down the road.  Every week, publishers are announcing partnership programs and collaborations with top minds in development.  E3 is going to be the center of that tempest and will probably leave gamers shocked and awed by who is working with who these days.

ADVENTURES IN THE THIRD DIMENSION

CES was the big coming-out party for modern day, in-home 3D technology.  Gaming, of course, was a big selling point for the tech, with Sony promising a software update that would make all Playstation 3 consoles 3D-capable.  Coming out of the show, folks seemed indifferent to 3D in their games and televisions.  It looked nice, sure, but the investment into new televisions and eyewear didn’t warrant an upgrade yet.  Then Nintendo stunned the gaming world by announcing a 3D-capable iteration of their handheld DS line, despite just releasing the DSi and DSi XL less than a year ago.

Dubbed “Nintendo 3Ds,” the handheld promises 3D gameplay on the go without needing special glasses, addressing one concern of on-the-fence consumers.  However, everything discussed about the 3DS so far has been speculation, as Nintendo is waiting for E3 to reveal the console and software.  With the conference fast approaching, look for mainstream media to flock to this device alongside Natal.  If it holds up to the hype, it could shake up the handheld market similar to when Nintendo released the original DS.  If it underwhelms, it could be the opportunity Sony has been looking for to push their flailing PSP line into the limelight.

A WHOLE LOT OF SURPRISES

The cool thing about a big trade show like E3 are the surprises in store for gamers.  It’s a “Christmas in June” scenario for gaming fans and industry folk with all sorts of fun and excitement revealed each day.  Last year, Natal blindsided the industry with its game-changing promises of interactive play. Will Nintendo do the same thing this year with the handheld 3DS?  Which game on the showfloor will capture hearts and minds like Scribblenauts?  Most of the time, it’s a cop-out to say “expect the unexpected,” but as history tends to prove, E3 is chock full of unexpected reveals and surprises that could shake up the industry once more.

WHERE TO FOLLOW ALL THE NERDY ACTION

G4TV E3 ’10 LIVE

Every year, G4 does a fantastic job bringing the press conferences and show floor buzz to television and internet viewers.  While the production is slick and sexy, the views and insight from their crew are spot-on and definitely merits a constant eye during the show.  Plus, they’re on the show floor, so if you spot any of us, let us know.  We’ll get you some Fan Club buttons.

GIANT BOMB

While they won’t have the deepest coverage of E3 (because there’s only 6 people on staff), Giant Bomb will definitely have the most entertaining.  They consistently provide informative and hilarious commentary on the world of videogames, especially around all the news and hype of E3.  Last year’s collection of podcasts from the show were a who’s who of gaming industry guests and offered up frank (and, again, hilarious) discussions on each day’s events.

and PLAYED: JULY 2010

Be sure to check out our Twitter feed (@denuology) for updates from the show floor (including pictures of Benny’s aforementioned unconsciousness), as well as our big E3 recap issue of PLAYED, featuring in-depth analysis of what the show’s resulting impact means for marketers, brands, and, of course, gamers.

See you at E3!