E3 is dead; long live GamePro Expo

[leunas]

E3's gone. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is sure of it. The Consumer Electronics Association's not going to do it. We've all felt the power vacuum. But from the ashes of the old rises a new E3: the GamePro Expo.

E3 is dead. Long live the new E3.

So announced the International Data Group (IDG), tech magazine publisher (such as GamePro mag) and trade show producer, to a short list of LA Convention and Visitor's Bureau members this week, reports Gamespot. "IDG has been secured to run the new Game Pro Expo show, what we knew as E3," their announcement memo reads.

IDG plans to hold the GamePro Expo mid-October next year at the Los Angeles Convention Center - you know, the former home of the old E3. They also secured the endorsement of ESA itself to hold this convention. Expect GamePro Expo to be the E3 we knew (and some loved) - maybe even bigger. "Use E3 as a guide [when prepping for Game Pro Expo]," IDG advises. Expect trade shows, consumer sections, and gaming competitions, and all those PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PSP, DS, and MMO games. And booth babes?

So, as the new E3 is catered to the business of gaming, the GamePro Expo (aka what E3 turned out to be before ESA downsized it) will cater to the gaming of gaming. We think.



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[leunas]

Does the Industry Want a Big Gaming Expo?

A recent report indicates that a big gaming event in the vein of past E3s is imminent, but does the very idea make publishers cringe?



The report indicated that IDG, the media company behind GamePro magazine, MacWorld Expo and many other publications and gatherings, is organizing a major gaming event to take place at the L.A. Convention Center, E3’s old stomping grounds.

To be honest, we’re pretty baffled at the announcement, as are some publishers we’ve spoken to.

After all, the primary reason that the Entertainment Software Association axed the original E3 format was because it got too huge, expensive and time-consuming for game companies, hence the smaller, more focused E3 Media and Business Summit, which will take place next summer. If the IDG gaming event (which will have both trade and consumer aspects) debuts with the reported 30,000 attendees (with growth expected), it seems we’ll be right back where we started as far as oversized gaming events are concerned. Is that what the industry wants?

ESA backing

One of the more surprising aspects of the event is that the ESA is reportedly backing the show, which might be called the GamePro Expo. The news that the ESA is supporting such an event is a bit of a stunner considering its newfound stance against the glitz, glamour and excess of the old E3.

A big question here is what the ESA’s actual involvement is in the show, and what kind of support they would provide. Are they handing a bunch of money to IDG? To what extent are they assisting in its creation? Also, why would the ESA simply back such a show instead of organizing a similar expo on its own? E3 proved to be a profitable venture for the ESA, so while it didn’t always make sense for publishers to participate, the ESA still came out winning.

When directly asked about the ESA’s involvement in the event, a representative for the organization told Next-Gen, “I’m going to have to stonewall you on that one. We have no comment at this time.”

We want a big event… kind of

It’s not that E3 or a big E3-like event would be detrimental to the industry. Despite the complaints about the crowdedness and overwhelming nature of past expos, E3 was an exciting time, filled with energy (energy that sometimes smelled of body odor). Not only that, but it was good for the industry and the ESA which ran the event. Even though the industry doesn’t necessarily need the same exposure that E3 provided when it began about a dozen years ago, it still brought games into a more mainstream spotlight, at least for a day or two.

But there’s a duality in that the “old” E3 was good for the ESA, but not-so-good for publishers, who spent loads of money on flash and flair but received little in return in terms of important business deals and wide-spread exposure amongst the avalanche of featured games. In order for a new event to be successful, everyone has to come out a winner instead of one group feeling like it wasted a lot of time and money.

Perhaps the only way for this new IDG event to be successful is if publishers’ costs to participate are substantially less than that of past E3s. As more of a consumer-based event, IDG and its partners could charge non-industry attendees out the wazoo to play the latest games and participate in gaming competitions, another unique component expected to part of “GamePro Expo.” The consumer-ness of the show could allow for greater monetization of attendees, softening the economic blow for all parties involved.

A more laid-back atmosphere could also make the event a winner, and attract publishers. When we say “laid-back atmosphere,” we don’t just mean at the event itself (less laser light shows and subwoofers, please), but also for the time leading up to the event. One of the top complaints and time-wasters for some developers was having to make a playable E3 preview of an upcoming game. It’s no secret either that PR, marketing and other components of game companies had to plan for E3 pretty much year-round.

So we’re full of speculation and questions, just as most are regarding this new expo. IDG, the ESA and the L.A. Convention Center and Visitors Bureau are short on details of the event (at least details that they are willing to share), but an announcement is imminent. It’ll be interesting to see how IDG is planning to attract publishers who have collectively recoiled at the combined terms “L.A. Convention Center” and “E3 successor.”


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