Recently it has been reported that EA has opted not to have their large space at the upcoming 2016 E3 Expo in Los Angeles. This is surprising news as the company is the first thing attendees see as they enter one of the main halls and the company has been very active in promoting their upcoming products at the show. As somebody is cover the Expo for several years and is are ready looking forward to this year show, I find this to be a bit of a disappointment as I enjoy the convenience of one-stop shopping by having my meetings all in one building. We cover several shows throughout the year, and I can tell you it can be a bit daunting scheduling your meetings when they require you to move between hotels, the Expo Hall, and other locations while maintaining a schedule.
EA will reportedly do their own series of events during the week of E3 as well as other special events and streaming events directed to the fans under the EA Play brand that they have established.
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For many this news came out of nowhere and of course this started up the cries of the demise of E3 being imminent as other companies are likely to follow suit. It seems that every handful of years there someone who wants to claim that the end of E3 is near, only to see the show rebound and have unprecedented success. As such, here are some of the reasons why I think that this dire prediction may be far too premature.
E3 attracts a large assortment of journalists, buyers, and industry professionals from all over the world. I can tell you that when I check into the press room upon arrival, I hear a multitude of languages that span the United States, Europe, Asia, and the numerous countries that make up the world being spoken. I only have to travel from one state away but it still requires a bit of planning as things like transportation, hotels, entertainment, and other factors need to be considered as the Los Angeles area certainly has an abundance of things to do.
With the fact that E3 has an abundance of hardware and software companies all in one location, many who will be making major announcements at the show, you can see how this attracts people from all corners of the world. One of the greatest things for us about the show is that it is often our best chance to meet directly with the reps that we interact with throughout the year. At other shows we often get assistance, PR firms, or people hired to work the show. While this is very good and were very happy to meet with them and hear what they have to say and see what they have to show us, it is nice to be able to have many of your top contacts in one place where you can catch up with them all seeing the latest and greatest from their companies.
While no one will doubt the size and scope of EA as publishing giant, I still see Activision, Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Bethesda, 2K, Square Enix, Capcom, and others at E3 to say nothing of the multitude of hardware companies and other publishers that are on hand. As such, it would appear to me that the show is still doing fine and that it will endure this latest development. The fear is that companies will go off and start doing their own showcases and bypass E3 in the process. I would note that Sony is had their own Expo for two years now and are still going to be at E3. While some think that the cost of the show may be prohibitive to many publishers, the fact is that it attracts a very large contingent that otherwise might not travel to see the offerings of a simple publisher. Smaller but growing publications love E3 as it truly allows them to see and meet with many different publishers as well is taking in the numerous activities available in the Southern California area. I am not so sure that people would be willing to travel from Eastern Europe, Asia, and other locations in the numbers that they do for E3 for a single publisher event.
In an industry filled with moves and counter moves, this is simply an opening move with others to follow. While I do understand this is a fundamental change in the dynamics of E3, I do think the show will adapt, adjust, and continue to offer a top-notch gaming event for this foreseeable future.
I can’t wait for June to get here and see what amazing stuff they have in store for us.
You can read The Nerdist’s Take At
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