Let's face it people, I'm not, nor have I ever been the most active member of Destructoid.

I'm not sure why I'm blogging now as opposed to any other time. Perhaps it's the fact that almost every third comment on this site is whining about what happened at E3. Perhaps it's the fact I've got lots of time on my hands, or perhaps it's the delicious prizes that await those willing to make a post.

But for some reason, I feel compelled, moreso than I ever have been before.

First however, allow me to give you some context for this little blog post.



Microsoft's Conference Overview

Sony's Conference Overview

Now I understand that the faithful among you have already seen these before, but reading Destructoid isn't a chore now is it?

So I hear the masses asking, what the hell is the point in all of this?

Undoubtedly by now, I think the majority of people on this little website have come to believe that whilst a lot was said at E3, not a lot was really revealed. This has had our entire community aflame with blog posts and front page stories about whether the industry is headed in the correct direction for the core gamer. Is the Wii slowly eroding what was once a proud bastion of the hardcore? Are Microsoft and Sony finally giving in to the pressure and turning away from their true supporters?

My answer in light of these press conferences is a resounding 'no.'

The question I pose to all of you is not whether good news for hardcore gamers exists, but whether gamers are looking in the right place for it?

What I say now will probably mean I never get near the front page or a delicious prize, but I can live in the vain hope that somebody will read the verbose piece of crap I'm writing.

E3 press conferences are not the places we as gamers should be looking to for what we want. They never will be unless E3 is to change.

A year ago, Destructoid went to E3 2007 with a degree of trepidation as to whether the new show would match the old. At the time though, E3 seemed inconspicuous enough, everything seemed to be in place, announcements were being made and things generally looked nice all around. The problem was however, Destructoid is part of the press. A part of the press I certainly love to bits, but a part of the press none the less and one that is gaining more and more legitimacy with each passing second.

The downsized version of E3 is brilliant for the press, the "more intimate" surroundings[1] lead to a better dispersion of information. Great.

But I question now, whether the downsized version of E3 is brilliant for the gamer. The fact is, pre-2007 E3 was an iconic event, it was the event all gamers rallied around. The big companies didn't put on a show for the press, they put on a show for all of us because they knew we'd be watching, they knew what they said here would set the tone for the next year of gaming. Why? Because media coverage was difficult. If you didn't announce your big games in your press conference they could get lost and they'd never be heard from again.

Now however, E3 is a very different kettle of fish. With the streamlining of the event it's very easy for members of the gaming focused press to get updates on what they want. But the mainstream media, don't care about an interview with Shigeru Miyamoto. They want the big announcements and they get them at the main press conferences. I seriously doubt the BBC will report on, for example, Sega's blowout. The main press conferences however?

In the old format, even though mainstream media might not care about the latest Gears game, they were shown it anyway so it wouldn't get lost.

And finally, I get to the heart of the argument.

If the mainstream media only attends your main press conference and if the gaming media will attend all the smaller ones and if no information risks being lost, how do you structure your main conference?

The answer is simple, not for the core gamer.

The E3 press conferences we see now are a result of that logic. Nintendo was right to showcase Wii music. That's what the mainstream audience wants. Microsoft was right to showcase their new avatars. That's what the mainstream audience wants. Sony was right to showcase all its old content again, the mainstream hadn't heard about them yet.

But then if we look at the rest of the show, it's juicy innards as opposed to its rough outer shell, what do we see? Pikmin 3 announcements, Flower, and Hydrophobia.

The fact is, we as gamers, we as the people that will actually buy these creative, cool new games have found out about them. We will probably read more news to come, we'll probably spend time blogging about how much we want to see them released. The news has reached us, Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony have done their jobs well.

Suddenly, at least to me, it doesn't feel like the casuals are muscling me out of the gaming I so richly deserve. No, to me, quality gaming is as strong as ever and with the wealth of spectacular titles released in 2007, Bioshock, Orange Box, Mario Galaxy, Halo 3, Metroid Prime 3 to name but 5. Followed the widely loved GTA4 and Brawl being released this year to name but two. I don't truly understand people's concern with gaming as a whole.

Instead, where concern should be placed is on the conference that started this little discussion. Is E3 really the paradise of gamers when the very structure it implements prevents what we want being discussed at the main press conferences?

That is my question to the community.

[1] Citation: http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6154935.html