Penny Arcade Forums› Games and Technology
The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.

So, what's the new E3?

HadjiQuestHadjiQuest Registered User regular
edited March 2007 in Games and Technology
I think this is a question that should be asked now that we're in March.

Honestly, E3 was always kind of the kick-in-the-pants that pushed the industry into action for the year. Now that it's not on the verge, and it feels like there's no big event to fill its gap, it's like we're stuck in time. The Wii will never go online, the PS3 will never have a good title, and the new 360 model will never come out.

So, where are we looking to for these announcements to be made?

HadjiQuest on

Posts

  • darleysamdarleysam On my way to UKRegistered User regular
    edited March 2007
    party at my house. There will be cake.
    i guess there won't be a 'new E3' as such, but a bunch of other events that become more prominent, each catering to a different side of what E3 was

    darleysam on
    forumsig.png
  • AroducAroduc regular
    edited March 2007
    "kick-in-the-pants that pushed the industry into action"?

    Making tech demos and blowing millions and marketting on advertising is action?

    Aroduc on
  • PheezerPheezer Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2007
    Isn't there supposed to be a much smaller event in its stead?

    Pheezer on
    IT'S GOT ME REACHING IN MY POCKET IT'S GOT ME FORKING OVER CASH
    CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
  • darleysamdarleysam On my way to UKRegistered User regular
    edited March 2007
    pheezer FD wrote: »
    Isn't there supposed to be a much smaller event in its stead?

    yup. Less of the all-singing, all-dancing lightshow spectacle and more about getting people from the industry in to show off their stuff.

    darleysam on
    forumsig.png
  • DogDog Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin
    edited March 2007
    I have always sort of viewed PAX as the heir to E3. Its definately getting big enough, and instead of being an event for companies that gamers desperately try to attend, its an event for gamers that companies desperately to to attend.

    Unknown User on
  • HadjiQuestHadjiQuest Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Aroduc wrote: »
    "kick-in-the-pants that pushed the industry into action"?

    Making tech demos and blowing millions and marketting on advertising is action?

    Yep. And then the obligatory "these are the shitty games that will be out in june and july, these are the future cult-classics that will be out in august and september, and these are the all-star blockbusters that'll be out in october and november"

    HadjiQuest on
  • FreddyDFreddyD Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    They should just bring a tent full of game demos and brochures to major cities for consumers and invite the press over in person. I mean, who really benefits from E3? It is a huge pain in the ass for everyone involved.

    FreddyD on
  • Big DookieBig Dookie Smells great! DownriverRegistered User regular
    edited March 2007
    I'm thinking that the big three console developers will begin holding their own yearly events, similar to E3, but where the spotlight is solely on them. We've already seen a little of this in the last few years, with Nintendo's big September event last year, as well as various events held by Sony and Microsoft.

    It really makes more sense, as they wouldn't have to worry about sharing the limelight of E3 with other companies. It's the only natural evolution that I can see happening.

    Big Dookie on
    Steam | Twitch
    Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
  • BiggNifeBiggNife Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Yeah, I dont think theres going to be a new E3. I'm pretty sure we're going to get big announcements and stuff we normally would at the "E3 Media Festival." Despite the smaller size, I think the only difference is going to be the lack of huge amounts of demo kiosks and the like.

    BiggNife on
  • jothkijothki Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    It's kind of a shame that E3 is gone. Sure it was incredibly wasteful, but it was that closest thing that gamers had to a holiday.

    jothki on
  • unilateralunilateral Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    jothki wrote: »
    It's kind of a shame that E3 is gone. Sure it was incredibly wasteful, but it was that closest thing that gamers had to a holiday.

    yeah, that and christmas.

    unilateral on
  • SerpentSerpent Sometimes Vancouver, BC, sometimes Brisbane, QLDRegistered User regular
    edited March 2007
    jothki wrote: »
    It's kind of a shame that E3 is gone. Sure it was incredibly wasteful, but it was that closest thing that gamers had to a holiday.

    Oh I agree. All those other holidays? fuck them. Who needs em!

    Serpent on
  • Liquid GhostLiquid Ghost DO YOU HEAR THE VOICES, TOO?! Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    At least there's still the Adult Entertainment Expo.

    Liquid Ghost on
    behold the half-baked scribbling and scratching of a so-called "writer"
  • APZonerunnerAPZonerunner Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    I will really.. really miss the conferences and the hundred page threads they would span. And wearing out my F5 key. All that kinda stuff; it just won't be the same.

    That said, E3 as a show was a rat race (and often the best things to come out of it was the conferences and ONLY that..) and therefore if the big three (and big developers) put on the occasional large press conference in a Pre-E3 style I shall be happy.

    I'd like to see a return of SpaceWorld, now Nintendo's back in a bestselling position again.

    APZonerunner on
    APZonerunner | RPG Site | UFFSite | The Gaming Vault
    XBL/PSN/Steam: APZonerunner
  • bruinbruin Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Threads like this have popped up a few times since E3, but really, E3 is still around. There's going to be less people going (~70,000 toned down to ~5,000), but I still expect a lot of big announcements and stuff. It's also cool that it's in July now, so games being released that holiday season will be shown closer to their final state.

    bruin on
  • Unco-ordinatedUnco-ordinated NZRegistered User regular
    edited March 2007
    bruin wrote: »
    Threads like this have popped up a few times since E3, but really, E3 is still around. There's going to be less people going (~70,000 toned down to ~5,000), but I still expect a lot of big announcements and stuff. It's also cool that it's in July now, so games being released that holiday season will be shown closer to their final state.
    Agreed. The good parts of E3 will still exist (the Sony/Nintendo/Microsoft press events), while the bad parts of E3 are gone (everything else).

    Also, GDC really seems to be getting more and more important each year. This year Sony is expected to make a few announcements, while Microsoft will probably show off a few of their games (Nintendo supposedly unveiling a thing).

    Unco-ordinated on
    Steam ID - LiquidSolid170 | PSN ID - LiquidSolid
  • PoochPooch Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    bruin wrote: »
    Threads like this have popped up a few times since E3, but really, E3 is still around. There's going to be less people going (~70,000 toned down to ~5,000), but I still expect a lot of big announcements and stuff. It's also cool that it's in July now, so games being released that holiday season will be shown closer to their final state.
    They moved it to July? That's good. E3 used to always be right on my or near my birthday so there'd be like one or two decent games coming out at the time and everything else would be shown then.

    Pooch on
  • JinniganJinnigan Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    What goes on at an Adult Entertainment Expo? New camera methods?

    Also, I don't think PAX is a replacement to E3. PAX is by gamers for gamers. GDC is, afaik, by developers for developers. E3 was... I don't know, for media hype? While each company will likely have their own media-hype events, one wonders where the smaller companies/under-the-radar games will go for exposure. GDC?

    Jinnigan on
    whatifihadnofriendsshortenedsiggy2.jpg
  • TaximesTaximes Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    When I'm old, and my grandkids tell me about their dreams, I imagine my eyes will get hazy as I recall my old lifelong dream...a dream of attending the greatest expo to ever exist.

    Then I'll snap back to reality and tell those pansy-ass kids that nothing good happens. Ever. And they might as well get used to it before someone cancels something they love. Like Christmas. In fact, kids, Christmas is canceled this year. Go to your rooms.

    Taximes on
  • AlphaTwoAlphaTwo Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    The problem with individual events is that there is much less leeway for journalist to vouch their complaint. Sure, they say they are wasting money just trying to be heard at E3; but what they really meant is that they want to have more control over the press that comes out of their event.

    AlphaTwo on
    UWGamers | EGamia | Platformers | My Website
  • JinniganJinnigan Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    AlphaTwo wrote: »
    The problem with individual events is that there is much less leeway for journalist to vouch their complaint. Sure, they say they are wasting money just trying to be heard at E3; but what they really meant is that they want to have more control over the press that comes out of their event.

    How do you figure, exactly?

    Jinnigan on
    whatifihadnofriendsshortenedsiggy2.jpg
  • AlphaTwoAlphaTwo Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    Jinnigan wrote: »
    AlphaTwo wrote: »
    The problem with individual events is that there is much less leeway for journalist to vouch their complaint. Sure, they say they are wasting money just trying to be heard at E3; but what they really meant is that they want to have more control over the press that comes out of their event.

    How do you figure, exactly?
    The biggest complaint about E3 from publishers and whatnot has alwasy been about how they have to throw money into it to get their voices heard. The other thing, like any other convention, is that it's easy to compair products from one another with a quick trip across the hall. By moving to a more dedicated setting, it's much easier to control the expectation. You certainly won't go into Activision's press, thinking how it compares to EA's SKATE, as you can't have such a back to back hands on comparison. If E3 had it's go, you can easily do so.

    I'm more of a pessimist when it comes to this, but it's not hard to see that this can easily lead to, and perhaps already has (as Kotaku's recent fiasco) have shown that the game industry can and probably will play hardball when given an unfavourable coverage.

    AlphaTwo on
    UWGamers | EGamia | Platformers | My Website
  • PolagoPolago Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    E3 will still hold announcements, business, and big media covered reveals, but won't be the circus of years past. The focus will be on a smaller gathering (3000 people was the last known number I think), in order to actually get business done. It'll take place in July between the 11th and 13h.

    The crazy expo circus insanity will now be split among a variety of expos, including PAX (which has grown quite a bit and will expand greatly in 2007 with the new location and everything), the Tokyo Game Show is expanding to 4 days instead of the usual 3 days in order to cover it's expanse, GDC (starts tomorrow/monday) has more of a PR/media focus than in years past, and D.I.C.E has begun to take some of the burden as well.

    Let's not forget however, formerly known as the "Gamepro Expo", the E for all Expo being held in October at the LACC, promising to be everything that E3 is letting go (the glitz, glamour, and holy fuck crowded). They're expecting a crowd of 30,000 in their first showing later this fall (as is PAX this year), so it'll be interesting to keep an eye on.

    Keep in mind though that everything that traditionally surrounds E3 will still be allowed at E3 and decided on by individual companies, such as the Kodak theater keynote by nintendo last year, and the afterparties held by each individual company (loaded with free booze and dancers and other expensive shit).

    Links for everyone to skim over:

    http://www.e3expo.com

    http://www.eforallexpo.com

    http://www.gdconf.com

    http://www.pennyarcadeexpo.com

    http://tgs.cesa.or.jp/english

    http://www.dicesummit.org/

    There are also the individually held conferences and conventions such as Nintendo Spaceworld, Microsoft's X06 (presumably X07 this year) in europe, GDC europe, and Sony's Gamer's Day. There's a LOT of options available.

    Personally, I still think E3 will be the place for huge announcements and all (at least for a year or so), but won't have the same level of grandiur from years past, and also won't be the pilgrimage it once was (for obvious reasons in both cases).

    Polago on
  • HadjiQuestHadjiQuest Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    But these are all Q3/Q4 events.

    What BS. GDC better bring a shitload of awesomeness, or else this could be the biggest drought of new content in a long, long time.

    HadjiQuest on
  • FyreWulffFyreWulff YouRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2007
    I don't think developers mind. No more insane crunching for E3 anymore.

    FyreWulff on
  • Unco-ordinatedUnco-ordinated NZRegistered User regular
    edited March 2007
    HadjiQuest wrote: »
    But these are all Q3/Q4 events.

    What BS. GDC better bring a shitload of awesomeness, or else this could be the biggest drought of new content in a long, long time.
    That's the point and one of the major reasons why they've "remade" E3.

    Developers ended up planning the development of their games specifically around E3 so that they could have something to show come May. It was a fucking ridiculous idea to ever hold the event in May and it's pathetic that it took this long for them to change it.

    Unco-ordinated on
    Steam ID - LiquidSolid170 | PSN ID - LiquidSolid
  • MrIamMeMrIamMe Registered User regular
    edited March 2007
    While it was always my dream to see the all-singing all-dancing E3, I have to say as an australian that the kind of display I saw was wasteful - we are talking GAMES here. I like 3/4 naked booth babes as much (if not more) than the next guy (specially if he is gay :P).

    If we get better games cos the guys didnt drop $2 million on a demo out in time, then Im all for it.

    Look at warhammer online, they are keeping it all low key atm. Yet the enthusiasm of the lead developer, the gameplay videos, and so on are rock solid. Hopefully these kinds of things will sell games in future.

    A few news pieces and discussions, maybe early gameplay videos we can all access instead of being limited to handcams off of youtube? Following the creation of a game from inception to shelves would be interesting.

    Anyway, time shall tell if the new concept will work. If it doesnt, Im sure something else will be planned. I really really dont want all the developers running thier own shows, cos no one will dare ask the hard questions as they wont get an invite back. Fluff pieces ftl

    MrIamMe on
Sign In or Register to comment.
Penny Arcade Forums› Games and Technology