The Electronic Entertainment Expo kicked off today, June 4 2012, with Microsoft taking the helm. Not only do they take pride in the fact that they have crafted together one of the most used operating systems in the world, Windows OS, but news came out today that the Xbox 360 is now the most popular video game console in the world, beating out Sony in places overseas in areas like Europe for example.

Microsoft kicked off their press conference strong with a debuting the first single-player footage for Halo 4. The action revealed that Cortana and the Chief will actually communicate this time around, but hinted that the relationship may not last for long as she has begun to deteriorate after here eight long years of use.

The video also showed off some of the new forerunner weaponry and a new vehicle was also shown called as the “Reclaimer.” A few other neat gimmicks displayed were the chief's new visor that will come fully equiped with various modes and his ability to UNSC when he deems fit.

From here, the conference dipped into the all new Splinter Cell: Blacklist game which is under development by Ubisoft. The brief demo showcased Sam Fisher as he worked to take down multiple terrorists and often called in airstrikes for support. What was most interesting about the demo though was how reminiscent the game looked to Assassin's Creed.

Fisher was constantly breaking up the action to scale walls or flip enemies off building rooftops. I wouldn't be surprised if the game was running on the same engine as Assassin's Creed either, as the visual style of the game was strikingly similar as well.

The conference also revealed the next entry in the Gears of War saga, introducing prequel, Judgement, to the very first game of the franchise. We can look forward to the game in 2013 where we will assume the role of Daimon Baird in the fight against the Locus.

Outside of the gaming realm, Microsoft emphasized on a much more casual approach to the conference, centering in more on making the Xbox 360 more streamlined and universal to its users. Introducing Smart Glass, the technology will allow users to get access to their favorite entertainment such as movies, television shows, games and more right from their tablets or smartphones.

You'll be able to pause videos at any time and even resume what you were watching on your iPad straight from your Xbox 360 when you get home. Xbox Smart Glass will also allow companies to display more information on their smart phone or tablet, while users watch the show or movie right on their television.

Using Game of Thrones as an example, nifty features that will update character's positions as they move from place to place throughout an episode or even more background knowledge on a person or place will be offered as well.

Game developers will be able to utilize Smart Glass as a way for players to keep track of stats or even use their smart phone or tablet to clear up some HUD space on their TV screen.

Microsoft also brought on Nike to show off how the Kinect is going to revolutionize fitness and games as we know it. Coming to the Xbox 360 later this year, Nike will allow Kinect players to track and create various training methods that will allow progress to be tracked from an assortment of different smartphones. Users will be reminded when they're due for a workout, or even when there is a new update available for the game. 

A few other exciting entertainment options coming to the Xbox 360 include Xbox Music, a new music service for the console that will feature more than 30 million tracks for users to listen to, and various new partnerships that include Machinima, Nickelodeon, Paramount and Univision.

The conference finished just as strongly as it had started, highlighting wild demo of Treyarch's upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, which is set in 2025. The video depicts a battle torn Los Angeles, which showcases many new toys for us to shoot with, even more collapsing buildings to miraculously dodge away from, and fortunately,  a much deeper and hectic storyline. What would Call of Duty be without one? 

A few other exciting games worth noting that popped up during the event were brief demos of the South Park RPG, Resident Evil 6 and a blood pumping scene from Sqaure Enix's upcoming game, Tomb Raider.

All in all, the Microsoft E3 2012 press conference was an entertaining one that brought many new and exciting features to the table for Xbox 360 users. The company seemed to be more geared towards the casual crowd however and less focused on the games, only showcasing a select hand full of games that will be coming to the system within the next two years.