E3 renamed to Game Pro Expo?

[Dante]

Earlier this year, a collective sigh issued forth from the hundreds of thousands of gamers lamenting the general miniaturization of the Electronic Entertainment Expo. The event's owners, the Electronic Software Association (ESA), bowing to pressure from members who saw diminishing returns from the multimillion dollar expenditure the show required of them, evolved the show into a more manageable and less-costly event.

 

In July, the ESA downsized E3 and renamed it the E3 Media and Business Summit. The near free-for-all that attracted 60,000 attendees would now be invitation-only and would no longer fill the cavernous halls of the Los Angeles Convention Center.

 

Many in the game industry called it the end of an era, albeit a bloated era.

 

Well, the bloat is back--and it is likely a good thing for gamers.

 

According to a memo circulated to a short list of LA Convention and Visitors Bureau members this week, International Data Group, publishers of dozens of tech magazines and producers of hundreds of trade shows around the world (including Macworld), will produce a new games show to be held in Los Angeles in mid-October, 2007.

 

"IDG has been secured to run the new Game Pro Expo show, what we knew as E3," the memo reads in part.

 

According to Michael Krouse, vice president of convention sales for the LA Convention and Visitors Bureau, IDG is estimating that the event will draw 30,000 attendees, and that long term, those numbers could grow. "I am absolutely convinced this show will be as big as [the old] E3," Krouse told GameSpot News.

 

The new show will be endorsed by the ESA--"a very important element to the partnership," says the memo, which goes on to say Game Pro Expo will take place at E3's former digs, the Los Angeles Convention Center, on October 18, 19, and 20, 2007.

 

The Game Pro Expo will have trade show, consumer, and game competition components and is being presented to Convention and Visitors Bureau members as a show that could rival the old E3 in size, scope, and impact on the Los Angeles economy: "Use E3 as a guide [when prepping for Game Pro Expo]," the memo advises.

 

Referring to the game competition, Krouse said that Staples Center owners, AEG, are likely to partner with IDG, and, "in concept," the live tournaments would take place at the Staples Center.

 

The news is tangentially related to the departure of ESA exec Mary Dolaher who took a new post with IDG this week. Dolaher's staff, versed in the nuances of producing E3 Expo, moved en masse to IDG as well. It is, therefore, with some level of expertise that the new IDG-produced Game Pro Expo gains legs early on. Talk of publishers coming on board is already filling the rumor mill, though none have yet to announce a firm commitment to exhibit.

 

Confirmation of the IDG event today follows on the heels of the Consumer Electronics Association announcement last month that it would not produce a game-oriented trade show in Los Angeles in 2007.

 

Gamespot

[fukudasolokomalakikenanze]

Is it still going to feature delightful women to grab our attention from the games?

[mcj metroid]

game pro expo?what a shitty name

[Gaijin von Snikbah]

Here is a crazy idea, how about calling it E3?

[fukudasolokomalakikenanze]

No .

 

The events significance is no more. Leipzeig is new E3, not this

 

CRAP

[mcj metroid]

Here is a crazy idea, how about calling it E3?

 

noo that's what THEY would be expecting for us to do

[Emasher]

aw e3 was a cool name

 

stupid esa

[Jasper]

Jup, Game Pro Expo is a name that doesn't show professional. Everything with 'Pro' in it (and not 'professional') is not good as name. E3 sounded good, was simple and memorisable. Screw. Anyway, it can never get as big as E3 because E3 was carefully planned in the second quarter of the year so that developers could produce hype to their christmas products. Doubt it'll work if it's so close the the on-sale date - like we will have to see all new things launch apple-like (the day after it's announcement, that is).

[DCK]

October? Ow man, we need a spring/early summer show. Otherwise we can't plan what to buy.

[Jasper]

October? Ow man, we need a spring/early summer show. Otherwise we can't plan what to buy.

 

Exactly, no hype, no game. Or something similair...

[ShadowV7]

Well that's E3 dead now.No point doing it in October cause there just won't be that much hype.

[DCK]

I wonder what's going to take its place now. Maybe the three companies will hold their own events (like the Wii price conference) in the first half of the year now. Let's hope so anyway.