E3 - the gaming world's biggest trade show - took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center on 5 - 7 June, attracting more than 45,000 gamers and industry pros. Just read on to find out E3's hottest news for anyone using their broadband for some serious gaming...
It's all about the games
One of the highlights for anyone attending the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) is the chance to see some of the hot new games currently in development - and visitors to this year's E3 had plenty to enjoy.
Here's our round-up of some of the titles you're going to want to be using your home broadband to play when they hit the stores.
Watch Dogs
This still-in-development offering from Ubisoft created a real buzz amongst gamers and journalists at E3 2012. Slated for release on the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC in 2013, this first-person action title apparently enables players to control an entire city, thanks to its open-world play capability.
In a recent press release, Ubisoft's Creative Director, Jonathan Morrin, said:
“In Watch Dogs, anything connected to the city’s Central Operating System becomes a weapon. By pushing the boundaries, we can provide players with action and access to information on a scale that’s never been seen in a video game before.”
Star Wars 1313
E3 visitors got to see a demo of LucasArt's latest addition to the Star Wars franchise too. It's only in the early stages of development, but gamers will play a bounty hunter hunting his targets within Level 1313, a criminal underground below Planet Coruscant.
Initial reports from those at the demo suggest that the game's likely to feature some impressively detailed and realistic graphics, as well as plenty of action.
Halo 4
The gaming world's already been full of talk about the imminent release of the latest Halo game - just see our earlier post to see what the fuss is about.
But if you're eagerly awaiting the launch, you'll be pleased to know those lucky enough to be at E3 2012 for the demo seemed to be in agreement that it's worth waiting for, highlighting its high adrenaline action and superb graphics for admiration.
If you want to see it for yourself, take a look at Microsoft's latest Halo 4 trailer:
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
We've blogged about the latest addition to the Call of Duty series before too, but as this is likely to be one of the best-selling titles of 2012, it's worth mentioning again.
E3 2012 visitors got the chance to see two of the military-themed first person shooter's missions showcased in the city within which it's set - although gamers will be playing in a much bleaker, futuristic version of L.A.
Beyond: Two Souls
Quantic Dream's follow-up to Heavy Rain certainly got gaming industry experts attending Sony's E3 2012 conference talking, particularly as only a few journalists managed to get a peek at the demo. Those who were invited to one of the 20 minute private sessions, however, were treated to a walk-through by producer Ray Khalastich.
Beyond: Two Souls has been written and directed by David Cage, who was also responsible for writing and directing Heavy Rain. It's a psychological thriller in which players get to control both its female protagonist, Jodie Holmes - played by Canadian actress Ellen Page - and a spirit attached to her, known as Aiden.
Other E3 2012 revelations
It wasn't just the games demos at E3 2012 that got gamers' tongues wagging though. Nintendo unveiled its new Wii U games console, the likely UK release date for which is rumoured to be before Christmas.
Microsoft also revealed details about two new products - a new music streaming service, Xbox Music, which is being designed to replace Zune and compete with Spotify, and Xbox SmartGlass, which will enable gamers to use their tablets and smartphones to interact with their Xbox consoles and TVs.
And for anyone wondering about what gaming could look like in the future, Square Enix's tech demo showed us just what a next-generation version of Final Fantasy could look like:
What do you think the hottest news from E3 2012 was? Which titles are worth waiting for? Just let us know by leaving a comment below...