With the exception of Microsoft and Ubisoft, the event lacked presence from publishers -- noticeably from Nintendo and Sony. THQ and Konami exhibited last year, but decided not return.

It was not hard to see why. E for All was not well-publicized, and neither is it a good value for consumers. While attendees could play against the PMS clan and demo current titles, the admission price -- $75 for three days -- is too steep for an event with too few previews of upcoming games. Moreover, the price jumps to $150 for attendees who also want to visit the Game Career Seminar.

While the most exhibitors were interesting in their own right, E for All was a hodgepodge collection under one roof. If the event is able to survive into the coming years, it needs to model itself more coherently and position itself more competitively to gain real success.

E for All should offer a wider variety of retail and fan-organized events -- and, most importantly, a stronger game publisher presence.