The unbearable smallness of E3 2008, in pictures

by Kyle Orland { Jul 21st 2008 at 10:30PM }

After last year's detour to Santa Monica, E3 returned this year to its traditional home at the L.A. Convention Center. But the more things stay the same, the more they change, as they say (if they're a bit confused). Despite the return to the old location, much of this year's E3 had an empty, ghost town feeling when compared to E3s past. The general lack of participating developers and publishers, combined with the strict, invite-only attendee list combined to make a show that seemed incredibly small in the incredibly large convention center. To see just how small, check out our "E3, then and now" gallery, which compare scenes from previous E3s to similar scenes from this year's show.

Gallery: E3, then and now

The unbearable smallness of E3 2008, in pictures

Tags: comparison, e3, e3-2008, joystiqfeatures, L.A., LACC, los angeles, los-angeles-convention-center, LosAngeles, then-and-now

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

theturtle363 @ Jul 21st 2008 10:32PM

truly disheartening

Sora @ Jul 21st 2008 10:51PM

This.

Mr.ESC @ Jul 21st 2008 10:58PM

SPAAARTAAAA!!!!

jimbo @ Jul 21st 2008 11:42PM

I feel bad for all these Joystiq "writers" who had to suffer through this E3... a place where any gamer would love to be.

F1 & The Way PC used to be. @ Jul 21st 2008 10:37PM

No it's only because Jack Bauer couldn't stop the bomb.

Kevin949 @ Jul 21st 2008 10:50PM

weak sauce.

Stink Snake @ Jul 21st 2008 10:55PM

Well, I am just as satisfied with E3 as in years past. Nothing really has changed for me at all, except I prefered the announcements in May rather than July.

Mr.ESC @ Jul 21st 2008 10:57PM

E3 old and finished.

When I was a kid I always wanted to go to the E3,I still remember the days I watched the E3 on TV and I was all hyped even when it was transmitted one week after the actual event but it was awesome.

Now that I can, sorta the event is not even interesting enough to justify the trip, cool for the people who lives nearby or can drive there but for the rest I don’t think is worth it anymore.

Oh well we have PAX next month right?

theturtle363 @ Jul 21st 2008 11:00PM

Comic con is this month still! I'm clinging to my last desperate hopes that a Batman game will be announced there!

Mr.ESC @ Jul 21st 2008 11:05PM

Comic con the other event I always wanted to assist. *sigh

Be sure to get an autograph from Sergio Aragones if he assists.

I did attend to a comic con in Luca Italy when I was on vacation. The funny thing I didn't know it was there I just found it.

Batman The Dark Knight wouldn't make a good videogame, the movie is perfect as it is and no game could make it justice. I attended to the premier here and there were costumes and stuff, just plain Epic. Then again you have Lego Batman and DC universe online.

theturtle363 @ Jul 21st 2008 11:26PM

oh im not attending, i have to watch it on G4 like everyone else with not enough money to fly to california on a whim

theturtle363 @ Jul 21st 2008 11:30PM

DCUO and Lego Batman just arent the same, I dont really get to be Batman. I was hoping for a batman sandbox Assassin's Creed style with investigations and takedowns

Heh {XBL: P4nic 4tt4ck} @ Jul 21st 2008 11:42PM

Considering I live in California, i'll drop you all a nice little letter about how comic-con is. :D

Mr.ESC @ Jul 21st 2008 11:46PM

AC with Batman dude believe me you don't want that *shudders.

Heh,Sweet.

theturtle363 @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:11AM

how you taunt me foul demon

theturtle363 @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:11AM

what do you mean Mr Esc?

shadow024 @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:27AM

They confirmed a Dark Knight game on G4, when they had that special on the Dark Knight. It was talked about with Gary Oldman. Maybe you mean another batman game, and not the Dark Knight...

theturtle363 @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:29AM

I was too busy being dressed as batman at the midnight premiere to watch TV about Batman. So, in reference to you TDK game...WHAT TRICKERY IS THIS?!

shadow024 @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:30AM

@theturtle363

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gN94_6j21_g

does this help?

theturtle363 @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:37AM

That helps so much ill name my firstborn son after you

mr mobius @ Jul 21st 2008 11:09PM

Rest in peace old friend.

DarkNessBear @ Jul 21st 2008 11:11PM

Very sad. It almost feels like gaming is declining, yet it's increasing an insane amount. I am very happy the first E3 I went to was the last E306. I snuck into that one, but this years I didn't even bother (I even drove by it) because it was so pathetic.

Sigh... I hope one day we get that glorious celebration of E3 back...

Michael @ Jul 21st 2008 11:13PM

Then: People were complaining.
Now: People are complaining.

Jason Walsh @ Jul 21st 2008 11:44PM

I always get a weird sense of deja vu when I see pictures of the LA Convention centre. All due to the mission of Swat 3 that takes place there.

Mr.ESC @ Jul 21st 2008 11:45PM

Talking about the E3 check this out:

http://theslackerz.com/

This got my vote for the next weekend webcomic.

Heh {XBL: P4nic 4tt4ck} @ Jul 21st 2008 11:56PM

lol'd hard

theturtle363 @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:24AM

it's funny because it's true

CJLopez @ Jul 22nd 2008 1:45PM

I'm at work, man, why did you do that, now I got swallop my laughter!!!!!

Sokkratez @ Jul 22nd 2008 1:11AM

Good reference in the headline.

whiny bitch @ Jul 22nd 2008 3:48AM

"Good"? I don't know what you're talking about. That decision, like all of their decisions, was ultimately inconsequential.

Sokkratez @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:00AM

I was referring to "the unbearable smallness of E3" being a reference to "The Unbearable Lightness of Being". It's a book.

MarMar @ Jul 22nd 2008 3:07AM

who the hell cares i want games not a video game "journalism" circus!

randomshagz @ Jul 22nd 2008 9:00AM

sad sad sad.

bluestriker @ Jul 22nd 2008 9:19AM

G4's temporary studios are bigger than all of the developers' floor spaces. Pretty sad when the press gets more room than the developers, in a gaming expo.

ZarkSeven @ Jul 22nd 2008 12:04PM

Wasn't it the developers and/or the Big 3 that said that the old E3 was too expensive and not worth the cost? I don't know why the gaming press keeps pining away for "the good ol' days" when it was the game companies themselves that caused the change. The format change does not equate to a decline in the industry.

CJLopez @ Jul 22nd 2008 1:50PM

Lets hope future E3 are better than this one, and that they get open assintance, else 'll have to get myself into some games news blog to be able to go, xDDDDDD

Darkseid @ Jul 22nd 2008 1:56PM

I just don't get it. Gaming as an industry is blowing up. Yet, the biggest gaming show of the year, is scaled down. Just plain silly.

But its one thing for gamers to complain. The organizers of E3 can ignore that. But with so many developers and game makers simply skipping the show, they can't just ignore that.

I fear that by 2010, there wont even be a E3.