E3 video game confab ditching glitz in overhaul By John Gaudiosi http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060801/tc_nm/media_e3_dc_2
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The Electronic Entertainment Expo, which treats more than 60,000 industry professionals each year to video game characters, booth babes and sensory overload, is becoming a thing of the past. The Entertainment Software Assn., the trade association that owns E3, announced Monday a significant scaling back of the trade show, which has taken place in Los Angeles for 10 of its 12 years. Industry sources said that such companies as Sony Computer Entertainment, Microsoft, Electronic Arts and THQ were especially interested in changing the E3 format to a more intimate setting. Next year's event, originally slated for May 16-18, will be moved to July and will no longer take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Contrary to speculation, though, it will remain in Los Angeles. ESA president Douglas Lowenstein said attendance at the new event will be "dramatically smaller, certainly fewer than 10,000 people ... maybe even less." "Evolving E3 to (focus on) quality interactions and less on the spectacle aspect of it seems to make the most amount of business sense for the industry going forward," he said. While the E3 program was a three-day event, pre-event activities held by relevant companies stretched the show to a week. Lowenstein said the new E3 will take place over three days without any pre- or postevents. "I expect there to be console press conferences and parties," Lowenstein said. "I expect there to be things associated with E3 that add excitement and energy to the overall event. But it will obviously have a different feel than an event with a huge trade show floor." Michael Pachter, video game analyst at Wedbush Morgan Securities, said Sony was the "main impetus" for the change. "They've been spending more for their event each year, and Microsoft has been keeping up with the Joneses," he said. "Sony doesn't feel like it gets retail bang for the buck with the show." Game publishers spent more than $12 million in floor space at this year's E3, and that doesn't include the costs of building the booths and flying in employees from around the globe to plan and run the event. In addition to those costs, there were elaborate parties and activities from some of the bigger companies that racked up additional expenses. The new format will include suites for the press and attendees to meet with game companies and view products. The ESA has a long-term deal with Los Angeles to keep E3 in the city through 2012. Lowenstein was in Los Angeles on Monday to meet with officials about venue change. E3 attendees generate more than $20 million in direct spending to the city. An additional $50 million is generated through such city services as hotels, transportation and entertainment. "I met with the city and told them we're committed to keeping a new E3 event here in L.A. The city has been a great ally and supporter of the show, and we're looking forward to working with them as we evolve E3 into a new kind of event, which we think will still be extremely important for the city and for the industry," Lowenstein said. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's office and representatives from the Convention Center could not be reached for comment. Reply with a "Thank you" if you liked this post. _____________________________ MEDIANEWS mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
