I am a very pessimistic person. I tend to dwell on worst-case scenarios.

Why am I so pessimistic? It’s probably because I’m a Cleveland sports fan. Throughout the years, we northeast Ohioans have suffered tough times when it comes to the local sports teams; that reality alone could fill a 500-word column and more.

Being a pessimist isn’t always bad, though. Sometimes it comes in handy. Perhaps you know the old saying, “a pessimist is never disappointed”?

However, two things every year always make me optimistic. The first is Cleveland Indians spring training. The second is the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3.

E3 is a huge, annual, three-day video game expo. Developers use it to hold extravagant press conferences and to show off the new games and gaming systems they’re developing.

In recent years, E3 is where Microsoft announced the Kinect motion sensor for the Xbox 360 and where Nintendo announced the 3DS hand-held gaming system. In case you don’t understand the magnitude of this, let me explain. With Kinect, you no longer need a controller to play video games. With the 3DS, you can play video games in 3-D.

These are massive advancements in video game technology, yet they are commonplace at E3. With so many companies in attendance competing for attention, video game lovers will be sure to witness phenomenal new products and innovations.

Electronic Entertainment Expo 2011 is happening this week in Los Angeles, and we know beforehand that it will not disappoint. Nintendo is currently creating a new video game console that will eventually replace the Wii. It has also hinted it will reveal the new system at E3 and have a demo available for everyone there.

The Wii was an enormous success, but graphics and computer technology are advancing at a rate that will one day make the Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 obsolete.

Yet one thing sets Nintendo’s game consoles apart from Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox. Nintendo never simply updates its old console; it creates something completely different and fresh. Remember the GameCube? The Wii is nothing like it.

Because of this, we have very little idea what Nintendo will create next; it’s the Fruit Roll-Ups of video games. The current rumors describe features that are nothing like the Wii. It might include a camera or feature 3-D graphics. Other possibilities include a touch-screen tablet controller or even a portable device. So far, Nintendo will confirm nothing.

All of the mystery just adds anticipation and hype for E3. Above all, one thing is to be expected: Nintendo is ready to make headlines with big details about a completely new video game experience.

By the time you read this, Nintendo may have already announced its new video game console. You should do some research and see for yourself. Odds are, the findings will surprise you. I know it will surprise me. As a video game fan, I’m excited. As a pessimist, I’m optimistic, even if it’s just for one silly moment.

Jody Michael is a junior news major. Contact him at [email protected]