E for All looks pretty bleak

In all the excitement over the Penny Arcade Expo this week, it's easy to forget about E for All. But with the cancellation of the DigitalLife trade show last week, some are questioning the viability of the relative newcomer. With only six weeks until the show, the only major publishers confirmed to be in attendance are Microsoft and Electronic Arts.

"We're expecting a great event," says Carolyn Rauch, VP of Event Development for the expo. "Everything is going well for E for All this year. We're thrilled to have Microsoft on board for the first time, have a healthy exhibitor list on our site, and expect more exhibitor announcements to be forthcoming."

Those announcements had better come soon, though. The so-called "healthy" list of exhibitors, primarily accessory-makers, retailers and a surprising number of trade schools with game design programs, better resembles a high school careers fair than a major industry event. Furthermore, a large number of publishers (including THQ and Konami, both present at last year's show) have expressed that they have no current plans to attend.

I'd very much like to see E for All be successful because I like events (such as PAX) where the public is given the opportunity to check out new products from the gaming industry. Maybe they can turn it around, but time is really running out for this year.

[Via BigDownload]