Although it's a mere shadow of its former self in terms of floor space and companies attending, next week's E3 Media and Business Summit in Los Angeles will nevertheless be the focal point of the global games industry. It's the 13th year for an expo that's seen its share of high (and low) points, major announcements, and big game debuts.

In preparation for our week-long coverage of this E3, join us for a look back at everything important that's happened since the very first E3 opened its doors in 1995. Let's take a stroll strut down memory lane, shall we?

E3 1998

Sony's biggest title was Metal Gear Solid, which was shown in playable form and drew huge crowds.

E3 1998 was also the venue 3D Realms chose to unveil Duke Nukem Forever, the next installment in its wildly popular FPS franchise. It was shown in video form, and, to this day (10 years later), has yet to be released.