2016 is looking like a bad year for the Electronic Entertainment Expo. Four companies have decided they’re out this year. EA led the charge, saying it would have an alternative, concurrent fan event in Los Angeles. Activision is only going to have meetings to see the new Call of Duty and won’t have a booth. Disney’s going to focus on future fan events, so it’s out. Wargaming decided E3 doesn’t fit with its free-to-play plans. That’s four big companies that are all bailing, either pulling out completely or drastically cutting back their plans.
To give some perspective, EA and Activision typically have the biggest booths at E3, taking up a lot of space in the LA Convention Center’s South Hall. Disney and Wargaming don’t have the biggest booths, but they’re also substantial presences. Without them there, the biggest presenters in that area are Ubisoft, Konami, Warner Bros., and Square Enix. Think of it as half of that part of E3 gone. But really, it makes sense and may not be that bad.
It isn’t like the companies are denying early coverage. They’re shifting focus. It’s something that’s been building. In the last few years, video game developers and publishers’ presence at fan events have been growing. Things like comic cons have seen major attention. The New York and San Diego Comic Cons especially have strong support from game companies. It lets them directly reach buyers and build hype in a way E3 doesn’t.
These events have been so successful that other companies have prepped their own personal events. The EA Play event is hardly the first instance of a company doing its own thing for people who enjoy their games. Sony’s held two PlayStation Experiences so far. Each one’s been a success. People flew in from across the country for the 2014 and 2015 PSXes. They’ll surely do so for the ensuing shows. Disney even has its D23 fan events, which are offering more and more gaming-related announcements for followers. More efficient methods are being found.
Which means that E3’s purpose can change. It should be an event where journalists can investigate games and industry professionals can do business. All of these flashy booths and fanfare distracted from that. By changing to focus on private meetings where people can interact with actual developers and publishers instead of representatives hired for the event. It can become a more educational and business-like experience.
Perhaps we’ve come to a point where E3 is outdated. The industry has grown so much over the last 20 years. It may be better to divide up promotional endeavors. Have fan events held by the companies for people, as well as booths at major fan conventions, to hype up games for a general audience. Turn E3 into a more professional place of business, where more in-depth investigation can occur. It’ll allow for more comprehensive coverage and a better way for everyone to connect with their favorite games.