Remember those suffocating crowds and the completely non-game-related overload that eventually caused a
restructuring at E3? If not,
we certainly do, and you won't find us complaining about a more focused approach for 2007. Of course, toning down the antics inevitebly leads to less attendees, and such looks to be the case for the July convention in Santa Monica, CA. Reportedly, a paltry 32 companies are signed up to take part in this year's festivities (larger list after the jump), but big-timers such as
Microsoft,
Nintendo,
Sony, Electronic Arts, and Square Enix (just to name a few) will still be making the hike. Still, going from some 400 exhibitors to less than 40 in a single year should make for a
very different experience when July 11th rolls around, and considering that "only 3,000 to 4,000 invitations" will purportedly be sent out, getting a little hands-on time with an actual game will hopefully be less of a chore for the ones that get in.
[Via
ArsTechnica]
Announced list of 2007 E3 exhibitors:
- 1C Company
- Activision
- Akella
- Atari
- Atlus
- Disney Interactive Studios
- Capcom
- Codemasters
- Crave Entertainment
- Eidos
- Electronic Arts
- Konami
- LucasArts
- Majesco
- Microsoft
- Midway
- Namco
- Bandai Games
- NCsoft
- Nintendo
- Sega
- Sony Computer Entertainment
- Sony Online Entertainment
- Square Enix
- Take-Two Interactive
- THQ
- Ubisoft
- Vivendi Games
- Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
posted Apr 24th 2007 9:47AM
Wow, coming to my town! I'll have to find a way in.
(California Love)
California!
It's nice to the homeless
Californyah-nyah!
Super cool to the homeless!
In the cityyyyy
City of Santa Monica
Lots of rich people
Giving change to the homeless
I used to work across the street from that place... I'm sure I can figure my way into there. Doubt they'll have too much security.
Although, it'll be strange given that it's in the same place they had halloween carnivals when I was like, 6...
"...you won't find us complaining about a more focused approach for 2007" You are not trying a bit of schmooze for one of those 3000 to 4000 invitations are you?
So basically, they take one of the coolest events of the year, held in one of the world's largest convention centers, destroy it, and some people have the gall to be impressed? E3 has always had special access for those who needed it, but gave a taste of the industry to others that attended the event. I'm saddened that things weren't as exciting in 2003 as they'd been in 2002, thanks to a "cut back" approach that year... and now the event doesn't even exist. After all, it's not the same size, the same time of year, or in the same place. How the heck can they even call it E3? Corporate bastards...
well, bigger doesn't always mean better. And I think that the organizers of E3 were annoyed/vexed by the fact that E3 itself had become more about the party-like effluvia and no longer about the Video Games. Companies would actually launch things and make announcements in their own setups before the Expo even started, then throw an essentially meaningless booth party for E3 itself.
Now, I'm actually kinda glad that they changed it to this. It had completely lost its sense of purpose in the unruly crowds of years previous, and now maybe they can focus again. I know you want to feel indignant about the change, but please don't forget that by-and-large conventions are not for the average Joe to attend (fan-organized conventions -- like anime -- notwithstanding). They are for professionals in the field to meet and do business.
Again, though, we'll see how this pans out.
What, no Blizzard? Then how will we not be informed about Starcraft 2 yet again....
That's what BlizzCon 2007 is for :D!
Blizzard has a few conference rooms in the Vivendi Games booth in the Loews Hotel, but nothing on the Barker Hanger floor. Why take away from BlizzCon? This still is marketing and sales, but for industry. E for Everyone will be new public marketing campaign at the Los Angeles Convention Center. I like the new E3, it'll be much more intimate for the people that the show is intended for.
Well, they wanted more focus, and part of that means less exhibitors. We'll see how this pans out.
Why are they trying to make E3 into a serious event? That's why we have the Game Developers Conference and the Serious Games Summit. E3 stands for Electronic Entertainment Expo. Expo is the operative word here. E3 has always been a giant marketing and sales circus.