The New Old E3

After two years of massive reductions in the scope and relevance of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, E3 is once again an event to get excited about. Up until 2006's conference, E3 had been the gaming industry's biggest, loudest, and most anticipated expo. It was so big that developers would schedule project milestones so that they would have a demo ready for the expo and it was the one week where the mainstream press would actually take interest in games. But it was too big. Publishers were spending millions of dollars on their booths and not seeing significant returns. That's why, after the 2006 conference, major publishers began announcing that they would not be participating in E3 as it then existed.

This mass exodus lead to a restructuring. Opinions were split. The press did not seem to mind. The atmosphere at E3 wasn't exactly an ideal environment to demo new games, and trying to make every appointment was almost impossible. Outside of those who actually had to cover the games of E3, people were crestfallen. The "new" E3 was to be by invitation-only, and take place in a smattering of hotel rooms in LA, giving developers a more intimate setting in which to show off their games. In theory this was great for the enthusiast press, and by extension, the fans, as they'd have better access to better games coverage. However, it didn't take long for everyone to realize that this new E3 wasn't working. There wasn't any excitement anymore. The spectacle that had become so overblown and bloated was also part of what attracted people's attention.

(As an interesting side note, the downsizing of E3 lead to a vacuum in the industry. People weren't sure what to get excited about anymore and as a result, other gaming conferences gained more attention. Expectations were placed on expos like PAX, Leipzig, and, inappropriately, GDC, to fill the gap that E3 had left.)

So after two years of smaller, subdued E3's, the 2009 conference is back to its hyperbolic roots. Though I doubt the conference will be allowed to attain the levels of excess achieved in the 2006 conference, this year's show is definitely getting people excited. We're ready for the spectacle again.