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.

If there was any question as to the fate of the spectacle that was E3, a quick visit Monday afternoon to the LA Convention Center seemed to confirm the show's demise. Oh sure, E3 may live on in name, but where years past would have found the convention center papered by now in gaudy banners promoting the year's biggest titles and deepest pockets, 2008 instead finds the halls exhibiting all the life of a George Romero set piece without the visceral afterglow.

Even so, we do look forward to see what the show has in store for us when it officially kicks off later today. After all, we're not total pessimists. Yet.

Early registration for GamePro's E for All Expo, set for October 18-21 at E3's old home -- the Los Angeles Convention Center -- is now open. You can register at the E for All website here. The current phase ends September 1, and tickets are $45 for a Thursday/Friday pass, $65 for Saturday/Sunday or $90 for all four days. After September 1, prices move into the range of $50 to $110.

In addition to cheaper ticket prices, early registrants get to play on the show floor earlier, with a grand total of seven extra hours available. With E3's downsizing this year, the expo is hoping to fill Los Angeles' quota for large gamer gatherings.

[Via Firing Squad]

Though mention of Gamepro's E for All Expo may prompt you to envision a discreet gathering of drug dealers or a wild party where people bash each other over the head with giant foam letters, the truth is that entertainment will be the only thing being distributed. With Nintendo acting as a "flagship" for the October event, many expect it to replace the glitz and clamor of E3, with the exception of it being open to all. All with at least $50 in hand, of course.

Speaking to Gamespot last week, IDG World Expo vice president and show organizer, Mary Dolaher, revealed the exact pricing of the different entry tickets. How Mary Dolahers many dollars are you expected to part with, exactly? Single day tickets for Thursday and Friday will set you back $50, whereas single day tickets for the weekend go for $75. A four-day pass is set at $110.

Though the precise scope of industry support for the expo has yet to be seen, there are probably more terrible ways to spend $50 in a day. The E For All Expo will run in Los Angeles from 18 October to 21 October, with general admission tickets going on sale in June.

[Via GamesIndustry.biz]

EA has partnered with Nettwerk One Music to form a "full-service" music label, dubbed Artwerk. The Los Angeles-based company will seek out new and established talent for publishing and distribution deals, including its first-confirmed contracted recording artist Junkie XL (pictured). Having appeared on numerous EA game soundtracks, in addition to producing the entire soundtrack for Forza Motorsport, JXL is an ideal candidate for EA's new venture.

With Artwerk, EA can capitalize on the entire process; no longer having to rely on its partnerships with other music industry labels to maintain EA Trax. "[EA] can now directly sign, develop, and launch artists for publishing, master recordings, sync deals and beyond," declared EA Worldwide Executive of Music and Marketing Steve Schnur. But will the full-service treatment provide a happy ending for the artist? As long as you're willing to sacrifice street cred for the chance to be heard by millions of EA gamers. Submit your demo here, you desperate sell-out.

[Update 4: The ESA has issued a press release addressing the situation. Read more here.]

Next-Gen has the scoop: Doug Lowenstein, the president of the Entertainment Software Association is expected to announce within the next 48 hours that E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the definitive video games show, has been cancelled. Industry sources have told Next-Gen that the reasoning behind this move is primarily one of cost versus return. Publishers aren't getting the media attention that they expect from the large amounts of cash that they're putting down to exhibit at the show.

Apparently publishers believe that the multi-million dollar budgets allocated to E3 would be better used on smaller, specific shows where publishers get all the limelight. There's the possibility of a smaller show taking place in May next year, but as Next-Gen puts it, "it's clear that the days of an industry event attended by all the major publishers, spending big money, are gone."

Check out our commentary on the cancellation at the continued link below.

In case you missed it on Friday, IGN posted a pre-E3 hands-on preview of Guitar Hero II's new co-op mode. It's a departure from the first game's multiplayer mode in that the two players have to depend on each other a lot more to pass each song and thereby make beautiful music together.

While the old multiplayer option will still be around in the sequel, the new mode mixes distinct lead guitar and bass or rhythm parts where each player affects the other in various ways, whether by failing if either performance slips (as in DDR), sharing the same Rock Meter (with mistakes from either player resetting the score multiplier), and needing to both go vertical at the same time to activate the shared Star Power. Thankfully, different difficulty levels can be assigned to each player.

The Joystiq team out in L.A. will probably find something to do until they get their sweaty paws on a guitar controller or two on the E3 show floor (maybe one of those wacky press conferences will help pass the time), but we're sure the wait to try the latest build of this rockin' series will be worth it. The seven songs available at E3 are listed below.

[Thanks, murph]

Capcom announced its lineup of titles that will be playable at E3:

GBA

• Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Gregar, Cybeast Falzar

Nintendo DS

• Mega Man ZX

PS2

• God Hand
• Okami
• Street Fighter Alpha Anthology

PSP

• Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins
• Monster Hunter Freedom

Xbox 360

• Dead Rising
• Lost Planet

In addition, Capcom will unmask several new games for as of yet announced platforms. PlayStation 3? Nintendo Revolution? C'mon, Capcom has to have at least one ace up its sleeve...