10 Biggest Surprises In E3 History

Tensions were running high after the shock announcement from SEGA, with many wondering just what Sony could do to bring the attention back to themselves and their first entry into the console market.

They managed it with three simple words uttered by Sony Computer Entertainment President of America Steve Race - "Two ninety-nine."

With that Sony set their new console's price at $100 below the announced price of the Saturn and gave gamers more than enough reason to hold their horses and see just what the company could do with their fledgling console.

The wind was well and truly taken out of SEGAs sails, as their shock announcement was usurped by a second shock that played a huge part in the eventual failure of the Saturn, especially in Western markets.

While SEGA never really recovered from their E3 debacle and eventually left the console wars altogether, Sony went from strength to strength and became the dominant force in the gaming industry. Even their own E3 flubs have failed to have a truly catastrophic effect on their efforts.

And it all started because of three simple words that sent shockwaves around the gaming industry.