Quick question: Why was E3 scaled back?

Nozz

I remember hearing that E3 has been having a rough go of it. I actually had it in my head that they had canceled it altogether, but I just saw an ad for E3 2007. I know it was at least heavily scaled back, but I can't remember the justification for it for the life of me. Something to do with media, or maybe competition from PAX?

Someone help me out here.

Insider

Basically it was a lot of money and it had grown way to much. It wasn't about new tech or games anymore than it was about entertaining the tons of people that went.

Slagmire

E3 was becoming more like a fan-driven expo rather then an industry/media-driven expo. A lot of the online media was comprised of glorified bloggers, and it had begun to lose the professional feeling that it had when E3 began years ago. While it seems that E3 will continue to have all the information about upcoming titles in development, release dates, and chances to meet up with people in the industry, PAX seems to be the expo that caters more towards the gamer.

Nozz

Yes, that makes sense. Thank you very much guys.

Ant000

There's a cool episode of The Bonus Round of Gametrailers.com that interviews the woman who sort of controls E3, talking about why it was changed.

As opposed to the past, the E3 show now will really just for the people directly involved in the industry. It's where publishers go to see games, where industry people go to network, and to talk about investments and financial stuff and all that industry bizz.

And then later in the year, the fall now, there's going to be something called E4 -- E "4 everyone." Which will be like a giant tradeshow where anyone can go -- at a cost -- to see game's about to be released for the holiday season etc.

Apparently a lot of game companies had to divert a lot of resources in terms of coders and personnel to making showcases in the form of levels and cinematics that would only be used for the upcoming E3 show because it could potentially make or break their game -- which apparently was causing some resentment. So having that off their schedules could be good for games in general. I'll kind of miss the huge torrent of gaming information and press that the show brought though .

Lewisham

I have to say, I'm with Dyack on this one. E3 buried Too Human. It's better for everyone if that shit just isn't playable at all (which was expected by the gamers, not necessarily the press) and just release press builds when they are ready.

I'm glad E3 has gone. I think PAX, with its focus on gamers rather than trying to serve the industry and gamers at the same time, coupled with new E3, is a much better replacement.

Pheezer

In addition to PAX there's going to be E For Everyone which will be like old style E3 only probably fewer boobs and yet more children.

TychoCelchuuu

Also, companies looked at all the money they spent on their E3 booths just to watch everyone line up to play a Wii, and realized they could just run their own press events and then it would be all them all the time, and fo rthe same amount of money they could get way more coverage.