E3 Going Public?

[mummey]

E3 is being squeezed by events before and after it. (Comic-Con and PAX)

E3 is stuck in the middle, and even if made public, doesn't appear as good as either.

[subtlebluetones]

comic-con?? I cant see why gamers would be interested in that. At least gamers in UK. And PAX iv never even heard of.

Speaking for the UK contingent, E3 is still the biggest gaming event on our calender that we look forward to every year :)

[fluffybunny]

And PAX iv never even heard of.

Over 45,000 people DID hear about it this year and were there: PAX (http://news.bigdownload.com/2008/08/08/big-download-interview-robert-khoo-on-penny-arcade-expo-2008/)
I wish I'd had more time to spend on Friday. Sunday was packed with lines. Lots of new cool games coming out....and I love my limited edition Penny Arcade mouse (by Razor). I thought I was done with corded mice.
I guess so many people haven't heard of it because they spend $0 on advertising. I have no idea where they're going to move it if it gets much bigger.

[cheebamonkey]

heh funny... 2 or 3 years ago E3 was open to the public with booth babes and grand stages, then the companies bitched about how E3 forced them to show stuff before it was ready and they were forced (hands behind their back and all) to give release dates for stuff. They pushed to have it closed to the public. And now this? That's pretty rich. At least the booth babes will be back!!

[P_T]

Does it even matter anymore? It seems like there's too many of these events these days. Just take a look.

PAX 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/pax08.php) GC 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/gc2k8.php) Comic-Con 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/comiccon08.php) E3 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/e32k8.php) EA3 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/ea32k8.php) MGS4 Launch Center (http://www.gametrailers.com/mgs4launch.php) Captivate 08 (http://www.gametrailers.com/captivate08.php) Ubidays 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/ubidays2k8.php) Sony Gamers' Day 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/sonygamersday2k8.php) Konami Gamers' Day 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/konamigamersday2k8.php) Xbox 360 Spring Showcase '08 (http://www.gametrailers.com/360spring2k8.php) EA Spring Break 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/easpring2k8.php) Pick Your Gaming Favorites '08 (http://www.gametrailers.com/guyschoice2k8.php) GTA4 Launch Center (http://www.gametrailers.com/gta4launchcenter.php) Sierra Gamers' Day 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/sierra2k8.php) Midway Gamers' Day 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/midwaygamerday2k8.php) Namco Bandai 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/namcobandai2k8.php) Nintendo Media Summit (http://www.gametrailers.com/nintendosummit2k8.php) THQ Gamer's Day 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/thq2k8.php) Capcom Digital Day 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/capcomdigiday2k8.php) EIEIO 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/eieio2k8.php) GDC 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/gdc2k8.php) CES 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/ces08.php)

FFS, stop wasting the developers time on polishing the unfinished games for these events and let them finish the games already. No wonder games take longer and longer to finish.

[angel]

Does it even matter anymore? It seems like there's too many of these events these days. Just take a look.

PAX 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/pax08.php) GC 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/gc2k8.php) Comic-Con 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/comiccon08.php) E3 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/e32k8.php) EA3 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/ea32k8.php) MGS4 Launch Center (http://www.gametrailers.com/mgs4launch.php) Captivate 08 (http://www.gametrailers.com/captivate08.php) Ubidays 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/ubidays2k8.php) Sony Gamers' Day 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/sonygamersday2k8.php) Konami Gamers' Day 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/konamigamersday2k8.php) Xbox 360 Spring Showcase '08 (http://www.gametrailers.com/360spring2k8.php) EA Spring Break 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/easpring2k8.php) Pick Your Gaming Favorites '08 (http://www.gametrailers.com/guyschoice2k8.php) GTA4 Launch Center (http://www.gametrailers.com/gta4launchcenter.php) Sierra Gamers' Day 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/sierra2k8.php) Midway Gamers' Day 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/midwaygamerday2k8.php) Namco Bandai 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/namcobandai2k8.php) Nintendo Media Summit (http://www.gametrailers.com/nintendosummit2k8.php) THQ Gamer's Day 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/thq2k8.php) Capcom Digital Day 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/capcomdigiday2k8.php) EIEIO 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/eieio2k8.php) GDC 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/gdc2k8.php) CES 2008 (http://www.gametrailers.com/ces08.php)

FFS, stop wasting the developers time on polishing the unfinished games for these events and let them finish the games already. No wonder games take longer and longer to finish.

You say that like if developers go to every single show out there, they are very choosey on the shows they do go to, at least that's been my experience. Games are taking longer to get out and its not because of trade shows... :shrug:

[P_T]

You say that like if developers go to every single show out there, they are very choosey on the shows they do go to, at least that's been my experience. Games are taking longer to get out and its not because of trade shows... :shrug:Duh! It's an exaggeration.

I know developers don't go to every single one of them but they do go to enough of them, the bigger the title/franchise the more events it appears in. Just check the links if you don't believe me. :D

[subtlebluetones]

Preparing E3 demos and the like, has hindered development a little for a couple of titles that i've worked on. By around a monthish. And that is pretty significant. Thing is, i wouldnt have it any other way :) I think these expos are important, but think there should be only one.

E3, in my mind, was that one. Games companies round the world would prepare for this to keep interest in the industry. Having it watered down by all these others is a bit of a nuisance.

[Sonk]

Duh! It's an exaggeration.

I know developers don't go to every single one of them but they do go to enough of them, the bigger the title/franchise the more events it appears in. Just check the links if you don't believe me. :D

umm, you forgot the Tokyo Game Show :P

[richcz3]

E3 grew too expensive and its hard not to fault the big publishers who sprungs for huge floor space and lavish presentations. Its no surprise that immediate change was needed for 2007. For its part the ESA over reacted and blundered. So many publishers and developers have left the ESA - so I'm left wondering whats the point.

Funny now if you look at PAX pics or footage it looks like E3 of old. From what Ive seen on XBox live and G4.....E3 isn't missed. Free schwag, booth babes, retailers, writers and of course the public in attendance. It's new but the interest will grow as well as the other events.

[sfox8]

I think we all pretty much new E3 would begin to fall once they closed it off to the public, but hopefully this brings it back to its high points. This year's E3 was a major bore.

I also don't see any problem with these shows, either way. The developers are able to create much more hype when they go to these shows that are televised like E3 (or PAX this year).

[fluffybunny]

Funny now if you look at PAX pics or footage it looks like E3 of old. From what Ive seen on XBox live and G4.....E3 isn't missed. Free schwag, booth babes, retailers, writers and of course the public in attendance. It's new but the interest will grow as well as the other events.

I've never been to E3 and only to PAX this once, but from what I've seen of G4's coverage, they're not really showing what PAX is mostly about. Only about 20% of it is vendor exhibition. Maybe another 20% is panels targeted more toward gamers than Dev's, but the vast majority is just about people getting together that love games, playing those games in mass groups, gamer music, gaming culture, etc. There were lots of competitions in all genres, including tabletop, card, and pen and paper gaming. From what I gather, this is what PAX was started for and why I think it'll keep going regardless of how much commercial support exists.

BTW, no Booth Babes at PAX...unless they actually have some gamer cred :)

[richcz3]

Behold and lay thee eyes on the PAX booth babe parade (http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=1312)
Maybe they came out at strategic times. :D

[fluffybunny]

Behold and lay thee eyes on the PAX booth babe parade (http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=1312)
Maybe they came out at strategic times. :D

Well, about half of those are actually cos players which are by most definitions not booth babes. Several of the others are in a booth and are babes, but are there because they are devs or designers.
I don't mean to argue, my only point was that there is actually a no booth babe rule at PAX (don't staff your booth with someone who is only a pretty face/body) and I only saw about 4-5 of those covering the whole floor....and I could be wrong because I didn't talk to them, but by the way they were carrying themselves, I didn't get the impression they had any interest in gaming. Personally, I think it's a good rule.

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