"The video game industry's biggest event returns to its former stomping grounds."
Today the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has made it clear that that won't be a problem again, as E3 will be headed back to its old venue: the Los Angeles Convention Center. Don't expect huge crowds, booth babes and game demos, however. "While there will be opportunities for game demonstrations, the 2008 E3 Media & Business Summit will not feature the large trade show environment of previous years," ESA stated.
E3 will once again focus "on the business of the computer and video game industry, with an emphasis on press events and small meetings with media, development, and other key sectors."
"The U.S. is the world's number one video game market and the E3 Media & Business Summit is its premier video game conference. The 2008 Summit will provide a professional and efficient environment for suite-based meetings with media, and other industry leaders," said Michael D. Gallagher, CEO of the ESA. "We look forward to welcoming the media and top industry executives to a centralized, business focused and personalized experience. Our program of high-level meetings, networking and personal dialogue, and industry-shaping panel discussions will capture the explosive growth we have seen in 2007 and lay the foundation for the 2008 video game marketplace."
The 2008 E3 Media & Business Summit will take place from July 15 - 17, 2008 and will be open to both ESA members and non-members. Like last year, though, attendance at the events, meetings, and demonstrations will be by invitation only.
Although its a long while away, im quite excited to see whats in store for us. Anyone planning on going?
Source
Reported by: Snake
I accidentally missed the chance for EforALL this year so next year I may grasp it (E3 this time round) and manage to get down to the convention center for a little while
Wow! Great find Snake! Totally repped
not necessarily. if you read it's not saying that E3 is going back to its true ways of before. the only thing this says will change is the location. there will be no booth babes and limited demos. these 2 things are what made E3 popular for the public, and the public is where games are bought and money is made for the companies. E3 used to be for the public even if the public couldn't attend. people would still read about it in magazines or specials on TV. if those 2 major components are missing from E3, the PR people may push these for EfA which is COMPLETELY for the public. this would make EfA an even bigger event (which it needs since it was rather small this year)
It'd be great if E3 came back as watching Gamespots live coverage was great
but this year it just wasn't the same
Yeah, E3 is staying in the same elitist format it was this year, but it's at the LACC again.
E4A has already booked LACC for next year.
Well as long as there are confreces, i'm happy
as long as we get invited to one i'm happy
dammit. they need to host these things on the east coast. i'll never be able to go.
reason they do it on the west coast is b/c a large number of studios are located on the west coast. biggest areas are san francisco, LA and seattle area. yes, there are some big studios on the east, in canada and over seas, but the majority lie on the west coast
i understand that, but with all the events going on, one in the east coast wouldnt hurt?
no, it wouldn't hurt, but also think of the big companies. if there were 2 large conferences (one east one west), companies like Sony, MS, Nintendo, etc. would have to organize 2 events which would cost money. more than likely, they'd release most of their content for the west conference anyway, so you'd still get screwed
ALSO, you'd have to look at timeframes. west conference would be at those key points towards the end of the year or middle of the year. an east conference would either have the same content held at the same time, or lesser content earlier in the year, so once again, you'd get screwed.
there are ways you won't get screwed, but not likely or done easily
that really blows. well at least we have E3 again, somewhat. yet its in July again.
No booth babes? *leaves thread grumbling*
u have to be invited to be able to go to E3?
dang
Maybe some Wiiloaded staff might get invited?
The E3 you're talking about is still gone. It's probably never coming back.
EfA is the replacement.
This E3 is a gaming business expo. not for crowds of fans and girls that don't know what a playstation is.
Yeah. Everyone seems to be misreading the title. E3 is dead, they are just taking the business summit back to LACC.
Also, on the topic of EfA next year... I think this year would have been the best time to go. Because all the great games will be out by next year. Even Mario Kart should be out by the next one. Brawl definitely will be (which is the only reason I considered it)
I might start a savings account to possibly appear at the next EfA... but I'm not too hyped about it so I may sit it out again.
E3 R.I.P.
hm...this does give EfA a better chance of surviving for a few years more. E3 is for the companies to do all their major press releases, and EfA is for the gamers who want the inside scoop and want to do some oogling at booth babes (hopefully there wont be a game like Brawl with booth babes screaming every match). This kind of makes me think that the floor shows and demos at the magnitude of past E3's will be (slowly but surely) moving into EfA.
am i sad to see E3 still non-existant? yes. but at least we'll get all the news we could ask for during the conference. with a con. focused on news, and a con focused on gamers, i think it's a step in the right direction...