E3 2007: Where’d the Booth Babes Go? =(
The game industry is abuzz with information that emerged today about E3. In short, E3 as we know it has perished. No more booth babes, loud noises, massive crowds, or any of the other madness that regularly ensued. For the full press release, head to the Official E3 Website.
In short, some people felt that the glamour and shiny insanity that was E3 was getting out of hand. They made efforts this year to concentrate more on legitimate members of the game industry, but it didn’t do too much to prevent the Average Joe from faking credentials and getting in without much trouble.
Douglas Lowenstein, President of the ESA, had this to say about the reasons for changing formats: “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.”
I have mixed feelings about this change, personally. On the one hand, E3 has always been the rite of passage for people trying to get into the industry in any form. I still remember my first E3, when I worked hard on getting a legit gaming news site up months prior (and worked equally hard on turning 18).
I had reached the promised land of gaming, the coolest place to go for sneak peaks at all the upcoming games and all the latest booth babes. It was an experience I will never forget, and it’s unfortunate that this experience may never be shared by others in the future.
On the other hand–and this is the game developer hand–E3 started to lose its usefulness years ago. Most attendees had nothing to do with the industry apart from being consumers, and they rarely stopped for more than a few seconds at any particular booth unless the game was especially shiny, the booth was especially impressive, or the babes were especially naked.
At Sony Online Entertainment, we run separate events before and after E3 because of this. It’s much easier to personally target media, retailers, etc. if you meet with them on a more personal level when the only thing they are around to look at is your game (or your company’s games).
There’s also the fact that many other more focused industry shows have emerged in recent years. For example, the Austin Game Conference has proven to be a particularly good venue to exhibit online games (mostly because of all the local MMO developers). That’s one that I’m trying to get out to for the first time this year, and possibly even participate in a panel or two if there is one appropriate for me to speak at.
Am I supportive of the change? Well, I suppose so in the end. It will allow developers and related industry folk to accomplish something, and will probably end up cheaper for those companies that used to go all out with booths in the past. Will the format stay? It’s hard to say. It seems like E3 is now attempting to fill in gaps where they don’t exist–the Game Developers Conference combined with targeted press events seems to accomplish exactly what the ESA is setting out to do with E3. I wouldn’t be terribly surprised to see the old Electronic Entertainment Exposition back in play a few years down the line.
In response to a comment that Lum made about working at E3, I have to disagree. He says, “No one who actually has to work at E3 enjoys it any more.” I’ve worked E3 three times now, and I’m one of the few who enjoy it. I’ve had the advantage of being within a closed booth, however, so that may make all the difference. I tend to like meeting people in person, talking about games, and I even have fun firing information at press.
There are my comments for now. I suppose I better stay an extra 15 minutes at work for taking the time to ramble about it when I should be checking my backlog of last week’s email (Read: Pls don’t hurt meh Brenlo thx). 
Added worries after thinking more about it:
Will it be harder for the small-time game development companies to actually catch the attention of popular media? You know, the ones that go to Kentia Hall every year and sometimes get discovered.
Will small-time press actually get to go to the event? With the rumors of high prices for tickets, that answer would seem to be ?no.? Being someone who used to consider himself small-time press, this worries me.
Here’s the press release since it will eventually move from the page I linked:
Washington, 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.
The ESA is the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of the companies publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet. ESA members collectively account for more than 90 percent of the $7 billion in entertainment software sales in the U.S. in 2005, and billions more in export sales of entertainment software. For more information about the ESA, please visit http://www.theESA.com.
E3 needed to grow up. Just as the industry has matured to the point where the designer for WoW gets interviewed by the NY Times and published on the front page, E3 needed to go beyond being eye-candy for adolescent boys.
It needed to be a more business and professionally oriented convention and I think ESA recognized this. ESA wanted to be considered more than a kids’s entertainment show. It wanted to attract media beyond the game mags that hang around the shows. They wanted to attract major publications like the NY Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune — consequently they had to overhaul the convention if they wanted to be taken seriously.
As a mod and map designer back in the day, I really enjoyed going to the early E3 events. Meeting and being able to talk with the guys from Valve and TeamFortress Software in 1998 was just incredible. But then again, nearly a decade ago, E3 wasn’t quite as huge as is has been recently.
Added worries after thinking more about it:
Will it be harder for the small-time game development companies to actually catch the attention of popular media? You know, the ones that go to Kentia Hall every year and sometimes get discovered.
Will small-time press actually get to go to the event? With the rumors of high prices for tickets, that answer would seem to be “no.” Being someone who used to consider himself small-time press, this worries me.
Does the gaming industry have a “Sundance Festival” like movies do? If not, I really think that might be something they (game publishers) might want to look into starting… come show us your game and if its good we might pick up the development and publishing.
[...] One of the concerns I expressed about the new E3 is the potential exclusion of smaller players. You know, the companies you saw (or didn’t bother to see) down in Kentia Hall. I was worried that this new event would make it difficult if not impossible for the little guys to garner the attention of the press. Apparently, that was not without warrant. [...]
[...] With some game conferences downsizing and others considering taking the place of said conventions, the world of game development expos has seen some interesting times of late. Now, from the company that brought you the Sex in Video Games Conference, comes the Online Game Developers Conference. And at least 11 people who didn’t know that AGC already unofficially holds that title rejoiced. [...]
With some game conferences downsizing and others considering taking the place of said conventions, the world of game development expos has seen some interesting times of late. Now, from the company that brought you the Sex in Video Games Conference