Big 3 hype E3 as ESA dismisses swine-flu concerns

Console publishers voice support as organizers play down prospect of disruption by epidemic.

With the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo just over a month away, organizers at the Entertainment Software Association are "confident" in a large-scale return to form for the oft-revamped and somewhat maligned trade show. Today the ESA announced that the event's exhibitor lineup was closing in on 150 different companies, with special attention being paid by the "Big Three" of Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo.

According to Microsoft, E3 will "completely transform how people think about home entertainment."

"Microsoft is gearing up for a big presence at E3 that will completely transform how people think about home entertainment," Microsoft senior vice president for interactive entertainment Don Mattrick said in an ESA press release. "We're excited about the momentum that is building in the industry in anticipation of our June 1st media briefing, which will kick off E3 in blockbuster style."

Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aime echoed the sentiment of excitement, pledging that E3 has the company's full support. Sony Computer Entertainment America president and CEO Jack Tretton also threw his support behind that show, and said that his company is "looking forward to another great showing" at the event, starting with the SCEA June 2 press event.

With all of that excitement, the ESA isn't about to let a little snag like a global pandemic stand in the way. Today the organization assured GameSpot that the recent outbreak of swine flu will not deter the biggest North American game-industry trade show of the year. This afternoon, the World Health Organization upgraded the epidemic--which has already proven fatal in the US--to Level 5, one level below global pandemic.

"The 2009 E3 Expo is progressing as planned," an ESA representative told GameSpot. "Public-health officials are taking all appropriate steps, and we continue to follow their direction on all measures."

E3 is scheduled to take place June 1-4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. For more on the show, check out GameSpot's complete coverage of E3 2009.

50 Comments

  • asimplerapper

    Posted May 1, 2009 12:30 pm PT

    I am starting to think microsoft will release a "xbox revolution". In short, the highly hyped nintendo wii, that was eventually a casually stream console

  • Bioshockraptor

    Posted Apr 30, 2009 3:47 pm PT

    Sounds good

  • nappan

    Posted Apr 30, 2009 12:17 pm PT

    @justo11: I've seen what passes for healthcare in Mexico. Just because it's universally available doens't make it good. The talent is often there, but the sanitation, technology, and staffing are often crushingly underwhelming. Outside of some resorts cities and Mexico City, I wouldn't want to end up in a Mexican hospital.

  • nappan

    Posted Apr 30, 2009 12:15 pm PT

    Incredible... it's like talking to a ******* child. This isn't a GAMING issue... this is a public health issue. If you can't grasp that, then you need to get out more.

  • Stryker521

    Posted Apr 30, 2009 9:48 am PT

    lol cyw1988! Agree with the justo11's consensus that the Big 3 is more like Big 1. Microsoft is always so high up themselves in concepts and ideas about a future no one's living, Nintendo is so happy to make revolutionary hardware that they forget about a lack of developers using the hardware. Go Sony

  • metalisticpain

    Posted Apr 30, 2009 4:40 am PT

    Cmon nintendo. Last 2 shows have sucked, pull out the big guns, show us games and please god dont gave that women on stage (carrie?). I dont mind reggie doing the numbers speel, just as long as theres some good games to go with it

  • justo11

    Posted Apr 30, 2009 4:23 am PT

    @ Tebbit: Mexico actually has one of the best health care systems in the world, and its free!! America's however is a shocker...

  • justo11

    Posted Apr 30, 2009 4:21 am PT

    I dont know about big 3 nowadays, its more like big 1. i mean, news has been slowing down from microsoft for ages and i dont even know what their working on anymore, and all nintendo are talking about is motion plus, which while being a good thing it needs good games to play it on, not more wii fit or reiterations of the same thing. Sony seems to be the only company that still has mountains of news and a lot more expected on the way...

  • cyw1988

    Posted Apr 30, 2009 4:01 am PT

    Well lets all pray that the disease is nothing serious and can be contained... and that E3 will be allowed to carry on... edit: I loled at the cosplay excuse comment... I'll dress as one of those mortal combat fighters... I remember the days of SARS in my country, schools were shut and streets were close to deserted. When I went out I went out in a N95 mask that was blue and my friends used to call me Sub-zero lol...

  • vipa95666

    Posted Apr 30, 2009 3:04 am PT

    boy am i looking forward to this one!
    hopefully some news on kingdom hearts 3 if any! \

  • EmkayXx

    Posted Apr 30, 2009 12:14 am PT

    Lol the media just need something to report about since everything has been dry lately. So a virus that kills a few people raises soo many concerns, worry, and panic, while the normal flu kills over 200,000 people a year.

  • Tebbit

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 11:33 pm PT

    Swine flu is getting blown way out of proportion by the media, and the only reason there have been so many deaths in Mexico is that Mexico has the most terrible health-care systems on the planet.

    The Common Cold kills some 500 people every year. Thats an epidemic if the media bothered to report it.

  • benboz

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 11:15 pm PT

    No way Grammy34, Sony will never take the number one spot. Microsoft will definity get to the No.1 spot because its so much better.

  • Grammy34

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 9:23 pm PT

    I am looking forward to E3, this is the where we will see if sony will make there come back or not. @SONY make a price cut in you press conference and you will be fighting for that number one spot. I can't wait to see what the everyone will do one the prices are the same.

  • prioritymail

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 7:14 pm PT

    Why is everyone scared of the swine flu, it is blown way out of proportion (of course, it couldn't hurt to move E3 somewhere that is further from Mexico)

  • Everiez

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 6:30 pm PT

    ok, expect to see visitor with helghast and halo suit at E3.

  • nappan

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 6:20 pm PT

    @Wiifanboy 4life: Well, we'll know when and if the zombies begin to rise in Racoon City. Duh. Oh, and E3 is going to be smaller than the HUUUGE one... still trade focused... but bigger than the tiny one.

  • virgil_must_die

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 6:19 pm PT

    well, til i see it on the news that the dead are coming back to life and the only way to kill them is to shoot them in the head, im gonna escape into a world of computer game gooieness content in the knowledge that capcom are unveilin 2 new games at E3...if its on.?

  • Wiifanboy_4life

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 6:15 pm PT

    @nappan: "Natural selection leaves the survivors stronger and better!"- Wesker This is probably completely unrelated to E3, but who thinks Capcom knows more than we do? Is Swine Flu actually the Uroboros virus?! Also, I keep hearing and reading that E3 is returning back to it's roots as a big trade center type thing. Does it mean like 2005 big or does it mean like 2007 big?

  • Flat_Line_____

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 6:13 pm PT

    I'm thinkin if I did go it would be a GREAT excuse to wear a stormtrooper outfit......... With like a optional mini oxygen tank in the helmet with sani-wipes in my belt compartments! ......./End sarcasam :/

  • nappan

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 6:06 pm PT

    @virgil_must_die: You'd seriously take a one way ticket to Juarez... even without the flu that's... risky. Still, you're right, for now people have a choice, and that includes spreading an illness. However, I'd ask you to consider the effect that each person who becomes infected has on people around them. The E3 goers may have a choice, but how about all of their casual contacts?

  • virgil_must_die

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 6:04 pm PT

    hay, if you buy the ticket ill go, as for the article, it seemed to be about E3s return to form in spite of the fact of an epidemic. look man your right could they of left it til things cooled down a bit, yes, i always thought it would go better in late August, but what im sayin is if everything stops now its the same as saying we all may stick our heads in the sand. people goin will just have to take the proper precautions cause its their choice.

  • Flat_Line_____

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:58 pm PT

    virgil_must_die Posted Apr 29, 2009 8:49 pm ET well thank god i know that shower thing now, phew, nappan you seem to like to hear yourself talk, sure it might be bad, but then it might not, but this is a story about E3, on a videogaming website, if people want medical information they have other websites. Stop spreadding panic and paranoia to people, we all know how bad it could be, and lets get back to other things like ,hopefully a new DMC at E3!
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Lol, From half the comments in here it appears most people really DON'T seem to notice how serious it is, or even could be.

  • Flat_Line_____

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:54 pm PT

    nappan Posted Apr 29, 2009 8:44 pm ET Lets hear it for natural selection...
    ----------------------------------------------------------------
    I hear ya........

  • nappan

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:50 pm PT

    @virgil must die: Hey, I'm rooting for you! I'd be happy to buy you a one way, first class ticket to Juarez if you like . Oh, and um, this might be a gaming website, but this is an article about the ESA ****wits ignoring sane public health steps. If you want to gush about DMC (which I admit, I love) this probably wasn't the right article huh?

  • virgil_must_die

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:49 pm PT

    well thank god i know that shower thing now, phew, nappan you seem to like to hear yourself talk, sure it might be bad, but then it might not, but this is a story about E3, on a videogaming website, if people want medical information they have other websites. Stop spreadding panic and paranoia to people, we all know how bad it could be, and lets get back to other things like ,hopefully a new DMC at E3!

  • nappan

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:44 pm PT

    Lets hear it for natural selection... thu kjaanalegur rass.

  • djsifer01

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:39 pm PT

    Cant wait ill be there.

  • nappan

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:34 pm PT

    @virgil_must_die: Wow... have you been taking lessons on epidemiology from South African pres. Zuma? You know.. the guy who said he prevented contracting HIV with a brisk shower after unprotected intercourse.

    How to say this... pigs are biologically VERY similar to humans... viruses pass easily between the two species. No pig ******* required. As for human-human contact, as with the seasonal flu, there is no clear safe area, but 8 feet is the rule of thumb. That, or an N90 (N100 if you want to be happy) mask.

    Will this kill a lot of people? Who knows, probably not, but since statistically, eventually SOMETHING will, it could be this. Is the media hysterical? Sure... but the WHO isn't, and if you study history just a little, an epidemiology a lot more than you are right now... you would appreciate the gravity of the situation, whatever the death toll. Look how little it's taking to effect industry, travel, and social order in Mexico.

    How many infections, quarantines, and deaths do you think it would take to make Americans hysterical? Apparantly, one thus far. That doesn't mean that you should ignore this either, or pretend this isn't an impending pandemic for which no one has any immunity. Just because it isn't going to kill like Ebola on a bad day doesn't mean it can't shut down whole countries for a long time. That alone is a disaster in ANY economy, never mind a global recession.

  • BelmontMaster

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:25 pm PT

    Swine flu is a bunch of crap anyways. Stupid Media.

  • virgil_must_die

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:19 pm PT

    And i Quote Dr.Perry H. Cox "the type of disease that you can only really get by sleeping with the animal its named after" dont be living in fear people just dont let anyone sneeze into your mouth and you'll be fine, id love to go to E3.

  • nappan

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:11 pm PT

    Oh yeah, and the ESA can think whatever it wants. If there is a single case of H1N1 in California (or maybe the country) in June, the state of California or LA county will shut it down. They have that power under emergency states that are already in effect, and they'd be fools not to.

  • nappan

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:07 pm PT

    @Windblade91: Yes... and when it finally does it goes ballistic and you can develop progressive pneumonia leading to ARDS and death. That's the flipside of the virus; the cytokene storm concept (confirmed in H5N1) basically tells you that the people who's immune systems DO kick quickly will be the ones most likely to have severe disease.


    @MatCat221: Unless you're immunocompromised... as in, really old, very young, on systemic steroids, or have HIV/AIDS... you have almost NO chance of dying from the seasonal flu. See above as to why this COULD be different.

  • easy33

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:06 pm PT

    All I know is that I'm looking forward to E3!

  • Windblade91

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:04 pm PT

    the only reason the swine flu is a big deal is due to the fact that unlike the flu, let me explain a bit here

    the flu constantly mutates and reforms itself enough so that it can INFECT us, however our body knows how to deal with it and has enough experience to, more often than less, get rid of it my epic PWNING!

    however, the SWINE flu is a new flu that is from pigs, this new outbreak contains pig, human, and bird markings which means its a completely new flu (atleast as far as people can figure out atm) this also means that our bodies have, technically, no idea how to best fight it. even though we know it is a flu our immune system acts in a different way as such this swine flu is more dangerous since the body doesnt go kicking within a milisecond

  • MadCat221

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:03 pm PT

    Swine flu schmine flu. You run a far greater risk of dying from the generic Seasonal Flu than from Swine Flu. The numbers just don't point to anything other than a typical media-fueled panic. The number of people dead from Swine Flu is barely 1% the number killed by more generic flu strains so far this year.

  • zintarr

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 5:01 pm PT

    I blame Microsoft!

  • nappan

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 4:59 pm PT

    @TheProfileth: It's passed freely from humans to humans as well. Not eating pork, but most people won't come in contact with a pig, but will catch it from someone else. It's that fact that makes this a potential pandemic.

  • TheProfileth

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 4:58 pm PT

    You do know that swine flu or H1N1 is not spread by the consumption of pork, but by being near infect pigs. So eat away that pork is fine.

  • CVM_123

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 4:57 pm PT

    wow imagine if bill gates get the flu and dies

  • nappan

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 4:56 pm PT

    Even if this were the garden variety influenza, you still wouldn't promote a huge gathering in an enclosed space in an area that was prone to infection. That isn't debatable, it's the best current epidemiological thinking on the control of the spread of ANY human-human pathogen. The fact that this H1N1 has the potential to (yes Vistaer, attenuate and fizzle) pass back into the pig population and then human, and further mutate. A similar dynamic between birds and humans had a similar pattern in 1918. I for one, won't sleep easy until this thing dies out and DOESN'T re-emerge in the fall.


    @Vistaer: those 36k deaths are virtually all immunocompromised people (elderly, young, HIV, etc), or people who did not seek care. This strain seems to kill people with strong immune systems, which would mean it kills through a feedback loop called a cytokene storm. That's really quite disturbing.

  • Flat_Line_____

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 4:56 pm PT

    yeeeeeah... I dunno.... Even if I COULD go, I don't think I would want to be in a big room with people from all over the world that have been in contact with who knows what or who. Imagine that big ass room filled with all the hot air from mouth breathing attendees, Thousands upon thousands of hands touching those controllers, Perfect breeding ground for viruses......

    NO Thank-You........ There isn't much that would keep me away from a good game or 2 but....... Not worth the chance.....

  • Vistaer

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 4:51 pm PT

    Swine flu is the most overblown news story. Every year 36,000 Americans die from the regular flu. If I had tickets, I'd still go to E3.

  • LoserMike

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 4:48 pm PT

    Don't eat at a taco truck or food cart. Those are some of the best eats in LA. I want me some bacon-wrapped hot dogs (Alley-dogs, Street Dogs, Drunk Dogs, etc). I'm not sure what kind of meat is in their hot dogs but I'm staying away from pork.

  • dantesergei

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 4:34 pm PT

    better prevent than to regret

  • dungeonboss

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 4:19 pm PT

    Booth babes with masks handing out sanitary wipes?

  • Anthony9000

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 4:05 pm PT

    damn, it'd be a shame if everyone was wearing those masks.

  • xpopsx

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 3:44 pm PT

    what would they do say that the sky if falling and e3 is doomed? *goes and eats bacon* you only get this flu from birds right?

  • dr_jashugan

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 3:40 pm PT

    Wash your hands and wear a surgeon's mask before entering.

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