Breaking News: Current Incarnation of E3 Dead.

As of today, the ESA released a statement stating that in lieu of industry issues the large-scale format of E3 just won't work anymore. (the zillions of dipshits from websites going merely to get swag could probably be cited as a reason)

The official statement reads as such:

"The world of interactive entertainment has changed since E3Expo was created 12 years ago. At that time we were focused on establishing the industry and securing orders for the holiday season," said Douglas Lowenstein, President of the ESA, the trade association representing U.S. computer and video game publishers and the owner of E3Expo. "Over the years, it has become clear that we need a more intimate program, including higher quality, more personal dialogue with the worldwide media, developers, retailers and other key industry audiences."

The new E3Expo will take shape over the next several months. As currently envisioned, it will still take place in Los Angeles, described by ESA as a "great and supportive partner helping to build E3." It will focus on press events and small meetings with media, retail, development, and other key sectors. While there will be opportunities for game demonstrations, E3Expo 2007 will not feature the large trade show environment of previous years.

"E3Expo remains an important event for the industry and we want to keep that sense of excitement and interest, ensuring that the human and financial resources crucial to its success can be deployed productively to create an exciting new format to meet the needs of the industry. The new event ensures that there will be an effective and more efficient way for companies to get information to media, consumers, and others," said Lowenstein.

Additionally, the evolution of the video game industry into a vibrant and expanding global market has led to the creation of major events in different regions, such as the Games Convention in Leipzig, the Tokyo Game Show, and company-specific events held by Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, and others around the world. As a result, Lowenstein said, "It is no longer necessary or efficient to have a single industry 'mega-show'. By refocusing on a highly-targeted event, we think we can do a better job serving our members and the industry as a whole, and our members are energized about creating this new E3."

For additional talk on the subject from ESA head-honcho Doug Lowenstein lookey here: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6154982.html

*grabs the comment he posted somewhere else...*

In all honesty, it could be worse. While I love the wealth of information that comes via E3, generally you can always find it somewhere else, like say...the internet. And the internet happens to be slightly cheaper for companies to market through than E3.

All the flash - the booth babes, massive screens with trailers on, etc - would be better placed with a show accessible to the public, but without the public access the point is lost and just turns into pure hype, and nothing more.

Plus, with all the competition in setting up the most amazing looking booths, the smaller companies get lost a bit. When they DO try and setup a booth to market their game, they probably end up wasting more money pushing it at E3 than they would have ignoring E3 and releasing the game anyway. So it'll help the smaller developers.

And in general, I'd prefer developers spent their time and money more in the game itself, rather than splashing it all out into a big show in an attempt to stir up enough hype ensuring their game will sell. A game which, due to the loss of funding and work time, may never quite turn out to be as great as it could have been.

A downsized E3 may focus more on the special aspects of games too, such as technical advancements and the like. If it does, it could possibly make it harder for some companies to market their games via the show...but it could also encourage them to come up with better and more original ideas for each of their games, helping to push industry standards a little faster (as opposed to waiting several years for the next Half-Life, or *insert innovative game here*).