The ESA has found a familiar home for the 2008 E3 Media & Business Summit: the Los Angeles Convention Center. The reunion of super structure and trade show follows an ill-considered retreat to Santa Monica, which played host to a mind-bending E3 this year – how can one thing be scaled way down, yet spread so far apart? But the reestablishment of a centralized location for the event doesn't mean a resurrection of old ways. E3 2008 will retain the 'intimate' structure of this year's gathering (in other words, the ban on GameStop regional managers and booth babes is still in effect). The emphasis will be on "press events and small meetings with media, development, and other key sectors," confirmed the ESA in a statement today. So, the new formula: (confusion/distance) + (disorganization*cell phone bill) - shuttle buses = E3 2008.

E3 is scheduled for July 15-17, 2008, and, like last year, attendance will be by invitation only.

GameIndustry.biz has apparently confirmed that Microsoft will not be attending the E for All expo in LA at the end of October. Microsoft joins Sony now in ignoring the event organized by IDG World Expo, which was intended as a consumer-based replacement for E3. Sega, Capcom, SOE and Midway (who probably couldn't afford it anyway) will also not be attending.

On the bright side of things, Nintendo and Electronic Arts have confirmed their attendance. They'll be joined by Konami, THQ, Namco Bandai and others. With Microsoft and Sony's non-attendance, this event would have been a total bust without Nintendo. Makes you wonder what it took for them to be an anchor? We're not saying anything, we're just asking.

With the Nintendo Wii interface, gamers are beginning to recognize the importance of a this new level of innovation. However we are also beginning to understand that it's going to take some time for developers to bring this type of immersion into a more unambiguous experience for everyone.

Tucked away within the bowels of E3 was SDW Games and their TV Fighter. As you can see from the picture, the gamer controls it with boxing gloves. Theoretically, this could have been really fun, but what is it about cheaply made peripherals that seem to completely take away the experience?

You're looking at the latest work-in-progress gaming desktop from Dell, the next XPS. They invited us down today and let us take a gander at their prototype.

They didn't tell us anything juicy about stuff like the components, pricing or a release date. The directors who headed up the presentation were mainly looking for some feedback from the gaming community. One of the interesting things with this new minimalistic design is the complete air flow from rear to front. Unfortunately, everything they showed us was purely aesthetic, so we'll have to hold out for a bit longer to find out about anything else.

[Reposted due to technical difficulties.]

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]

For the Final Fantasy fans lucky enough to be near Hollywood yesterday night -- and in line for free tickets during the middle of a regular workday -- there was much rejoicing to be had as Advent Children celebrated its U.S. theatrical premiere in style.

Siliconera has a write-up on the event with quotes from most of the American voice actors in attendance, who, along with the audience at hand, watched the film in English for the very first time. Lip synching may have been off due to the low-resolution print the actors had to work with, but even Rachel Leigh Cook -- pictured here with her character Tifa Lockheart -- declared herself a new fan of Final Fantasy after the show.

Helpful Joystiq Contributor epobirs also had something to report from the screening yesterday, where he gives us an Ain't-It-Cool style rundown of the event. If you want the rest of his reflections on the requirements of the Academy in Oscar nominations, as well as what it takes to "assert your hetero nature ... after watching a movie packed with metrosexual men," simply continue reading below for more. Siliconera's report can be found by clicking on the image of Ms. Cook above or the Read link below. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children will be out on DVD/UMD April 25th.

[Thanks, epobirs; image of Tifa courtesy of Eyes on Final Fantasy]