Was this past E3 the last one we will see? Perhaps this marks the end of the "golden age" of console media?
Doug Lowenstein, the president of the Entertainment Software Association soon will be announcing the status of the Electronic Entertainment Expo - known by most as E3. Why? Cost vs. Return.
E3 is a 'media blitz' but many big publishers are wondering if the money they're shelling out for their fifteen minutes of fame is worthwhile. Every E3 publisher is competing for your eyes and your publications, but to get you to pay attention they're burning millions of dollars.
Take last years E3 for example, it is obvious Sony got the short end of the stick. Perhaps they were not ready for E3. Is that their fault? Well, if a product isn't ready for the limelight then it should not be shown in the limelight... but if you do not show then the news and rumors that spread could be much more destructive to your image.
Publishers are thinking that smaller venues that focus more on their own products would be a worthwhile investment. Why should Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, and a large set of developers (EA, Ubisoft, etc) be shelling out millions to be 30% of the show when they can shell out half that and be 100% of the show? It is reasonable to ask these questions.
For many, E3 is the show that ends all shows. It is the footprint of all things to come, the foundation for the entertainment empire to show its warez, and the soap box to tell your competitors that they are inferior. The end of E3 would be sad, but it would not be unexplained.
How does this help us? We, the media guys, can concentrate on a more detailed view of the gaming industry if we can go to smaller shows spread out over the course of a year. Nobody has to send a twenty person group to E3 for the one week of news while the rest of the year goes silent. As a consumer, you get a more streamline amount of news and products shown that are ready to be shown.
The bad news, if it is cancelled, the industry has not had time to plan "what's next" - so next year would end up very un-exciting (so far).
Thanks to TANK for the news update
Doug Lowenstein, the president of the Entertainment Software Association soon will be announcing the status of the Electronic Entertainment Expo - known by most as E3. Why? Cost vs. Return.
E3 is a 'media blitz' but many big publishers are wondering if the money they're shelling out for their fifteen minutes of fame is worthwhile. Every E3 publisher is competing for your eyes and your publications, but to get you to pay attention they're burning millions of dollars.
Take last years E3 for example, it is obvious Sony got the short end of the stick. Perhaps they were not ready for E3. Is that their fault? Well, if a product isn't ready for the limelight then it should not be shown in the limelight... but if you do not show then the news and rumors that spread could be much more destructive to your image.
Publishers are thinking that smaller venues that focus more on their own products would be a worthwhile investment. Why should Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, and a large set of developers (EA, Ubisoft, etc) be shelling out millions to be 30% of the show when they can shell out half that and be 100% of the show? It is reasonable to ask these questions.
For many, E3 is the show that ends all shows. It is the footprint of all things to come, the foundation for the entertainment empire to show its warez, and the soap box to tell your competitors that they are inferior. The end of E3 would be sad, but it would not be unexplained.
How does this help us? We, the media guys, can concentrate on a more detailed view of the gaming industry if we can go to smaller shows spread out over the course of a year. Nobody has to send a twenty person group to E3 for the one week of news while the rest of the year goes silent. As a consumer, you get a more streamline amount of news and products shown that are ready to be shown.
The bad news, if it is cancelled, the industry has not had time to plan "what's next" - so next year would end up very un-exciting (so far).
Thanks to TANK for the news update
