CEA thinking about an E3 replacement

by Joystiq Staff { Aug 10th 2006 at 10:05PM }

Now that E3 as we know it seems to have come and gone, the people behind the Consumer Electronics Show (the Consumer Electronics Association) are looking into the possibility of picking up where the ESA left off. CEA president and CEO Gary Shapiro had this to say about filling the void:

"Since ESA decided to eliminate the E3 event in its known format, we have been deluged with inquiries on whether we could fill the tradeshow needs of smaller video entertainment companies. Our executive board met yesterday and unanimously asked staff to explore ways that we can help the gaming community. We already have commitments from three companies in this area to provide us advice on a new event in late spring 2007."

Shapiro went on to say that CEA is looking at venues in both Los Angeles and Las Vegas. He says, "as long as there is desire and commitment, we are ready to service this community."

This would certainly be good news for those who are going to miss the large spectacle that was E3. Before you get too happy though, no major companies have voiced any sort of approval to CEA about the idea. So far, only Majesco, NCsoft and Auravision seem to be OK with the plan.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

logikil @ Aug 10th 2006 10:10PM

You know it's funny. The first trade show i visited that had video games was in fact CES. At one point it used to be in Chicago and the one time i got to go they were showing Street Fighter for the Super Nintendo and had the cool 3D interactive Mario Head. So that being said i really wouldnt be surprised to see the guys of CES come up with something.

boylie @ Aug 10th 2006 10:27PM

i don't really know why everyone's trying to be 'the next e3'. the whole reason e3 is gone is because the publishers thought it was a waste of time and money. i very much doubt that the major publishers are gonna get behind another trade show that's doing it's best e3 impression...

i do, however, think that there should be more focus on creating a trade show to foster the independant developers. like a cheap, no frills way for people to get their ideas out. it'd be a real shame if they lost their voice in all this.

pangit @ Aug 10th 2006 10:31PM

i think e3 as we know it could have been saved and been worthwhile for developers and publishers if it opened up to the public.

dsub @ Aug 10th 2006 10:34PM

While I understand that many are eager to see something fill the shoes that E3 left behind, I just don't see it happening. Sure, the want for a tradeshow the size of E3 is there in the gaming community, but we have to remember why E3 got smaller in the first place.

The larger companies like EA/Sony/MS/Nintendo felt that they were spening too much money on the massive large scale exhibits necessary to grab attention at E3. This is why they have opted to participate in the new "smaller" E3. They simply don't want to spend the money. Given the fact that we know they are looking to cut down on exhibit costs, how is creating ANOTHER huge gaming expo, in addition to already smaller E3 going to resolve this issue? All this will do is cause the big dogs of the gaming industry to have to spend more money on two tradeshows rather than one big one.

This leads me to my conclusion...there was nothing wrong with the size of E3. It was just extremely unorganized attendance wise. It was way too easy to get in, and the attendance was virtually uncontrolled. There should have been more days for STRICTLY media only, and for god's sake...let the damn fans in on the last day and charge admission...what would that hurt?

All this is going to do is confuse things more. Unless of course after one year of minE3..the ESA realizes they were fools for shrinking E3 and everything goes back to normal.

splash @ Aug 10th 2006 10:41PM

I don't know... It's certainly a waste of time and money to travel to L.A., just to meet behind closed doors. Why hold a festival for that and limit who can attend? Alienating those who report on the event and customers is not a good idea.

I think there were problems behind the scenes at E3, and they're simply attempting to put a best face on the resulting bad situation. E3 can not exist long term in their newer format. It just does not make sense. You can meet behind closed doors or with limited press anywhere or anytime.

It was only a matter of time before someone else picked up the slack. E3, from all appearances, is dead, and perhaps it's time to move on.

What is needed is a gathering. Something to draw the community together. You need to generate buzz. You want to get people excited about your new offerings. A smaller, more intimate event is not the avenue to do that.

Doomstalk @ Aug 10th 2006 11:39PM

The games industry used to show their wares at CES, but left to form E3 (partially because of the stony reception they got from the other exhibitors). Why would they suddenly come back?

epobirs @ Aug 11th 2006 12:38AM

Video game products have been slowly creeping back into the Winter CES in LAs Vegas for a while now. The public announcement of the Xbox was at a CES keynote, featuring a very early demo for the ill-fate Malice. Microsoft has always had at least an Xbox Lan Party lounge most years since then. Progressively, there have been a few more acessory companies and various foreign companies looking for a US distributor.

I've been expecting the CEA to do something ever since the E3 news. Just treating the game companies nicely would be a start.

I kind of miss the really old day when there was no organization or censorship. A computer game company would be across the aisle from a video porn distributor.

Some Show @ Aug 11th 2006 2:06AM

his would be fitting since CES used to be the big event before E3.

It might good to have CES do it again.

Did anyone go to CES before E3 came out? (when it was about games).

How did the old gaming CES stack up to E3?

It is just weird that CES is replacing E3 in 2007 and that E3 replaced CES (for videogames) in 1994.

James Montagna @ Aug 11th 2006 5:39AM

I think it would be interesting if they held the probable new event at the LACC, in May. It would, of course, be smaller than E3. (Having it be another big show would defeat the purpose of the new E3...) Maybe it could be open to the public, as well. That would be really ideal...

KR @ Aug 11th 2006 9:34AM

CES used to be THE place for new video game products before E3. I remember reading old EGMs when the Genesis was kicking ass and the SNES was on the horizon, and CES was what everyone looked forward to.