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31 July 2006

Yesterday the news broke that E3 – the biggest game show of the year – has been cancelled next year.

Admittedly it turns out that the news was slightly incorrect – it’s merely downsizing – but that’s as good as a cancellation, as it means the big players most likely won’t bother going.

I’m really in two minds over the news. On one hand, the bonanza of news that accompanies a trade show is always fun in that kid-on-xmas-day way (and that reminds me, WWDC next week…) so it’ll be a shame to lose that for a couple of years until a natural successor appears. The GDC will probably take its place until then, but being an expensive developer event will mean that it can’t take the mantle over fully – I’m sure we’ll get something else soon enough.

On the other hand, do we really lose much by not having E3 (or it’s successor)?

It’s an ever more common trend that developers spend a lot of time and money getting ready for E3 that could almost certainly be better spent on actually making games. Of course, that’s not even considering the amount the publisher spends on a stand, booth-babes and related marketing materials.

No E3 = better games.

From: Articles

31 July 2006