The END3 of E3?

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
There has been early speculation that E3 will be cancelled or at the very least, downsized next year. Honestly, I wouldn’t be heartbroken if it was (or only limited to those who really NEED to have an E3, i.e. press, uptight CEO’s ‘n shit who are higher up in the corporate food chain). This may also mean that there’s less need for development teams to have to cram hastily made next-gen demos in for the E3 deadline.

Anyway, check out these links below.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060730-7382.html

http://www.joystiq.com/2006/07/30/e3-canceled-for-next-year-and-beyond/
 

CnC

Ad Oculos
can't say I'm all that moved. Other than the plethora of news it brings there really isn't any way I benefit to its existence.
 
D

Death Can Wait

Guest
^basically agreed. I do like the news from E3, but it dies down for me in a few days and if the company's going to announce it they will, E3 is just a good way to do it and not a must.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
I think its cancellation would be sad in a way, even if I don't care where the news come from, whether it's from E3 or a random Internet site. The E3 is symbolic, and events like that are proof of a healthy industry. The disparition of the ECTS didn't really bring anything good.

Opening it a few days to the public or restructuring things with more info and less loud music could be a better solution.
 

CnC

Ad Oculos
Aazealh said:
Opening it a few days to the public or restructuring things with more info and less loud music could be a better solution.

I heard that a lower key event was planned. But I doubt this is the last we'll see of E3 or some form of gaming trade show. This particular one got a little too big.
I'm sure the gaming is far from being in a slump.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
I think it’ll just be downsized. E3’s been such a tradition for game marketiing for the past decade, I really doubt it will just stop altogether. And even if it did, some other convention would take its place. It’s all fueled by ad/sales people, and as long as games are a big money-making market, they’ll continue to perforate us with ridiculous shit like E3 promos. And I’ll still follow it… with shame…

However, being "downsized" brings a whole other problem to the forefront. What does downsizing really entail? Will larger companies like Konami and Square-Enix simply get smaller tables and be forced to compete on an even playing field, or will smaller companies be forced out, not having as much pull as, say, EA?

Apparently we'll know the full story in day or so.
 
D

Death Can Wait

Guest
Walter said:
I think it’ll just be downsized. E3’s been such a tradition for game marketiing for the past decade, I really doubt it will just stop altogether. And even if it did, some other convention would take its place. It’s all fueled by ad/sales people, and as long as games are a big money-making market, they’ll continue to perforate us with ridiculous shit like E3 promos. And I’ll still follow it… with shame…

However, being "downsized" brings a whole other problem to the forefront. What does downsizing really entail? Will larger companies like Konami and Square-Enix simply get smaller tables and be forced to compete on an even playing field, or will smaller companies be forced out, not having as much pull as, say, EA?

Apparently we'll know the full story in day or so.

As most are saying I think the event itself is too significant to be completely taken off, yet until we know the degree of the down-sizize, it could be a case of "might as well".
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
CnC said:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2006/20060731.jpg

those penny-arcade guys nailed it

Haha yeah, I saw that yesterday, it's awesome.

Anyway the ESA has made an announcement, and so it will be a downsize. The name should also change to something like "E3 Media Festival." It will still be in Los Angeles, but there will 5,000 people instead of the 60,000 that attended E3 2006.

Here's a link to the full announcement.
 
D

Death Can Wait

Guest
Wow, that's nearly ten times less (or more) than that average. I also hate the tag on "Media". I know that E3 is an "entertainment expo" and showcases things other than games, but eh...it obviously won't be the same.
 

Scorpio

Courtesy of Grail's doodling.
Personally, the cancellation of the bigger sized show saddens me. E3 was like a festival for gaming, and since it first came out I had looked forward to "sneaking in one of these years and playing the next generation of gaming." Would I have ever gotten in? Probably not, but thats just the kind of show E3 was. Not to sound corny, but it was similar to a beacon of hope for the gaming community; full of flashing lights, blaring music, big parties, and of course, the latest in gaming. Going through the latest news from E3 made me feel like a kid in a candy store.

I lament the death of the worlds best trade show.
 
People are starting to want substance over flash. Like at this years E3 I think general concensus was that Nintendo stole the show. Wasn't flashy, but it was innovative, different, and fresh. While the other 2 company's spend there millions into getting their products seen at this event, and maybe not giving anymore then the "Flash" of their system. Most of them are probably losing money because of it, because then no one goes out and buys the game.

I also think downsizing proves, "People are starting to want substance over flash."
 

Morgen

De Arimasu !
Well it don't really matter...other smaller conference like the GDC will only take mon importance and big companies like SE, nintendo etc will surely make their own conference once a year. ^^
 
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