One of the biggest exhibitors at E3 has decided to move its events off-site and open them up to the public.
E3 (the electronic entertainment expo) is one of the biggest events in all of gaming. Held annually in Los Angeles, E3 was THE place to the scoop on the biggest upcoming games. The event was and still is trade-only. That means you can only get in if you work for a game company, retailer, or member of the press. Many have speculated how viable the show will continue to be when events that are open to the public, like the PAX shows, continue to gain momentum. And with the digital age of game sales taking over, companies no longer need middlemen to get their games noticed. They can go straight to the people who buy them. And that’s what EA is doing this year.
Called EA Play, the event, which will happen in Los Angeles near the convention center, as well as in London, is designed to put consumers first. That’s kind of a kick in the pants to E3 and everything it stands for.
A note on the official site for the event says, “Our players are the driving force behind everything we do. So this summer, we’re opening up our world to you with unique new live events in Los Angeles and London. We’ll bring the new games, we’ll bring the demos, we’ll bring the competition…and you get to go hands-on. Or join us online and immerse yourself to experience some of our biggest games of the year. Let’s live to play together.”
EA has also moved its annual press conference to the Sunday before the show rather than immediately following the Microsoft press conference on Monday.
