e3 cancelled...?

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Senior industry sources have revealed to Next-Gen.Biz that the E3 industry event, in its present form, has been cancelled for next year and the foreseeable future.

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) shindig has been a staple of game industry life since the mid-1990s. However, we understand the larger exhibitors have jointly decided that the costs of the event do not justify the returns, generally measured in media exposure.

Publishers believe the multi-million dollar budgets would be better spent on more company-focused events that bring attention to their own product lines rather than the industry as a whole.

Well placed sources say the news that larger exhibitors were pulling out had prompted urgent meetings among publishing executives. They decided that, without the support of the larger software publishers and hardware manufacturers, there would be no point in continuing.

ESA president Doug Lowenstein will likely announce the news some time within the next 48 hours, possibly on Monday. It's possible that the ESA will seek to limit the damage by organizing some form of lesser event in May, but it's clear that the days of an industry event attended by all the major publishers, spending big money, are gone.

Calls to ESA staff are not being returned at present.

SOURCE

Could it be!? D:
 
D:

Why!?!?!? now we won't have any gaming holiday to look forward to!
*cries for an unreasonably long time*
 
Aw man! I've always dreamt of going... and now it gets cancelled! The humanity :(
 
Making better games than the shit that has come out for the last 2 years > E3
 
Cancel E3?!?!?!?!?!? Wtf, this is very upsetting news to me. It's all because they took out the booth babes.
 
Calm down , it probably will come back just in another form. Truth be told - that's better. E3 is just about hype , showing off games that get too much attention they need with gameplay that doesn't back it up at the end.
 
Don't care really. I'll never be near anough to attend one. And devs will release videos of their games anyway.
 
That has to be shenanigans. What, so a bunch of publishers decided to do something that would draw A LOT less attention to them, and so many just randomly decided it that the biggest game-convention of the year is CANCELLED?
 
In all honesty, I really saw this coming...

I mean nobody even remembers what E3 is even about anymore... Everyone thinks that it is just people come and check out upcoming games and shit, when it was originally intended for developers showing each other what they are creating, and doing business deals and such...

In recent years it's just gotten so big like they said, that the whole point of E3 is skewed (the general public isn't even supposed to be able to come, but people always find a way)...

I'm sure that this "new E3" will happen... However, nobody here should expect to be going unless they actually work at a big publisher or developer (not "Website Manager of BobsGames.com" :p )... Also, there still may be lots of media coverage, but I'm not sure, I'll have to read the plans for the new E3 to see if media coverage is even part of it (from the sound of the next-gen article, it seems unlikely)

Think about it though... Instead of developers having to spend millions of dollars preparing and building E3 stuff, they can now focus PURELY on the game and other forms of marketing that shows the game to a wider audience than just those who pay attention to E3.
 
Sad because it was a really fun event. However, driving through LA traffic and walking amongst a bunch of sweaty gamers made it a tad bit less appealing.

I'm thinking that it'll be more like GDC (Game Developers' Conference) but just on a larger scale. Hopefully. Oh well, I'm glad I was able to go twice.
 
The only problem now is that Nintendo won't actually make any more announcements about anything until the day before it's on store shelves. :|

No.

You do realize that E3 isn't the only gaming-related trade/press show out there, right? E3 was just the biggest and was the most open to the public.

They have the TGS, GDC, X05, and various other ones (those are just the biggest I know about)...

Or the companies could hold their own little press days and invite people over when they have big news...

Only thing that sort of is a bummer is that if by the time the next consoles come out in a few years, if there isn't an E3 replacement, or MS, Sony, and Nintendo are choosing their own shows to present at, you won't have the "huge war" between the press conferences like at E3 where they were all direct rivals and such...

Anyways, I'm curious to see what the ESA's future plans are.
 
I hate to see the excitement gone. The middle of May was always my favorite part of the year (besides X-mas) because of all the media and news.

For better or for worse, I am gonna miss it.
 
Man....I was planning on going also...****ing shit ass! This sucks beyond all.
 
this is pretty sad to hear, i love the buzz and excitement e3 develops i will definetly miss it if it goes :x
 
E3 sucked balls anyway, it got ridiculous. If you worked in EB as a shop assistant you could get a pass.

It completely lost focus, which I think the ESA has realized. Booth babes are perhaps the most symbolic element of the downfall of E3. A more professional, industry focused event is what's needed. Not some circus where nerds can go to oogle girls in tight clothing and play games.
 
It completely lost focus, which I think the ESA has realized. Booth babes are perhaps the most symbolic element of the downfall of E3. A more professional, industry focused event is what's needed. Not some circus where nerds can go to oogle girls in tight clothing and play games.

I hate to say it but you're right. It was fun while it lasted though.
 
****ing fat bastards. they cancelled my best show ever.

they can't fooking do that. 100s of millions of gamers will be angry 2moro. mark my word
 
Good.

As much as I liked E3, it was getting a bit overbearing. And I hated how so many publishers could get away with an enormous smoke-and-mirrors spectacle, and come away with huge support for their games and hardware.

Good riddance. Now we might get half-decent coverage of half-decent games.
 
its not cancelled. =\
they just wwant to move to a new location, smaller tho :(

GameSpot spoke with informed game industry sources late Friday and Saturday and learned that the show would radically shrink in size and move from its usual Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) venue to a smaller location.

Sources said that rather than fill the 540,000 square feet of the cavernous LACC, the show will take place at a location that would support exhibitors in meeting room space only, with companies showing their wares to a select group of attendees numbering in the hundreds rather than thousands.

One source added that the new format of the show may actually result in a more productive environment to demo games to the media,
 
Yes! That is what E3 should be!

Sure it sucks that the Average Joe won't be able to go to E3, but seriously you should just listen to IGN, Gamespy, etc etc bitch about how their people can't even demo games because of the huge lines and shit... Now that this is back to being personal and more one-on-one, we will get more game previews that are more detailed and accurate.

And you won't lose your hearing if you attend the trade show ;)
 
Yes! That is what E3 should be!

Sure it sucks that the Average Joe won't be able to go to E3, but seriously you should just listen to IGN, Gamespy, etc etc bitch about how their people can't even demo games because of the huge lines and shit... Now that this is back to being personal and more one-on-one, we will get more game previews that are more detailed and accurate.

And you won't lose your hearing if you attend the trade show ;)
yea i kinda like that idea
we'll see this may
 
Still kinda sucks. They're turning it into a media thing instead of a big fun event where Joe Forum Goon got to play a cool new game and come tell us all about it firsthand. It sounds like it will be a lot less open and fun.
 
Still kinda sucks. They're turning it into a media thing instead of a big fun event where Joe Forum Goon got to play a cool new game and come tell us all about it firsthand. It sounds like it will be a lot less open and fun.

It was never supposed to be like that though.


I think this is great, we will now get more focused showings, and probably longer demos for the media since they wont have to deal with hoards of shmoes lining up to play. Plus, once I become a developer I will be able to go! :p
 
sux if true indeed, no more pre e3 mgs buzz, anticipation for a new trailers etc :|
 
I don't care. I get all my info on the internet anyway. E3 really didn't appeal to me the last 2 years.
 
They can go ahead and have their little conference and whatnot, their "originally intended E3" but it's simply impossible that E3 is a money losing situation. E3 is WAY TOO POPULAR to NOT make money. All they need to do is make an expo with some cool shit and people EVERYWHERE will buy tickets. You can't NOT make money off the the most well known gaming event in the world unless you are stupid.
 
Well, its official
ESA confirms smaller E3 in '07

  • Sources have revealed to GameSpot that several publishers--including Sony, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, and THQ--were among those pushing hardest for changes to the event.
  • ESA will recoup the massive amount of income it will lose from the fees it charges to E3 exhibitors and on-site marketers.
  • The new E3Expo will take shape over the next several months
  • It remains an important event for the industry and we want to keep that sense of excitement and interest
  • It'll be in July '07
 
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