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New E3 Format Leaves Some GameCo’s Cold

July 07, 2007 in News comments 17

The new E3 is going to be much different than past ones, but there is a burning question and everyone is dying to hear the answer: Will it be better? Some people have expressed their thoughts about this E3:

Most notably, Tecmo boss John Inada was highly critical of the new E3:

New show management didn’t seem to know what they were doing. I don’t have money to waste on an experimental project. Previously, we were not treated very nicely by the old E3 management, so we didn’t feel obligated to cooperate this year. I also heard that a lot of the [retail] buyers weren’t coming

A unnamed source described as close to a large, non-attending publisher also cited concerns over flagging retailer participation:

GameStop’s not really going to be there, Best Buy’s not going to be there. Why should we bother dealing with the ESA’s confusion when we can meet with our retail partners separately and then stage our own gamers’ day event later on in the year where we set the rules? It just doesn’t make any sense.
Shadow net583x s via gamepolitics.com »
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Most recently commented on by on Jul 10, 2007

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  • 0
    FRoGBuster Jul 8, 07
    oppsies huh. I guess they should have kept E3 the way it was. Yeah, who gets to go there now anyways?
  • 0
    Synthesis Jul 8, 07
    Looks like they screwed up this year.
  • -1
    Reenee Jul 8, 07
    quote
    I guess they should have kept E3 the way it was.
    A trade show that was supposed to have a business-type environment suddenly turned into a sweaty hot party with scantily-clad females and a bunch of people that aren't supposed to be there?

    I was at its footsteps in 2005. You have no idea how right you are.
  • 0
    Final Blade Jul 8, 07
    I say something new isn't bad. It refreshes on how things are. I say its going to be great.
    • 5
      VeGiTAX2 Jul 8, 07
      I say that chances are if you aren't attending then you have no clue on how god awful it's been setting up appointments this year.

      Instead of a single location for the whole show, people are going all over Santa Monica, then to LA, then back to Santa Monica, then around Santa Monica and eventually realizing, that given LA traffic, there's barely enough time to hit all the events especially without a large crew.

      No I'd say that this something new isn't bad at all, it's terrible in fact. Talk about how great it's going to be when you actually go through it after years and years of comfort where everything was there for you to just walk up and hit within a reasonable span.

      I'd rather walk the LACC 5x rather than dealing with traffic on the 101 and etc just to attend everyones conferences.

      I'd say given statement that it's quite right, it seems like no one has a clue as to whats going on with the show, and they just tossed this together, I mean why else have the displays and conferences so far apart from each other.
      • 0
        Warsun Jul 8, 07
        Oh man I cannot even imagine. I was in LA and Santa Monica this year and the traffic was horrible. Even worse if you are trying to cover certain events too. Luckily I had a driver, or there is no way I would have survived.
  • 0
    InnerDemon Jul 8, 07
    right, new things arent always bad, but if sprung out of thin air, they can create awhole lot of nonsense if not talked over.
  • 0
    Existenz Jul 8, 07
    Why they chose Santa Monica is beyond me i mean before LA they used an arena in Detroit, which was perfectly big enough for everything all they have to do was tell developers they don't have to put their games in lights and music, since the event this year is more intimate, they are not trying to appeal to fanboys just the media like it was 10 years ago.
  • 0
    Bale Fire Jul 8, 07
    I posted a article earlier about this. Developers are apparently all thinking the same thing "Why even bother coming to E3?"
  • 0
    dcbake Jul 8, 07
    Santa Monica traffic is horrible. After reading some info on other gaming sites it just isn't looking good for E3, with all of the traveling you have to do. I don't see them using this way when having it in one centralized location makes it a helluva lot easier.
  • 0
    Miss Razz Jul 8, 07
    I don't like the fact that they've changed E3. It was big, it was exciting, it wasn't just about the games. Why make something so grand into something smaller that hasn't even been thought-out properly? Pfft.
    • 0
      tidus04 Jul 8, 07
      So right, when they did this it was so much better. Now like said it is resonably boring and not as great, though Sony will at least offer something to make it better then it is likly to be.. =/
  • 0
    Shadow net583x s Jul 8, 07
    I bet one of the reasons the E3 was so big last year was because the Wii and PS3 hadnt been released and everyone wanted to get their hands on them. Now, all there is are a bunch of games.
  • 0
    FRoGBuster Jul 8, 07
    I guess this is the death of E3 huh? Now it's just small conferences hosted by publishers themselves. quiet put put out.
  • 1
    Sayyed Jul 9, 07
    I really don't care as long as I get too see some game info. True it sucks for devalopers but what can I do about it.
  • 0
    VeGiTAX2 Jul 10, 07
    The show was flawed, it needed work. It was a problem when they couldn't do one on one time with the actual industry people because sweaty fat guy from gamestop #49104914 decided to hog a machine. It was a massive problem when I'd go on floor demonstrations through all the machines and find that we skipped 3-4 demos because a "sales rep" in their oh so professional inuyasha button up decided to camp the machine for 12 hours.

    This isn't the right path, but it's certainly at least a bit more hands on for the people who were supposed to be there. I do crack up that some people imagined E3 was a public event, it never was designed for it. E for all accomplishes that goal now though.
  • 0
    White Mage Jul 10, 07
    I guess I'm not going to miss much this year, the set up is horrible and not even major companies are coming like Gamestop. New show management better get it down for next year's, or it could be death to E3.

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