X’09 Toronto – Coverage begins!

You’ll have to excuse us, we’re not at our best. We’ve been gone for a day, we’ve been gaming since we left. These so-called vacations will soon be our death, we’re so hyped for the games, we need home for a rest.

Ahem.

GameNorth spent the a day in London yesterday. Not London, England, or even London, Ontario, but This is London, a trendy nightclub nestled in the heart of Toronto’s fashion district. Typically home to dance parties and fashion shows, This is London hosted a different kind of event yesterday: Microsoft Canada’s annual holiday gaming preview, X’09.

The venue was smaller than the one used last year, but that didn’t stop Microsoft Canada from filling it wall to wall with their most anticipated first and third-party titles of the upcoming holiday season. And if you were unable to make the trip out to London yesterday, have no fear, GameNorth took one for the team and played each and every one of them.

Throughout the remainder of the week, our Microsoft X’09 coverage will include previews and impressions of Splinter Cell: Conviction, Left 4 Dead 2, Modern Warfare 2, and more, as well as interviews from the event floor. We may even provide details on a top secret project out of Harmonix that involves the one and only MC Hammer!

Also noteworthy were the games and developers that were absent from X’09 this year. BioWare was a no-show, leaving many who were hoping to see Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins disappointed. Alan Wake and Crackdown 2 were also absent, and several third-party developers, such as SEGA and Namco, chose not to make an appearance at the show. Regardless, we had a great time, played some great games, and met some great people. We can’t wait to do it all over again next year!

If you have any X’09 stories, feel free to post them in our comments below.