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"As a developer, getting in front of publishers to discuss new opportunities is a very important part of our business. There is a constant cycle of new licenses, new platforms, and new ideas," said one insider. "There are maybe 30 publishers with whom we maintain close and regular contact and historically E3 has been a convenient hub for getting together with everyone in the same week, under the same roof. Of course it has always been frenetic (increasingly so), with short meetings, little sleep and a lot of running around, but every year we have inevitably left LA with some deals further along, and others starting to germinate."
The stress is seen by everyone months before E3 even begins. Setting up meetings, preparing demos, designing booths... Some wouldn't mind working harder to get their products out there if it means removing that dreaded E3 prep period, which usually starts after Christmas.
"I'll miss it, it was fun," notes one source, "but I don't think it will change my business much. Might have to work a little harder for access to some people without E3 but that's more than balanced by not having to worry about getting ready for E3 so I'd call it probably a tie."
Some of those small players liked the old E3 format for one simple reason: it attracts the attention of those outside the gaming industry, of those who don't read up on the latest games-related news throughout the year.
"I've always liked E3 because it focused positive, mainstream media attention on the video game industry in a very powerful way," said another insider. "It would be a shame to lose that." That sentiment is echoed throughout the industry, as noted by another developer, "I guess my take is that the industry does need a large yearly event that draws attention to itself. I also think this attention reaches outside of your typical gaming press and reaches the mainstream. When else does the games industry do that? I think it would be a shame to lose that, but who knows.... maybe what comes next will be even better."
Pushing E3 to become a more business-friendly and mature event might actually help gaming as a whole as far as mainstream press is concerned. Booth babes certainly add something to the atmosphere (see past article link here), but they also add to the perception that gaming is about immature teen males killing things and blowing stuff up. More one-on-one time means that the mainstream can get a better understanding of the medium, and even get a glimpse of titles that don't feature violence or sex. By giving importance to other events like TGS and Leipzig, mainstream might even start covering games outside of the E3 timeframe.
"It's no secret that the only time folks look at the gaming industry is during E3 and during holiday," comments one E3 attendee.
Perhaps one of the best things about E3, whether you love it or hate it, is the social setting that it creates.
