According to some publications, there has been disgruntlement by publishers about the effectiveness of spending thousands/millions to promote their wares and not getting the attention they're paying for. Pessimists say this may result in a worst-case scenario of E3 being cancelled.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6154897.html
The slightly more believable rumor is that E3 may downsize, lending more aid to promoting the big companies and letting small companies to fend for themselves with their own promotions. Not exactly the better of the two scenarios, but at least it'll still give people something to look at every year.
Either way, the result should become more clear within 24 hours.
EDIT: Typos at 3 in the morning! Wai
EDIT 2: 4 in the morning!
[this message was edited by Gojira on Mon 31 Jul 20:10]
Replies:
exodus
3477th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
"Re(1):E3 = screwed" , posted Tue 1 Aug 02:38
bleh. no, basically it might just be more dedicated meetings. no big deal to me.
Gojira
2026th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
"Re(2):E3 = screwed" , posted Tue 1 Aug 05:43
Some semi-official words:
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6154935.html
So E3 will stay in LA (at least for now) and downsize. Smaller meetings, more press and less public. Microsoft, Sony and EA were behind the initial complaints of cost that led to this decision, but it seems they nonetheless don't mind ponying up 5 million each to "cover ESA's losses." Sounds more like bribery to me. I wonder if Nintendo is still invited to the party?
Ishmael
2572th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
"Re(3):E3 = screwed" , posted Tue 1 Aug 09:15
The only thing that surprises me about this is that the companies were able to sensibly sit down and agree on dropping E3. As a consumer I'm not going to miss the information overload that came from publishers desperate to hype games that may or may not be in any sort of presentable form. The tired feelings I had toward the event must be nothing compared with what the publishers apparently felt since they decided that coughing up 5 million a piece for getting out of whatever agreement they had with ESA was a much more sound financial investment than continuing with the show. While ESA, the LA convention infrastructure and the over-eager fans who dreamt of making a pilgrimage to E3 will be disappointed getting rid of the overpriced bottleneck that E3 had become will probably be good for the industry in the long run.
Pollyanna
1936th Post
Gold Carpet V.I.P- Platinum Executive
"Re(3):E3 = screwed" , posted Tue 1 Aug 09:46
quote: Sounds more like bribery to me. I wonder if Nintendo is still invited to the party?
Yeah, naturally, Nintendo wouldn't complain since E3 went so well for them this year. I can see Sony and Microsoft irritated about spending millions when everyone just decided they wanted a Wii.
Tashoku Kisune
2175th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
"Re(1):E3 = screwed" , posted Tue 1 Aug 15:15
Though understandable, I think the whole thing reeks of bad news. :/ It sorta makes me sad. Their downsizing seems to speak of imminent cancellation. Though, as I said before, it's understandable being that they're spending so much money without a suffecient enough return. Most people would happily tell you that's just bad economics. People go bankrupt that way. But still, it's sad.
Taa kun
515th Post
New Red Carpet Member
"Re(4):E3 = screwed" , posted Tue 1 Aug 15:27
quote:Yeah, naturally, Nintendo wouldn't complain since E3 went so well for them this year. I can see Sony and Microsoft irritated about spending millions when everyone just decided they wanted a Wii.
So true !!!
Tsukurimashou... Tsukurimashou... Sate sate nani ga dekiru ka na ?
I still don't like it, but I guess that's because I fall under the "small company" category.
There are many, many ways that things could end up after this settles down but not all of them are bad news for smaller companies. A streamlined E3 might give smaller publishers a chance to actually have their products scheduled and shown in an orderly manner instead of having to compete with every other booth that is blaring out noise. Getting rid of the excess baggage might not be a bad thing. If there's some angle I'm missing -which I'm certain there is- please let me know.
The question here is what, exactly, is the point of E3? Is it an industry exhibition? Some sort of annual public announcement system, a fan gathering, or something else? The E3 of the past seemed to be trying to do several things at once so it's no wonder it finally imploded. For instance, why was the subject of "booth babes" ever a matter of public discourse? Other industries can hold similiar meetings without having topics like that come up.
My biggest concern about this shake-up is that in an attempt to keep it's former glory E3 is going to morph into a celebration of video entertainment. The portion of E3 that dealt with actual industry work seemed worthwhile. But I don't think that the world needs yet another nerd convention.
Tai-Pan 145th Post
Regular Customer
"Re(7):E3 = screwed" , posted Fri 4 Aug 02:12
You start to notice that there's something wrong in the industry when you read that it takes no less than 10 million euros for an average company to produce an average game.
How much money do companies invest on those big stands anyway, millions? I guess that showing games at the E3 wasn't a good investment at all.
"Those who follow the path of a warrior must be ready to die in order to stand for one's convictions live for one's convictions die for one's convictions"
Tashoku Kisune
2191th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
"Re(7):E3 = screwed" , posted Fri 4 Aug 06:36
quote: For instance, why was the subject of "booth babes" ever a matter of public discourse?
Wait. People made a big deal over the fucking nearly-naked women loitering around? >:/ Pfft, weirdos. At least bother to talk about something that matters. ¬_¬'
Tai-Pan 146th Post
Regular Customer
"Re(8):E3 = screwed" , posted Sat 5 Aug 01:35
quote: For instance, why was the subject of "booth babes" ever a matter of public discourse?
Wait. People made a big deal over the fucking nearly-naked women loitering around? >:/ Pfft, weirdos. At least bother to talk about something that matters. ¬_¬'
Yeah,,sometimes it was more important to talk about "babes" than video games..We are talking about LA anyway..
"Those who follow the path of a warrior must be ready to die in order to stand for one's convictions live for one's convictions die for one's convictions"
Tashoku Kisune
2193th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
"Re(9):E3 = screwed" , posted Sat 5 Aug 02:49
quote: For instance, why was the subject of "booth babes" ever a matter of public discourse?
Wait. People made a big deal over the fucking nearly-naked women loitering around? >:/ Pfft, weirdos. At least bother to talk about something that matters. ¬_¬'
Yeah,,sometimes it was more important to talk about "babes" than video games..We are talking about LA anyway..
Why does this not surprise me... yet disappoints me anyway?
crazymike
1245th Post
Red Carpet Executive Member
"Re(10):E3 = screwed" , posted Tue 15 Aug 06:34
Well, they could always charge the public some money to get into E3 like comic-con but....neh, the fans and purchasers of games don't get any respect.
Ammadeau
1521th Post
Red Carpet V.I.P- Platinum Member
"Re(2):Re(10):E3 = screwed" , posted Tue 15 Aug 18:52
quote: Well, they could always charge the public some money to get into E3 like comic-con but....neh, the fans and purchasers of games don't get any respect.
That's the way it was and it wasn't working at all. And that's really what PAX is becoming now, the idealized version of E3 fanboys have dreamed of and people who actually work at E3 always dreaded. So we'll have it both ways from now on.
"E3 = screwed" , posted Mon 31 Jul 19:58:
who follow the path of a warrior
