Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
UK EditionUK US EditionUS CA EditionCanada AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Don't miss these
Total War: Warhammer 40,000 screenshot featuring a space marine helmet
Games Everything announced at The Game Awards 2025
Fallout overseer
Games Fallout co-creator Tim Cain explains why modern games are eating all your memory, says "the biggest contributor" is art
Divinity
RPGs Larian CEO declares "this is the Divinity we've always wanted to make and you're going to have loads of fun with it"
Disco Elysium
RPGs Disco Elysium devs built the RPG's visual style as a "cover band" for Obsidian's "great comeback game," Pillars of Eternity
GamesRadar+ Best Games of 2025 hero image
Games The 25 Best Games of 2025
Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls Skyrim art lead knows "it's a bit of a joke" how many times Bethesda has re-released the iconic RPG
Best PC games: Screenshots of Baldur's Gate 3, Helldivers 2, Split Fiction and the Resident Evil 4 Remake
PC Gaming Best PC games: The 25 greatest PC games to play right now
Hades 2
Hades Hades 2 has an epic script of over 400,000 words and 30,000 voice lines – around 50% more than the original roguelike
Divinity trailer screenshot of executioner in gold mask
RPGs As Larian disgusts and excites with Divinity, RPG veteran says "it is wild what people will get upset about in games"
Hades 2 animated trailer screengrab of Melinoe featuring GamesRadar+ Best of 2025 badge on upper right
Hades "We've learned to love and trust the process": How Hades 2 built on Supergiant's Early Access legacy to deliver the best roguelike of 2025
Half-Life 2
FPS Games Half-Life 3 hopefuls have their dreams of sequel crushed by lack of news at The Game Awards
Best of 2025 Year in Review hub image with games, movies, TV, comics, and hardware represented
Games Year in Review: The Best of 2025
The 50 Most Iconic Video Game Characters
Games The 50 most iconic video game characters of all time
Elden Ring Nightreign Scholar impaling Knight with thrusting sword right in the dick with loads of blood coming out
Action RPGs FromSoftware owns up to its swamp addiction as Elden Ring Nightreign adds yet another, director insists it just kind of happens: "It's just sort of taken a life of its own"
Divinity
RPGs Divinity doesn't shy away from heavy topics as devs know "people are capable of appreciating a three-dimensional world"
Trending
  • Best Games of 2025
  • Fallout Season 2
  • Gift Guides
  • New Games for 2025
  • The Forge codes
  1. Games
  2. Action
  3. Genji: Days of the Blade

Phrases from E3 that entered gaming lore forever

Features
By Justin Towell published 7 June 2013

Once said, it can never be unsaid. So let's say it over and over again

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Everyone has the potential for brilliance

Everyone has the potential for brilliance

E3 is a tough time for anyone organising a press conference. Every word said, game demonstrated and technology unveiled are not merely under intense scrutiny, they're all being recorded too. Forever.

So it's a tricky decision. Do you try to play things totally straight-faced and hope nothing goes wrong? Or do you use the platform to your advantage and script the meme-friendly lines yourself? Some work, some don't. But a sentences uttered at E3 have become part of gaming lore and vernacular. These are those lines. So let us celebrate E3's most amazing utterances to get us in the mood for the greatest show on Earth...

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
"Kicking ass and taking names" Reggie Fils-Aime, E3 2004

"Kicking ass and taking names" Reggie Fils-Aime, E3 2004

If you're the new US president of Nintendo and want to immediately make every Nintendo gamer love you, this is how you do it. You march onto the stage and say "I am (insert name here). I'm about kicking ass and taking names and we're about making games". Might be better if it's not quite so obvious you're reading the autocue, but I guess we can't have everything.

Why is it so great? He said a naughty word. And turned everyone's expectations upside-down by having a company executive basically come out swinging to mark his introduction. A legend was born that day.

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
"It's Ridge Racer! Riiiiidge Racer!" Kazuo Hirai, E3 2006

"It's Ridge Racer! Riiiiidge Racer!" Kazuo Hirai, E3 2006

OK. It's not that Ridge Racer running on PSP was a bad thing. In fact, we're still waiting patiently for the PSone classic to hit the UK PSP Store. But it's just a perfect microcosm of Sony's underwhelming 2006 press conference.

Why is it so great? Because you can say it whenever Ridge Racer is mentioned. And everyone knows what you mean and they laugh, which makes you feel clever.

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
"Well BAM! There it is" Kudo Tsunoda, E3 2009

"Well BAM! There it is" Kudo Tsunoda, E3 2009

Kudo Tsunoda was demonstrating Kinect. Live. We know it was live because there's no way anyone would pre-render a scene like this and live to tell the tale. "Have you ever wondered what the bottom of an avatar's show looks like?" He asked us. Well, not really, no. But go on, show us. And then... BAM! The stuff of legends was made.

Why is so great? Because it was said with such cocky self-assuredness. Taunting the audience to dare expecting to see the bottom of an avatar's shoe. And then the beautiful dichotomy of what was expected against what actually happened. And because... well, BAM! Try it. You'll like it.

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
"Five-hundred and ninety-nine US dollars" Kazuo Hirai, E3 2006

"Five-hundred and ninety-nine US dollars" Kazuo Hirai, E3 2006

Well, it was just too much, wasn't it? When you ask people to pay almost two-thirds of a grand on a games console, a lot of them will laugh. So they did. And now it's become the default price that gets called out whenever a new Sony product's price is discussed.

Why is it so great? Because it was said with such confidence. With all the words said properly. Which is why we've written it out in full up there. You have to say all of it. Enunciate. Attaboy.

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
"My body is ready" Reggie Fils-Aime, E3 2009

"My body is ready" Reggie Fils-Aime, E3 2009

Have you noticed how Reggie's quotes in here are scripted? That's because he's doing E3 right. After (reportedly) being oblivious to his internet fame until his 16-year-old son told him about it, he now knows that people love the things he says. So he gives them prime meme ammunition like this. Well done, Reggie - you win at the internet.

Why is it so great? Because he is the Reggienator. And because HIS BODY IS READY. Or did you miss that bit?

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
"Fistbump" - Kinect Adventures kid, E3 2011

"Fistbump" - Kinect Adventures kid, E3 2011

Fistbump was a thing before E3 2011, of that there can be no doubt. It means the soft punching of a friend's fist to celebrate a joint achievement together or a singular act worth mutually celebrating. But you don't normally say 'fistbump'. But that's exactly what happened at the end of Kinect Adventures.

Why is it so great? Because it was said so cheesily and non-spontaneously. And because it might be one of those rare but brilliant instances where a word on the autocue that's meant to be read for direction actually gets read out loud.

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
"Girl-wood" Aisha Tyler, E3 2012

"Girl-wood" Aisha Tyler, E3 2012

Firstly, 'Eeeeeew!' We don't need to know about that sort of thing while you're presenting, Aisha. Much as we love you and admire you for your gutsy remarks after all those 'not a real gamer' comments. You're cool. But we don't need to know about your state of arousal while you're talking to us in front of millions of people. Especially as you say you had it twice during a show about video games.

Why is it so great? Well, it isn't. It's a bit like Kryten from Red Dwarf and his experiences with the electrical appliance catalogue . It's not right. But it's made an impression, for obvious reasons.

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
"Target Footage" - From E3 2005

"Target Footage" - From E3 2005

The term itself may not have been used at E3 2005, but it was that year's show that wrote the words indelibly on gamers' minds. Motorstorm and Killzone 2 each received spectacular trailers that looked too good to be true. They were. As soon as the words 'target footage' or 'target render' emerged, they became part of gaming vernacular. Basically a pleasant alternative way of saying 'great big lies'.

Why is it so great? Because it means you can make massive, unfounded boasts about any project. It looks amazing, can't ever be turned into reality because real games don't work like these renders, and guarantees everyone is wowed. Because you're basically watching a film. Brilliant. At least nobody dares show 'target footage' any more as a result of the 2005 backlash.

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
"Massive damage" - Bill Ritch, E3 2006

"Massive damage" - Bill Ritch, E3 2006

The script for this one (or, rather, the brilliant conference edit video on YouTube) can probably be recited by heart by now. Genji 2 is an action game based on famous battles which "actually took place in ancient Japan." "So here's this giant enemy crab." Ah, but in fairness, some Japanese Spider Crabs can (supposedly) grow to the size of a car. But if we saw a car-sized spider crab, we'd probably consider attacking its weak point for "massive damage."

Why is it so great? Because it can be used in so many different contexts. There are many 'weak points' in worldly objects. You can attack any or all of them for massive damage. Yes, it's over-used, but that's why it's lasted so well. Everyone can share the joke even when there's not a crustacean in sight.

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
What's your favourite quote from E3?

What's your favourite quote from E3?

There are more memorable E3 quotes than we've included here. But what would you include? Reggie's "I feel like a purple Pikmin" almost made our list. So let us know your favourite and maybe we'll start saying it lots. Maybe even next week, when the E3 circus starts its show all over again.

And if you're looking for more, check out All our E3 2013 coverage so far and The Top 7 painfully uncomfortable moments from past E3 pressers.

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
CATEGORIES
Wii-u PlayStation Xbox Platforms Nintendo
Justin Towell
Justin Towell
Social Links Navigation

Justin was a GamesRadar staffer for 10 years but is now a freelancer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.

Read more
The 50 Most Iconic Video Game Characters
The 50 most iconic video game characters of all time
 
 
Lee Jung-jae as Player 456 in Squid Game season 3
Squid Game season 3 only needed two words to deliver the most moving line of dialogue of 2025
 
 
Total War: Warhammer 40,000 screenshot featuring a space marine helmet
Everything announced at The Game Awards 2025
 
 
Borderlands 4
Borderlands boss Randy Pitchford says the games industry is "just getting started": "We haven't even had our Citizen Kane yet, let alone Jurassic Park or Star Wars. We're just figuring this s**t out"
 
 
Best video game heroes
The 25 best heroes in games of all time
 
 
Hades 2
Hades 2 has an epic script of over 400,000 words and 30,000 voice lines – around 50% more than the original roguelike
 
 
Latest in Action
007 First Light
007: First Light is "not a role-playing game" because it's James Bond's story
 
 
A shot from below as Lara Croft leaps across a chasm in Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis leads say it’s essential to adjust the original’s difficulty for "modern player tastes"
 
 
Lara Croft holding two guns while smiling during the teaser for Tomb Raider: Catalyst.
Tomb Raider: Catalyst is Crystal Dynamics' "largest" Lara Croft game yet, and there's "no homework" required to jump in
 
 
GTA 6 Lucia
As Rockstar asserts ex-devs leaked "specific game features," IWGB union says its "statement is littered with falsehoods"
 
 
Lara Croft with her dual pistols in Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis
Following Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis reveal, series co-creator says he prefers "exploring new lost worlds"
 
 
A Locust Drone screaming into the face of Marcus during the Gears of War: E-Day trailer.
Gears of War: E-Day was a no show at The Game Awards, but The Coalition reiterates the prequel is still coming in 2026
 
 
Latest in Features
Fallout On the Radar hero image showing different Fallout characters in a collage
Have Your Say: Help us determine what the greatest Fallout game of all time really is
 
 
Photo of the white Kraken Kitty V3 Pro headset sitting amongst the branches of a Christmas tree.
These are the cutest Razer headsets that any cozy gamer would love to see under the tree this Christmas
 
 
Deku powered up in My Hero Academia season 8
My Hero Academia's final episode cements the Shōnen anime as one of the all-time great superhero stories
 
 
Citizen Sleeper 2 key art with orange GamesRadar+ Best of 2025 badge in upper right
From Citizen Sleeper 2 to Hollow Knight: Silksong, the best sequels of 2025 expanded upon their predecessors
 
 
It: Welcome to Derry
It: Welcome to Derry episode 8 explained – Who dies? How does it connect to The Shining?
 
 
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 screenshot with orange GamesRadar+ Best of 2025 badge in upper right
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 developers made my favorite RPG of 2025 by trusting their original vision: "We had the strength to say, 'Yes, that's what we want'"
 
 
  1. Key art for Skate Story showing the glass skater boarding through a dark underworld filled with spikes towards a door of light
    1
    Skate Story review: "A beautiful and unique skateboarding game with great, stylized visuals set in a grungy underworld"
  2. 2
    Octopath Traveler 0 review: "The strongest entry in this retro-styled JRPG series yet, I love the greater focus on tactical battles"
  3. 3
    Sleep Awake review: "An all-timer horror premise is let down by tired stealth that I feel like I'm sleepwalking through"
  4. 4
    Metroid Prime 4: Beyond review: "The series' atmosphere has never been better, while being dragged down by a boring overworld and clunky psychic powers"
  5. 5
    Routine review: "This imperfect but wonderfully atmospheric moon-based horror leaves a strong impression"
  1. Freddy Fazbear in Five Nights at Freddy's 2
    1
    Five Nights at Freddy's 2 review: "We have waited two years for a Five Nights at Freddy's 1.5"
  2. 2
    Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery review: "Brings Knives Out back to its roots for a sequel that's almost on a par with the original"
  3. 3
    Wicked: For Good review: "Builds to an incredibly cathartic conclusion, but isn't quite as captivating as Part 1"
  4. 4
    The Running Man review: "Some fun action and Glen Powell's star power aren't enough to energize this disappointing Stephen King adaptation"
  5. 5
    Predator: Badlands review: "Die-hard fans may be disappointed, but as a blockbuster action-adventure, Badlands kills it"
  1. Noah Schnapp as Will Byers and Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna in Stranger Things season 5
    1
    Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 review: “Can the Duffer brothers stick the landing? It’s sure looking like they will”
  2. 2
    Pluribus season 1 review: "Easily one of the year's best dramas"
  3. 3
    The Witcher season 4 review: "The Henry Cavill-less fourth season is the best yet"
  4. 4
    IT: Welcome to Derry review: "A supremely confident step back into the history of Stephen King's cursed town and killer clown"
  5. 5
    Splinter Cell: Deathwatch review: "A pale imitation of the long-dormant stealth franchise"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...