E3 invites, what's the logic?
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Mar 11th 2007 at 3:30AM }
As we wrap up our GDC coverage this weekend, it's time to talk about the min-E3. The E3 Media and Business Summit, better known as the E3 five lucky children will attend, is now a few months away. This week some journalists received their invites -- many did not. Australian blogger Jason Hill originally had a piece about how the Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia didn't receive tickets. After writing the story Hill received his golden ticket. The ESA told Hill, "It is entirely up to participating companies to decide whom to invite to the event. Thus, if anyone calls ESA to ask for 'tickets' to the event, that's what they will be told."
From the anecdotal information we've received so far, it's a total toss-up as to which outlets are bestowed invites and the number of invitations they are receiving. More information is sure to flow about this issue starting next week.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
KC @ Mar 11th 2007 3:57AM
As long as the latest gaming news reaches the masses via the internet, does it really matter?
Drake Lake @ Mar 11th 2007 4:41AM
Who exactly are the participating companies? I hope they are not who I think they are...
Probot @ Mar 11th 2007 5:20AM
All you have to do is call up your various Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft PR person and confirm that one of them is inviting you to the shindig. If they know you, the'll let you in. If they don't, they won't.
Cuts out a lot of riff raff. Seems pretty logical to me.
NintendoFanbot @ Mar 11th 2007 5:35AM
For the last 6+ years I've longed to visit E3 once, but alas, that will never happen, and no, this new 'MiniE3' won't convince me yet.
I'd think that to get to the show itself the surest ways would to get a spot at one of the big companies' pre-conference keynotes. Last year the people who went to Nintendo's was by Nintendo's own choosing, so if the company endorses you entry to the keynote then you should at least be considered for the show.
My thoughts anyways. :p
Patrick @ Mar 11th 2007 5:46AM
Jason Hill is a journalist for Fairfax newspapers and online equivalents (SMH, The Age), not a "blogger" as you stated. Bloggers are bottom of the food chain when it comes to reporting news, journalists get more respect.
Petey @ Mar 11th 2007 7:19AM
Great so now it's the gaming companies who invite the journalists... tell about a way to control what they are going to write about the games & news they cover, journalists will have a tendency to auto-censure themselves not being to harsh with the company that invited them, otherway they may not come back next year... I guess some major gaming company was not too happy with what E3 last year turned out, that way they will be able to put a leash on the journalists, thay could as well let the gaming companies cover themselves the event & just let the gaming mags copy the marketing message... pathetic!!!
Denis Vitchevsky @ Mar 11th 2007 8:56AM
@Petey
Oh c'mon, that would never happen. A journalist who receives an invite to E3 probably won't consider it a great honor, but a perfectly normal invite - such as the ones to press conferences. I really, really doubt there will be self-censoring due to gratitude feelings, because everybody knows that snubbing a journalist because of a negative article constitutes bad PR and usually doesn't last for lengthy periods of time.
Bennyishere @ Mar 11th 2007 12:10PM
I'm still pissed there's no booth babes :(
sheppy @ Mar 11th 2007 12:30PM
"I guess some major gaming company was not too happy with what E3 last year turned out, that way they will be able to put a leash on the journalists, thay could as well let the gaming companies cover themselves the event & just let the gaming mags copy the marketing message... pathetic!!!"
God I love how everything is a Sony conspiracy. Yes, Sony sucked at last years E3. No, Sony does NOT have the power to do this. E3 was shut down because... well, let's put it this way. EA alone was spending into the triple digits, and for what? A system that didn't allow the public in anyway? Each year, E3 got more and more excessive. Celebrities that didn't game were forced on stage to hype their movie spinoffs. Booth Babes were getting dangerously close to public nudity (this is America after all, we can see a man slowly die in a feature film but a nipple during the superbowl frightens us). And each year, the ESA kept having to throw forth more and more fines for companies breaking rules with the attitude of "do it anyway, we'll pay the fines." E3 was primed to either end all together or drastically change format. I'm thankful it's still around. I just wish CES and GDC wasn't the only shows the public was allowed into. If you really miss E3, go to TGS.
raquor @ Mar 11th 2007 1:16PM
@9: Who the hell mentioned Sony? Idiot Fanboys...
As for missing E3 and going to TGS and crap...that's one of those things that confuses me. E3 was getting huge because the public wanted in. I don't understand why the industry doesn't have public show's similar to the Autoshow's here in America. People would go...hell they'd pay a reasonable fee to get in. It'd be sweet to listen to a keynote or two, see what's coming, maybe play a demo or two.
sheppy @ Mar 11th 2007 1:48PM
"Who the hell mentioned Sony? Idiot Fanboys..."
Posting History + Fact that only Sony really bombed E3 last year = Conclusion the comment was aimed at Sony.
I could be wrong, but this is Petey after all.
goodwithgoogle @ Mar 11th 2007 1:50PM
E for All is the show you guys are clamoring for. I'd sign up for the mailing list to keep up-to-date.
The timing and idea are solid. A gaming show, in LA, open to the public, timed so the games are done and possibly available to buy. Its also ESA endorsed, which makes it the de-facto show for the US.
Mr Khan @ Mar 11th 2007 2:36PM
The question is: are the laddies from Joystiq invited? Or will i have to go (cringe) to IGN for my E3 coverage this year, supplementing it with feeds straight from Nintendo.com?
(Its not like i don't like IGN, its just that there's so much shit you have to sort through to find the real news/screenshots/vids etc)
At least here its all right there on the main page
Frodo @ Mar 11th 2007 6:34PM
i got invited (inexplicably) but I am not just a blogger but also a podcaster. If that makes any difference. No idea who invited me though.
CheapyD @ Mar 11th 2007 7:43PM
Between 3,000 and 4,000 people are expected to attend, so I really wouldn't worry about your favorite blogger being left out of the event.
Joe @ Mar 11th 2007 9:16PM
Don't listen to anything Jason Hill writes. Just a word of advice; he takes all of his information from Joystiq, including what you guys get wrong. You will both get stuck in a vicious cycle of copying each other now.
OmegaProm @ Mar 11th 2007 9:38PM
Nintendo did the best they did at last years E3.
Can they make it better?
Smash Brawl Playable?
Kid Iracus Wii?
Something that will make everybody go to their booths?
GoonieGooGoo @ Mar 12th 2007 2:59AM
Who really cares about E3 anymore?? Part of the allure of going as a non-developer or non-retail person was the spectacle....not discussing retail orders or shipping allotments.
As company's have shifted to individual gamedays and expositions to highlight their products.....
E3 has lost its relevance.
Who cares if you don't get invited??