This coming week marks the first E3 back in the Los Angeles Convention Center since the industry show decided to downgrade and make things a little more personal. Last year the event took place in coastal Santa Monica. The area was beautiful, but not having the conference in one centralized location made things pretty chaotic at times.
When I went down to the downtown Convention Center this morning to pick up my press badge, I expected to see a little glimpse of E3 as it once was. Yes, this year’s show is still drastically downgraded, but the gigantic venue just begs for a little bit of that nostalgic, grandiose spectacle. In fact, I even told Niero and Nick Chester that I would bring my camera and take some pictures of the big show’s setup. I figured the ghost of E3’s overdramatic past would still be hanging around now that the show was returning to its roots.
Sadly, it looks like it is definitely official: the old E3 is gone as we know it.
Two years back -- even days before the expo began -- the Convention Center was adorned with numerous banners and huge signs promoting the myriad of games that would be playable on the show floor. Today, there is only one small, generic banner introducing patrons to the annual conference. And that was it. No huge balloons advertising some random fantasy game; no images of Link plastered upon the entry stairwell.
Don’t get me wrong; I am still
unbelievably excited about this week’s event. The opportunity is amazing and I can’t wait to get my hands on some of the incredible games that are sure to be announced in the next few days. And it is still early. Come tomorrow and Tuesday,
when E3 proper is in full effect, things will most likely liven up quite a bit. It just made me a little sad to hear my voice echo across such an empty space that used to be full of such …
energy.
But, hey, as long as they announce
Pikmin 3 this year, E3 could be in the parking lot of an Arby’s for all I care.
Contest:
1:09 AM on 07.14.2008
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Also, pics of you in a certain dolphin hat would be smashing -hint, hint- <3
I immediately pictured Chad backhanding Miyamoto while saying "where's my captain rainbow bitch"
But personally, I've always found the best part of E3 to be seeing which developer shamefully embarasses themselves.
it is sad that nowadays E3 has really become more about businesses talking about quarterly plans and market penetration and less about a bunch of nerds and gamers living out their fantasies with elaborate rides and demos and exhibitions
E3 was always about business and the industry. That's why it wasn't open to the public. The fact that it became increasingly easier for the general public to get into it and marketing took more and more advantage of that and spent increasingly more money is the reason it died.
Ask anyone who went to between '03 - '06 and they will tell you the same thing. 98-01 were arguably the best E3 years ever.
I suppose I'll have to wait a long while for PAX, seeing as how I have no mode of transportation down to Seattle.
but as long as E3 continues to deliver the goods (announcements, trailer etc etc) then I can cope
do they still have booth babes at least?
E3 was always about business and the industry. That's why it wasn't open to the public.
this is true- but back then it wasn't all about the $ aspect- it was about the interest in the games and technology instead of about the earnings and market shares- I compare it a lot to what it was like when I was in the center of the dot com boom where people were all about new ideas and having fun and experimenting and then venture capitalists got involved.....it was a real experience going to E3 and I really looked forward to it- now I wouldn't want to waste my time if I had the chance
I always wondered "who's fault" is was to make E3 the way it is now. Can't do much now. *sigh*