Gizmodo
Here's an update on the E3 news we saw about E3 possibly getting fragged. The ESA threw out a press release that said:
The new E3Expo will take shape over the next several months. As currently envisioned, it will still take place in Los Angeles, described by ESA as a "great and supportive partner helping to build E3." It will focus on press events and small meetings with media, retail, development, and other key sectors. While there will be opportunities for game demonstrations, E3Expo 2007 will not feature the large trade show environment of previous years.
Meaning no more strolls up and down the LA Convention center eyeing the new consoles, and no more playing with all the weird gaming gadgetry down in the bowels of Kentia Hall. The media is going to have to rely on smaller, more dispersed press events—of which E3 will be one—to catch all the news on what's coming up. Instead of one giant update, showing the community what's in store for the next year, there's going to be periodic updates held worldwide. Is this better? We'll see.
Full press release after the jump.
ESA: E3 Changing, No Large Show Floor [Kotaku]
ENTERTAINMENT SOFTWARE ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES EVOLUTION OF E3EXPO FOR 2007Washington, DC (July 31, 2006) - To better address the needs of today's
global computer and video game industry, the 2007 Electronic
Entertainment Expo (E3Expo) is evolving into a more intimate event
focused on targeted, personalized meetings and activities, the
Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced today."The world of interactive entertainment has changed since E3Expo was
created 12 years ago. At that time we were focused on establishing the
industry and securing orders for the holiday season," said Douglas
Lowenstein, President of the ESA, the trade association representing
U.S. computer and video game publishers and the owner of E3Expo. "Over
the years, it has become clear that we need a more intimate program,
including higher quality, more personal dialogue with the worldwide
media, developers, retailers and other key industry audiences."The new E3Expo will take shape over the next several months. As
currently envisioned, it will still take place in Los Angeles, described
by ESA as a "great and supportive partner helping to build E3." It will
focus on press events and small meetings with media, retail,
development, and other key sectors. While there will be opportunities
for game demonstrations, E3Expo 2007 will not feature the large trade
show environment of previous years."E3Expo remains an important event for the industry and we want to keep
that sense of excitement and interest, ensuring that the human and
financial resources crucial to its success can be deployed productively
to create an exciting new format to meet the needs of the industry. The
new event ensures that there will be an effective and more efficient way
for companies to get information to media, consumers, and others," said
Lowenstein.Additionally, the evolution of the video game industry into a vibrant
and expanding global market has led to the creation of major events in
different regions, such as the Games Convention in Leipzig, the Tokyo
Game Show, and company-specific events held by Sony, Nintendo,
Microsoft, and others around the world. As a result, Lowenstein said,
"It is no longer necessary or efficient to have a single industry
'mega-show'. By refocusing on a highly-targeted event, we think we can
do a better job serving our members and the industry as a whole, and our
members are energized about creating this new E3."Additional details about the new E3Expo event will be forthcoming in the
next few months.
Comments
:(
Yes, it is better. All the good stuff was going on behind closed doors anyway, with the main trade show floor being a disaster of noise and mayhem.
wow. I have to say. I have been working in the industry 5 years and finaly got to go this year for the first time. So glad I made it now. The end of a era of excitement.
I will be surprised if this really happens as it sounds. A world without E3??
So Strange.
NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
PS: person criticizing, you have no soul
The death of E3 may mean the death of Sony in the gaming industry and the smartest move by Microsoft and Nintendo.
Downgrading really shouldn't surprise anyone. E3 this year was a total disaster for Sony and to a much lesser extent Microsoft as Nintendo stole all media thunder with Wii. The key purpose of this show is to create buzz with retailers who decide how much of what to buy for their inventory. They need all the help they can get, otherwise we'd be seeing Strawberry Shortcake's Revenge of the Flax.
So in the past each console company spent millions for this PR opportunity which included the cost of running their press conference, show parties, booths and booth babes (bless them). What did Sony get out of their millions this year? Not much except lots of bad press.
Microsoft did moderately better. Nintendo hit the ball out of the park.
Reducing E3's size, or 'downgrading' it's importance would work nicely for a company that can't seem to get it's product to market or even display on time. They no longer have to humiliate themselves in public. But I think this will hurt Sony more than they realize.
You see, Microsoft can always show product at the CES or any other trade event. Their product's in the market and is now simply building more momentum. They also have tons of capital to promote their product as it inter-relates to all their core business. So dropping out of E3 would not hurt them.
Nintendo's focus now is a broad audience, not just hard core gamers. Their message needs to extend past E3's core audience. E3 truly benefitted them this year and in past years with their gameboy products. As demand continues to surge for their DS systems and as more non-gamers buy Nintendo DS - retailers will continue to stock Nintendo product. The retail relationships are set from that product range, and will with good pricing, extend to the Wii. They're in the game and wouldn't be hurt with no E3.
Sony has a huge base of systems, as did Atari at one point in time. But they're having massive problems with PS3, the hardware, the cost over-runs, the media buzz. Core gamers care about all the techno-glitz but the rest of the world doesn't. Certainly not enough to blow large money on a 'game console'. They needed E3 to win over sceptics (and retailers) and to sell their Hummer in a market that's looking for Hondas. Its going to be a tough sell and without E3 next year, it will hurt them even more.
The other players that get hurt by this are all the third party developers that now will have to rely on other methods of promotion to get their product noticed by both retailers and consumers.
That hurts Microsoft and Sony more than it hurts Nintendo but it also hurts us, as it makes smaller game companies hard to catch without a stage for them to play on.
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