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A Behind-the-Scenes Look at E3 2016

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at E3 2016

Stepping into the vicinity of the Los Angeles Convention Center is like entering into a whole other world. Maybe it’s the gigantic ads on The Fig, showing modern versions of Geralt and Ciri in their hipster best, playing games on their cell phones. Perhaps it’s the showmanship that comes from plastering 20-60 foot ads on buses, buildings, or any other available flat surface. It could be the ginormous Doritos arcade cabinet towering over the Staples Center. It’s clear that you’ve entered the world of video games.

It’s a spectacle of the best kind. Companies spend thousands of dollars on this signage. By which I mean, it can easily be $10,000 to $20,000 for one of these ads. That’s a car, for many of us, or maybe even a sizable chunk of college debt defeated. The Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Watch Dogs 2 , and Injustice 2 behemoths in particular are the most valuable and impressive.

The funny thing is, these ads don’t really matter much in the grand scheme of things. The Deus Ex: Mankind Evolved and Final Fantasy XV banners from the light poles and the superheroes on busses are no big deal. The titanic Titanfall 2 debuts have a different kind of effect than intended. These images here this week aren’t going to sell games. They’re a form of showmanship. This is blustering.

Companies are daring us to call their bluffs. E3 is a game of poker for them. Who has the strongest hand? Pay no mind to the man behind the curtain. Don’t bother with these smaller titles. Did you see how handsome Batman looks, standing tall against The Flash? Doesn’t Geralt look dapper? Talk about our games! Visit us! See us!

It’s like the children who dress themselves and wear the most outrageous and inappropriate costumes for attention. E3 signage is the equivalent of the little girl who wore a hot dog costume to princess day at ballet class. Companies are peacocking not for sales, but to guarantee they aren’t forgotten during one of gaming’s busiest weeks.

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at E3 2016

And you know what? It’s effective. Because while this advertising doesn’t matter much in the way of sales, it’s generating articles like these. Images are being shared. Games are going viral. CD Projekt Red’s Gwent would have been forgotten, lost among the shuffle, if it hadn’t been for this grand gesture. But it isn’t. Injustice 2 would have been pushed aside by the bigger open world games and shooters, had it not been for Warner Bros.’ push for attention on the side of the LA Convention Center.

Money certainly talks. In the case of E3 2016, it’s absolutely paying off. I doubt any of us will overlook Injustice 2, Call of Duty, Watch Dogs 2 , or Gwent this week.

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