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Every year, we head to Los Angeles in May for the massive video game expo known to all as E3. Say goodbye to E3 as you know it and say hello to the E3 Media Festival, a smaller, more intimate event that is taking it’s place.
First of all, the event is being moved from May to July. Specific dates have not yet been announced. The event is also being moved out of the enormous Los Angeles Civic Center into a smaller venue. Doug Lowenstein, President of the ESA, has stated that the event will be held in conference rooms in at least one hotel in LA. Clearly, the smaller venue means less people. Last year, the event drew over 60,000 people, but the number has now been decreased to 5,000.
Changes to E3 are being implemented for a variety of reasons. Exhibitors at the event were frustrated at the high costs E3 was incurring. In addition, “some companies were frustrated because E3 was such a huge, sweeping event that it became increasingly difficult to get their messages out,” Doug Lowenstein commented to the Wall Street Journal. The event was moved from May to July because companies felt rushed to bring out information about their holiday releases. The July dates will give them more time to prepare.
Of course, the changes to E3 don’t just affect the gaming industry. Los Angeles counted on the convention each year to bring revenue to hotels, models, restaurants, and more. The convention brought $19 million annually into the LA economy.
“It’s not good news,” commented Michael Collins from the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau. “There is no question that we are going to feel the loss of 36,000 room nights, certainly in ‘07 and ‘08.”
We will keep you posted if more develops on this story.