Next-gen consoles take center stage

In mid-May, a key conference takes place–the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, where trends, and in some cases bets, are set. During the holidays, companies watch to see if their bets paid off and if they successfully steered new directions.

At this year’s E3, slated for May 16 to May 20 in Los Angeles, all bets will be on new gaming consoles from the big three players–Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo.