E3 going public?

  • By Polybren, GameSpot
  • Posted Sep 3, 2008 12:20 pm PT

Source: A report on Kotaku claims that the idea to make E3 open to the public has been "officially brought forward" and is in discussion by the group's board of directors. There was no cited source for the information. What we heard: With the 2008 E3 Media & Business Summit occupying just a...

Source: A report on Kotaku claims that the idea to make E3 open to the public has been "officially brought forward" and is in discussion by the group's board of directors. There was no cited source for the information.

What we heard: With the 2008 E3 Media & Business Summit occupying just a fraction of the Los Angeles Convention Center, it was hard not to notice how small and devoid of pageantry the event was compared to the E3s of yore. Even executives with ESA member companies were getting in on the act, with EA Sports president Peter Moore saying that the show should "go big or go home," and Ubisoft North America president Laurent Detoc comparing the downsized event to "a pipefitters' show in the basement."

Given the turmoil surrounding the show, it's only natural that the ESA would reassess its options, and it has shown a willingness to shake things up with its signature trade show in the past. After all, it was publisher complaints that precipitated the transformation of the once-mighty Electronic Entertainment Expo--which attracted more than 60,000 attendees at its height--into the rebranded E3 Media & Business Summit, an invite-only event of closer to 5,000 industry types. In 2007, the ESA also relocated the show from its longtime home at the LACC to a handful of hotels in nearby Santa Monica, which cost it $5 million in event-cancellation fees, only to move it right back to the LACC the following year.

That said, the Kotaku story is very clear that the idea of an open-to-the-public show is just one of presumably several options presented to the ESA board of directors for consideration. There's also no indication of how seriously the idea is being considered. Big changes to the show have been reported with 100 percent certainty and later turned out to be 100 percent wrong.

The official story: "As we do every year, the ESA solicits feedback and direction from exhibitors and attendees on how best to adapt and evolve the E3 Media & Business Summit to ensure it meets their needs. Each element of the Summit is opened for discussion, and that process is ongoing to execute a productive and efficient experience. Regarding today's published reports, the ESA does not comment on rumors and speculation, and will make an announcement about the details and logistics of the 2009 E3 Media & Business Summit at the appropriate time."--ESA senior vice president for communications and research Rich Taylor.

Bogus or not bogus?: That they're considering it? Not bogus. That they'll do it? Nothing is confirmed...yet.

194 Comments

  • hunter8man

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 9:50 am PT

    I think they saw all the positive buzz surrounding PAX, and they know they are falling behind. However, if they do open it to the public again, please don't confine it to just L.A.

  • otanikun

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 6:35 am PT

    I seriously doubt that it'll be openly available, while I wish that it would be free for the public, I can gaurantee you that there would be so many problems, loss of revenue (unless a cover charge is paid), waste and litering, and too many people hogging the demo booths.

    I just see anarchy, but that's me.

  • Darth-Sifh

    Posted Sep 28, 2008 1:06 am PT

    I am split over this. On one hand I believe E3 should be open to the public so that the gamers can see these games for themselves (and I really want to go). Yet on the other hand I understand the in the long run it is better if the reporters get their hands on the games so that they can report them to millions who can't go to E3. Maybe it would be better if they made E3 public (It being so popular and all) and create a separate event for the journalists, or maybe a invite only day.

  • krsna119

    Posted Sep 26, 2008 8:39 pm PT

    Maybe they should have a private E3 and a public E3, then like things would be cool =]

  • drumbreak1

    Posted Sep 26, 2008 4:26 pm PT

    i think thatll make it public but since itll be so packed theyll only set up a limited part to the actual gamers and a whole another hall/section, to the press

  • Sherif_129

    Posted Sep 24, 2008 8:58 am PT

    Would be a good idea to make this public. Make it more exciting for the gamers.

  • sonictank

    Posted Sep 23, 2008 4:06 pm PT

    Eh i think its bout time they went public with 3e i mean i've wanted to go to one forever ever since i heard of it a few or so years ago i mean like, its sorta not fair that the public can't go inside and try the latest games and all or make it go on tour in canada and the world.

  • hector530

    Posted Sep 23, 2008 12:18 pm PT

    E3 going public? couple years too late dont you think so hopefully this will save e3. E3 is like GM releasing the camaro 4 years too late during 5$ gas and wondering why it isnt selling.

  • Cabal23

    Posted Sep 22, 2008 11:28 am PT

    Who cares. When Paris Hilton started showing up, I knew E3 was dead. There are so many more indie game cons now it isn't necessary. Not to mention the internet is the communication device of preference to most gamers. It's all going to be online anyways so why go to a con? If you want to drink and hob knob and act like an idiot, go to DragonCon. So many games they show never see the light of day (Starcraft Ghost anyone?) and really it just became the "it" place for Hollyweirds elite bed wetters to show off.

  • Cabal23

    Posted Sep 22, 2008 11:28 am PT

    Who cares. When Paris Hilton started showing up, I knew E3 was dead. There are so many more indie game cons now it isn't necessary. Not to mention the internet is the communication device of preference to most gamers. It's all going to be online anyways so why go to a con? If you want to drink and hob knob and act like an idiot, go to DragonCon. So many games they show never see the light of day (Starcraft Ghost anyone?) and really it just became the "it" place for Hollyweirds elite bed wetters to show off.

  • PumpkinBoogie

    Posted Sep 20, 2008 8:26 am PT

    They definitely need to do something b/c at it's current state the gaming industry is losing it's interest in E3...and it's all do to the lousy damn changes made to making less about the public and more of an 'insider' gig. The problem with that is that even industry heads aren't cool w/ this concept b/c they already understand what used to make E3 so special and that was not just the interaction w/ developers and fellow ppl in the industry, but also being about kickin' w/ the fans and being around the ppl that truly make it possible for this form of entertainment to have lasted well over 20+ yrs.

    Too bad the ESA has seem to loss sight of that....

    It's ironic that it is really their actions and their whole 'the way E3 was going, so we had to change it' concept that is actually what is going to put a nail in the coffin that is E3. Hopefully, this will be what opens their eyes...if not, then there are plenty of awesome replacements that have done nicely to filling that void (like TGS, GGC, and PAX).

  • I-am-the-Panda

    Posted Sep 18, 2008 1:38 pm PT

    A public E3 would work....but they should have less of all these gaming conventions. Intead have one every month at most and tour it around every continent (U.S.A, germany, Japan, Australia and then its over).

  • Lord_Regnier

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 12:06 pm PT

    I am a very optimistic person but E3 will never be the same again.

  • Slipstream720

    Posted Sep 6, 2008 4:30 pm PT

    and bring back the booth babes!

  • NoseWeed619

    Posted Sep 6, 2008 8:32 am PT

    They shouldn't make E3 public at all! That would just ruin the tradition of it just being a bunch of gamers and game producers there, rocking the show.

  • RAWISWAR118

    Posted Sep 5, 2008 10:31 pm PT

    The ESA should consider bringing E3 back to its former glory as Electronic Entertainment Expo. It's about time us gamers get to see E3 as a big convention again Not only are they in turmoil with the complaining of video game publishers, but they are losing their audience to Germany's Games Convention and Penny Arcade Expo. If they keep it as an invite-only event, many more publishers will drop out of E3, terminate their membership with the ESA, just like Activsion and Lucasarts, and the show will eventually die. AND I DON'T WANT E3 TO DIE! Hell, I'm already predicting that 2009 will be the comeback year for E3. And I definitely plan on going next year. So I say this to you ESA, BRING BACK ELECTRONIC ENTERTAINMENT EXPO!

  • Disciple_Gamer

    Posted Sep 5, 2008 10:47 am PT

    Its a start.

  • Pete5506

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 10:01 pm PT

    That would be sweet, I would love to go visit but I do like the how only this press gets to go too

  • darkskillz1

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 12:30 pm PT

    I just thought that I would say that everyone has put a lot of thought into their posts and that is pretty cool. One thing in particular I wanted to point out is what DemannamedD wrote. He said that, "They Kicked out the public, and the big show, and basically everything that made it great in the first place." I coiuldnt agree more. even though the businesses are the creators, who are the main people that use their ideas??? WE ARE!!! The youth of our generation are really what matter with all this!

  • jazzyrider

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 11:32 am PT

    Is that why PAX was big this year - because of the unattractiveness of E3? Did they realize having it open to the public is a good thing? Hopefully they saw lots of good things that PAX did and can capitalize and do it right.

  • ognen

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 11:26 am PT

    That would be cool... Maybe in the future years, I will actually get a chance to visit E3.

  • decoy1978

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 10:56 am PT

    Every gamer I know would LOVE to go to E3! Even if its only for 2 days, we'd pay some hard cash to attend.

  • decoy1978

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 10:56 am PT

    Every gamer I know would LOVE to go to E3! Even if its only for 2 days, we'd pay some hard cash to attend.

  • MogFromLeipzig

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 10:22 am PT

    60.000... I thought it had more visitors. There were 203.000 visitor in Leipzig this year and LA is so much bigger than LE.

  • stevo_360

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 9:47 am PT

    They need to do something.

  • Paul_TheGreat

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 9:43 am PT

    They finally realized how crap E3 has become.

  • DemannameD

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 9:30 am PT

    I think it should just go away... They ruined a great thing, for what? They Kicked out the public, and the big show, and basically everything that made it great in the first place... Piss OFF E3!

  • ftjx

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 8:52 am PT

    DO IT!

  • GonzoGuy

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 8:15 am PT

    Does the public still care?
    I thought the last show was going to kill any sort of public interest in e3. Besides, I thought they couldn't afford the hoopla & booth babes. Maybe Nintendo, Sony, and MS just want to bore a larger amount of people and annoy anyone who has work to do.

  • Blank2k2

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 7:48 am PT

    I agree with mbilow, sell x number of tickets to the public, an open for public thing would be just insane, every gamer i know would give a lung to goto E3, i can imagine a couple of million gamers turning up & raiding the place lol

  • mbilow

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 7:35 am PT

    i'm with cureforliving on this one, they should sell x number of tickets for general public otherwise it's just going to be total and utter chaos

  • Mix-Master_415

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 6:20 am PT

    meh

  • Rect_Pola

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 6:05 am PT

    One can hope. Of course, recent years have shown ESA can screw up the best of intentions.

  • john-cena112

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 5:50 am PT

    Well , it would be better if they did do it.

  • V-Nine

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 5:33 am PT

    ...just as long as they do ala autoshow style and move it around. You know, NY, Atl, Miami, Orlando, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, ect. There are other worthwile venues....

  • Da1ShrpSh0trGrl

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 4:53 am PT

    I hope it happens...

  • feryl06

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 4:11 am PT

    how could they not consider the possibility. it's a win win situation for the vendors and their consumers and for ESA, esp. if they charge the public for coming in you know MANY will still pay.

  • marvelx3

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 3:22 am PT

    this is just beaurocracy s***.incase they have forgotten its peaople like us.THE GAMERS!!!!!> who makes an event such as E3 exist.if they dont make the right desision by letting it go public, We the UNITED GAMERS HOOLIGANS ASSOICIATION(UGHA) will stomp the place and take everything.Nuff said

  • S2333

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 2:55 am PT

    Hey sydesigner I got one word for you....NEVER!
    It's a US thing and Australias market is tiny for games.

  • Stryker521

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 2:37 am PT

    EA Sports president Peter Moore saying that the show should "go big or go home".

    ^^^This man knows

    So lame how the E3 directors killed their own show by business-only decisions that made even reporters want to stay away and not be stuffed to work through all the beaurocracy to get passes to get in.

  • Hawaiianc

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 1:39 am PT

    hehe just board 3er part comment. only way is to get e3 going is, ok devs you need to get more multi demos made and in working order so you can show off new or up coming games for Tournaments "thats where GS comes in to help, heh to bad rich and jeff left gamespot there be good host for it" in e3 also events need to be base in game content meaning ether have small contest as mini game from the games and people can win content or small shows passing out hints about getting in game contents "oblivion horse armor example" stuff like this will draw more people to e3 also this would help bring more interaction to thoughts that cant be there remember e3 is all about showing what your games and gamers bind so treat as so and have a party to boot " heh to bad no one has a nightclub/gamer place heh that be kool heh like what they showed in hackers lol

  • smbius

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 1:16 am PT

    It'll be hard to stop the giddy annoying fanboys from attending. Ugh.

  • pcgamer522

    Posted Sep 4, 2008 12:30 am PT

    Yes! E3 looked so drab this year... We need absolute insanity at the convention.

  • sydesigner

    Posted Sep 3, 2008 11:38 pm PT

    when is E3 coming to Australia??

  • thenameofchoice

    Posted Sep 3, 2008 11:28 pm PT

    They kinda forced this on themselves

  • CureForLiving

    Posted Sep 3, 2008 10:59 pm PT

    Well if too few people is a problem and too many is a problem then why not just limit the number of people, sell tickets or something.

  • Destroyeron13

    Posted Sep 3, 2008 10:53 pm PT

    Yeah but would anyone even care to go anymore?

  • Formula_50

    Posted Sep 3, 2008 10:44 pm PT

    It's too late! Many publishers are bringing their games to Comic-Con and Comic-Con has a lot more to offer than E3!

  • SonicTheMonkey

    Posted Sep 3, 2008 10:16 pm PT

    This could actually be a move in the right direction for those trying to bring back the spectacle and excitement that was E306 and back.

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