Narrative is absolutely essential for the medium to ever be considered as a legitimate art form. Interactively is not a disability, but an advantage in developing a narrative structure since the player is actively engaged in the story. GTAIV, Resistance 2, and many others fall into the trap of having pointless stories that lose the interest of players. I could have cared less what the story was in GTAIV - I even forgot who he was looking for half the time. As for the balance in gameplay vs. narrative, the industry has to create a standard and there is some room for improvement. Games can survive just on gameplay (thus, not art), but they can rarely survive on narrative alone. "Metal Gear Solid 4" is a perfect example since a majority of the game's gameplay is unintuitive, unimaginative, and bland but it is still a rewarding journey. MGS4 is an interactive experience, not a video game. That disparity between gameplay and narrative is what the debate really is about.

I have a feeling that the Wii will launch before the PS3 - perhaps the week of Nov. 5th - and will sell for $150. I am also under the impression that Twlight Princess will launch the with the console.

This is a foolish way to save a buck!!! It is true that other media outlets such as CNN will probably not cover events surrounding E3, and that is very bad for the industry in general. Furthermore, this "intimate" setting will discourage companies to make BIG announcements and will crumble the very philosophy of the conference. An unwise move.

Unfortunately, consumers will purchase the console no matter the costs. Same can also be said for the price of the system's software. However, the loyalty of some budget consumers (such as myself) may sway depending on how affordable the price is.