e3-2009
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Rumor: Midway no longer an ESA member, not attending E3
For every small chance at redemption Midway Games finds, there seems to be another piece of bad news hiding around the corner. The latest nugget of unofficial news is that Midway is no longer a member of the ESA and will no longer attend E3 this year. Just to be clear, those issues are separate, as Activision Blizzard isn't an ESA member, but is attending E3 -- well, the Actvision half is.Midway's name has been removed from both the ESA's website and from the list of exhibitors for E3 2009. Midway was previously listed as attending the revamped expo, and requests for comment to the ESA and Midway have not been returned. We'll update if we hear anything.
ESA exec: E3 2009 to bring back 'glamour' and 'sizzle'
We've turned such phrases as "rich with spectacle," "booth babier" and "circus sideshow" when describing the extravagant elements of E3, which will be making a reemergence in E3 2009, but we feel that ESA senior director of communications Dan Hewitt aptly summed up the spirit of this year's illustrious trade show with a conciseness we've yet to muster: E3 2009 will welcome back the decidedly absent "glamour, sizzle and excitement" of Expos preceding the professionalization of the annual event in 2007.That's not to say we'll see a return of the "over-the-top excess" that personified E3 2006, resulting in a gargantuan price tag for the event -- Hewitt says we can expect to see elements from the gaudy earlier years combined with the no-nonsensical attitude which characterized the event in '07 and '08. In other words, there will be copious amounts of booth babes, but they'll be adhering to a strict dress code of conservatively tailored three-piece suits.
Blizzard isn't going to E3 after all
So remember this story I did a few days ago about Blizzard showing up this year at E3?Yeah, turns out it's not going to be happening after all.While "Activision Blizzard" is going, only the Activison part will be showing up to smile for everyone. It appears the Blizzard part will be staying at home playing Wrath or tiddlywinks and sticking their tongue out at everyone, much like the girl in the picture (which I shamelessly have stolen from our sister site Joystiq who brings us this news).But I can understand, because Blizzard really doesn't have anything to show at E3. I mean, it's not like they're making three of the hottest games on the planet or anything... Wrath? Diablo 3? StarCraft 2? Never heard of 'em.
Blizzard to attend E3
Activision-Blizzard (or is it Blizzard-Activision?) will be attending E3 this year from June 2nd to June 4th. E3 is also called the Electronic Entertainment Expo and features a wide variety of companies and their products. The expo is being held at the LA convention center, so it's right outside Blizzard's Irvine offices.Activision-Blizzard didn't attend the 2008 E3. No one really knows why. But this year their attendance will be welcomed for all those going. And if you're thinking about going, you probably won't be able to – unless you work in the industry. But fear not, the Joystiq network always sends a crew out there to cover it. Our own Dan O'Halloran should be in attendance as well.Check out our sister site Joystiq for more information.Oh, you thought you could get away from the pet image? Haven't seen it on the site for a few months? Oh no... snap.
E3 2009 exhibitor list revealed, Activision-Blizzard attending
The ESA has released its most up-to-date list of publishers attending E3 this year and right at the top -- which doesn't mean much considering it's alphabetical -- is last year's noticeable no-show, Activision-Blizzard. This doesn't mean that Blizzavision is back with the ESA after it left the organization last year, but it seems the two parties have reconciled enough that Actilizzard isn't going it alone this year.One of the few noticeable names not attending the reinvigorated trade show is NCsoft, who we've contacted for a statement. Although E3 is still not open to the public, eligibility to attend is more lax than the last two years. If you're curious about going, it'll take two pieces of "industry identification," such as a "company credit card, paycheck stub or W-2 form." Best of luck to all the GameStop associates wanting to attend.Update: Word from NCsoft: "While NCsoft has been a member of the ESA in the past, we are not currently an ESA member and do not expect to attend E3 this year. We will continue to evaluate how E3 fits into NCsoft's plans each year." As to "why?" The company didn't answer that.
Sega, THQ stop joint European event to renew focus on E3
Sega and THQ will not hold their European business summit this year, instead shifting focus to the reborn E3. MCV reports that following the death alterations to E3 in 2007, the two companies created the summit as an alternative to showcase products in Europe. Sega Europe President Mike Hayes went so far as to say that he "encourages" all its customers and media partners to support the E3 event in June. Hayes continued that Sega will still support some European trade shows, but that the business summit it held is "no longer required." Microsoft already stated it plans to come big to E3 this year. If we keep hearing reports like this leading up to the event in June, this might very well be a true rebirth of the garish spectacle that industry folks loved to hate to love.
Rumor: Square Enix's next MMO unveiling at E3 2009
It has been a very long time since we last hear anything of note regarding Square Enix's next MMO project and successor to Final Fantasy XI; however, the pages of EGM (via Final Fantasy-XIII.net) tells us that this silence will be over in due time. EGM's scuttlebutt suggests that the long-awaited MMO will be unveiled at next year's E3 in June. It seems like a rather timely choice. It also seems to scream 'it's about time' as the aging FFXI is considerably outdated after having a nearly seven-year run. But, don't expect this new game to be a typical "updated" FFXI clone though. Producer Hiromichi Tanaka told EGM that "the next generation MMO that we're working on is going to be different from Final Fantasy XI. And even though we have the same staff working on the project, we're not going to make something that'll be exactly like FFXI."
Microsoft looking to 'break the bank' at E3
We expect the big three to come to E3 ready to drop bombs, but lately it seems that in the past couple of years Microsoft has been content to drop not-so-subtle reminders of their fall release calendar. On the latest Major Nelson podcast though, Microsoft Game Studios chief Phil Spencer stopped just short of promising megatons."I came out of an E3 planning meeting just about an hour ago," Spencer said, "and ... maybe we'll break the bank a little bit and talk about things that are further out." From this, we've implied two things. 1. Phil Spencer maybe meant to use a different metaphor and 2. We can get our hopes up a little bit for big news during Microsoft's keynote. Let's hope the competition follows suit.[Via X3F]
Microsoft ready to 'break the bank' at E3 2009
Talking to Major Nelson in his latest podcast, Microsoft Game Studios boss Phil Spencer mentioned that Microsoft's plan for next year's E3 will be to discuss game's that are "further out in the future" which he admits may just "break the bank." "We're looking at some of the plans for the future and things that we might want to tease, and it's very exciting because there's a lot of stuff on the way," said Spencer, making it quite clear that Microsoft will not be holding back on their E3 reveals. And now, after we think about it, we're not sure what bank breaking announcements Microsoft will have in June of 2009. That said, we never doubt Microsoft's ability to impress.[Via CVG]
E3 tries to make a comeback in 2009
E3 2009 will take place June 2-4 next year, at the LA Convention Center. It won't be open to the public or anything, but the list of people who can attend will be less restrictive than the previous two years, says the ESA. They'll be opening the doors to all "international and US-based media, analysts, retailers, developers and business partners." So, attendance will increase and this move should hopefully help E3 get back to what it used to be: loud, smelly, and oh-so-fun!And while we're on the subject, be sure to check out Joystiq's interview with ESA president and CEO Mike Gallagher right here.%Gallery-27788%
Joystiq interviews ESA president about E3 2009
Just a few minutes ago we got off the phone with ESA president and CEO Mike Gallagher. We had 10 minutes to ask our list of questions about today's announcement that E3 2009 would return to the show's over-the-top roots. We covered a range of topics: from booth babes to how this new show will avoid the pitfalls that brought us the downsized E3 in the first place. This will be Gallagher's first time being in charge of a "real E3" since taking over for Doug Lowenstein two years ago.Joystiq: If you had to give E3 2009 a six word or less tag line, what would it be? We went with "The b*tch is back" this afternoon, but what's yours?Mike Gallagher: The must attend event of 2009What is the anticipated attendance? Is there a cap?MG: No cap, we have expectations that it'll be higher than the previous two years. It could be in the neighborhood of 40,000 or more. We're not focused on the turn of the turnstiles, but the success of the event.Is it out of the realm of possibility that we'll still see public dates announced later?MG: I wouldn't expect that.
E3 2009 brings back spectacle; June 2-4 at LACC
The ESA has just announced that E3 2009 will be held June 2-4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event will welcome all qualified "international and US-based media, analysts, retailers, developers and business partners." Meaning, we're back to the way things were before the last two downsized years.The event will not be open to the public as it was previously rumored, but it appears that admission will be as lax as we remember it. Expect tens of thousands of people to converge on the LACC next June. More details to follow.
Rumor: E3 2009 open to the public, happening in June
There is speculation popping up from several different places this evening that E3 2009 will be held in June at the Los Angeles Convention Center and be open to the public. G4 ran a piece this evening on X-Play (embedded after the break) that the event will be held June 2-4. N'Gai Croal of Newsweek received similar information from a source, but also adds that the event will be open to the public on June 5-6 and the event will be capped at 40,000 attendees. Both G4 and Croal claim an official E3 2009 announcement will be made tomorrow. Just to be very clear, at this point all this information is merely rumor and speculation from sources. The ESA has not made an official statement.We contacted the ESA a few hours ago when we were only aware of the G4 piece running this evening and were informed: "There will be a 2009 E3 and we will announce the details at the appropriate time." At the time the ESA said it had no idea what information G4 was planning to reveal and hadn't commented on the piece.We've contacted the ESA for any official statement and will update as soon as we receive it.Update: Croal has amended his piece to say that the E3 weekend dates, set aside for the public, "may have been incorrect."Source - E3 2009 To Take Place During First Week of June, Be Open To the Public, Attendance Capped At 40,000 [Newsweek]Source - E3 Returning To Past Size And Spectacle In 2009 [G4]
ESA: E3 2009 'will occur'
Some will tell you they heard the solemn ringing of the death knell as it echoed through the barren halls of the LA Convention Center last week. Was this the final E3? ... This?Nope. The Electronic Software Association has revealed its plans to organize at least one more E3 event, stopping short of actually detailing the who, where, when, and -- most pressing -- the why bother? "As we do every year, we're beginning the process of surveying exhibitors and attendees to determine potential changes to the Summit," an ESA representative told GameSpot. "Once this is completed and shared with the ESA's Board of Directors, we will make an announcement about the specifics of the 2009 E3 Media & Business Summit, which will occur."%Gallery-28248%
