AfterDawn: Tech news

E3 Expo down sized this year

Written by Rich Fiscus @ 09 Jul 2007 10:33 User comments (12)

E3 Expo down sized this year The video game industry's annual showcase is saying goodbye to scantily clad booth babes, extravagant multimillion dollar exhibits, blaring lights and pounding music. Celebrity appearances from the likes of Paris Hilton or Snoop Dogg are a thing of the past, too.
The event, which starts Wednesday, looks to be more like a country club getaway, an invitation-only gathering complete with luxury beach-side hotels, sushi restaurants and meetings in private conference rooms.

After last year's expo, organizers decided it had become too big for its own good. With more than 60,000 people cramming into the Los Angeles Convention Center, there was a feeling that the needs of no one -- be it the media, retailers or video game publishers -- were being addressed particularly well.

Only about 30 of the largest video game software and hardware companies are attending, down from the hundreds that packed the sprawling Los Angeles Convention Center in previous years. Also missing will be the army of small-time bloggers, zealous game fans and others who somehow managed to infiltrate the trade-only event.



This week's event, which runs through Friday, will focus on the industry's largest players, including No. 1 game-software maker Electronic Arts Inc. and console makers Microsoft Corp., Sony Corp. and Nintendo Corp.

"It's ultimately about the games," said Josh Larson, director of the online game review Web site GameSpot. "The PS3 box can look real shiny and have lots of powerful specs but it's ultimately the game experience that causes you to go out and get that gaming system."

In another twist, the ESA is hoping to appeal to the general gaming consumer later this fall. The "E for All 2007," an event which will be open to the public, is scheduled for October 18-21.

Source: The Times Tribune

Previous Next  

12 user comments

19.7.2007 11:30
vinny13
Inactive

Aww :(

Those douches from the ESA >:( Boy do I have a word or two for them! 'Almost sued me once!

29.7.2007 17:55

the E3 is for big corps only so pax all the way....E3 is dead....

310.7.2007 07:10

E3 is indeed dead

410.7.2007 07:30

E3 should be a large expo for in industry geeks,you need a a pass or media pass to get in,they can tone down the OTTness some make it no worse than some car shows and such but this E3 is ridiculous,its not about the games its about what pub has the most power.....

510.7.2007 13:14

Wow, why would they shut out the public? Such a good advertising revenue wasted.

610.7.2007 15:40

Originally posted by blackvamp:
Wow, why would they shut out the public? Such a good advertising revenue wasted.
they were part of the problem,its a trade show for the connected but now its a trade show for the elite...

710.7.2007 21:09

Quote:
Originally posted by blackvamp:
Wow, why would they shut out the public? Such a good advertising revenue wasted.
they were part of the problem,its a trade show for the connected but now its a trade show for the elite...
Very well said this is the way it should be.

810.7.2007 21:15

Quote:
[quote]
Originally posted by blackvamp:
Wow, why would they shut out the public? Such a good advertising revenue wasted.
they were part of the problem,its a trade show for the connected but now its a trade show for the elite...
Very well said this is the way it should be.[/quote]
=====================================================
====================================================
... for the connected like it should be(people in the indutry+press and a bit of partying and chest thumbing),or for the elite(the top 3 or 4 groups of suits bickering over war streagies and having scripted stale press events?)

E3 has gone from one extreme to the other....

912.7.2007 09:23
diableria
Inactive

who cares about all the stupid media., luxurious hotels, and celebrities, its all about the games

1012.7.2007 10:01

Originally posted by diableria:
who cares about all the stupid media., luxurious hotels, and celebrities, its all about the games
the trouble is a lot of the smaller parts of the industry the people that..make games..the smaller devs and pubs have been turned away.

1116.7.2007 23:36

Like everyone has stated due to the face that E3 is only for corporations as such this needs to change and be also for the general public and then maybe it will grow.

1217.7.2007 04:49

Originally posted by borhan9:
Like everyone has stated due to the face that E3 is only for corporations as such this needs to change and be also for the general public and then maybe it will grow.
I dont think it should be for the average public,It should be for the connected(in industry and press) but not for the elite(of industry).

Comments have been disabled for this article.

News archive