ESA's goodbye letter to E3's little heroes
Regardless of how you feel about E3's rebirth, no one is going to hurt more than the little-known developers who had their moment in the spotlight, thanks to Kentia Hall. While little exposure was given to Kentia Hall booths (relative to booths elsewhere), some of the strangest and most innovative sects of the games industry thrived here. So how did ESA notify its lesser-known participants?
Game Politics received the following letter via a Kentia Hall exhibitor:
"Dear Valued E3Expo Exhibitor,
As you may have read in the enclosed Press Release, the 2007 E3Expo has been officially cancelled. As the industry has evolved and matured over the past 12 years, the needs of the exhibitors and key attendees have also changed. To address this change, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has announced a new event tentatively scheduled for July 2007.
Details of the event have not been finalized at this time, however our vision and goal is to create a more intimate climate for personalized meetings and product demonstrations. The ESA will announce additional details and information in the ensuing weeks and months.
We would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincere and profound gratitude for your past support of this event. It has been exciting and rewarding to see the growth and significance of this industry mirrored on the exhibit floor of the E3Expo through the years. We look forward to many more years of industry growth, vitality and opportunity.
Yours sincerely,
Mary Dolaher
Vice President"
Remember: without Kentia Hall, there'd be no Guitar Hero. It was a showcase for the biggest risk-takers, and while it rarely paid off, the enthusiasm therein is enough to warrant their recognition. With the new E3 Media Festival being invite-only, how many of the lesser-known acts will get to RSVP?
