CEA to launch CES-like E3 replacement?
Since E3 decided to call it quits as the bespoke conference and reorg into something a little more intimate, a number of alternatives are starting to crop up in its place. The most promising prospect, however, comes from the CEA -- harbingers of the one true doombringer event, CES, and outspoken consumer advocates -- who have formed a committee to explore a CES-like event for games to take the place of E3. CE3, if you will. Of course, this does not mean they're committing to any such thing, but when your last event was attended by some 162,000 or so industry professionals and members of the media, let's just say that if they did decide to do a CE3 they'd have a helluva mailing list to work with.
Filed under: Gaming
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Some Show @ Aug 10th 2006 8:43PM
This would be fitting since CES used to be the big event before E3.
It might good to have CES do it again.
Did anyone go to CES before E3 came out? (when it was about games).
How did the old gaming CES stack up to E3?
Slash @ Aug 10th 2006 9:25PM
great idea
just imagine if they have this thing at the same time as CES.
Geek Heaven.
Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Aug 10th 2006 11:29PM
I went to E3 in 2004. It was so awesome. Microsoft's booth was the best. I couldn't believe how amazing it was. I bet it cost them hundreds of thousands to set up their booth. I can see why companies would rather devote that money to actual game work.
It was always a great atmosphere in downtown LA at that time because it was playoff's and the Lakers were always in them.
Aaron @ Aug 10th 2006 11:39PM
I can't believe they're getting rid of E3. That's horrible... I hope this "replacement" can live up to it.
Some Show @ Aug 11th 2006 2:00AM
It is just weird that CES is replacing E3 in 2007 and that E3 replaced CES (for videogames) in 1994.
jim busike @ Aug 11th 2006 2:15AM
E3 is not donwsizing because it failed.
E3 is downsizing because the major publishers dont want to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on it any longer. It was mutually agreed that there was not a return that justified it.
So the idea that they are going to sign up to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on some other show is just wishful thinking.
Dale Thompson @ Aug 11th 2006 5:48AM
Well it looks like we're full circle (almost) on this one. Before E3, games were a seperate pavillion at Comdex, I always felt that the best work in user interfaces, graphics & software technology was being done there. Then it got to big & started to overshadow the mainstream stuff so they spun it off & E3 was born or everyone transitioned to E3 something like that. Comdex imploded and CES took over, now games are back in Vegas - why not.
SyxxtySyxx @ Aug 11th 2006 2:04PM
They should do it in Vegas, too. I'd say early/mid-summer.
That would be awesome.
veronica @ Aug 11th 2006 3:28PM
SpectacleFest sure looks like a hit!
mnemo @ Aug 11th 2006 3:52PM
http://vgxpo.com maybe?
so says...
http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=13466
tristanfey @ Aug 11th 2006 4:12PM
"I can't believe they're getting rid of E3. That's horrible... I hope this 'replacement' can live up to it.
Posted at 11:39PM on Aug 10th 2006 by Aaron"
No one is getting rid of E3. It will be back again next year, but it is not going to be in the same format everyone is use to. Quote from The Entertainment Software Assn:
"E3 2007 will be a more intimate event focused on targeted, personalized meetings and activities."
Also ESA President Doug Lowenstein said:
"he and other industry executives decided E3 had become ineffective in helping exhibitors reach their desired audience. 'You have to ask, is E3 the most efficient way, the most cost-effective way to interact with the media? And I think the answer to that is no,' he says. 'The conference had come to be attended by many people who had tenuous connections to the industry and the media. I think the main thing thats going to be different is, by making it invitation-only, people are going to be interacting with the people they want to see.'"
Full article here: http://politics.yahoo.com/s/bw/20060801/bs_bw/tc20060801521699
With that being said, I have to agree with, jim busike's post. We're not going to get an E3 replacement. They are changing this format to save money. They are not going to then turn around and spend that savings on an additional show, when they are already attending E3.