Following a number of studios ditching E3 2016 show floor booths, organizer Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has defended the expo, stating that it’s still “beyond relevant” and that it’s “essential and critical” to the games industry. In an interview with MCV, ESA’s Rich Taylor said that the question of E3’s relevancy and importance is asked every year, but when the event occurs, the question is answered in a “resounding yes,” referring to the show’s success. He further said:
One of the things we do at the close of every E3 is that we talk to everyone we can… and we try and figure out how to change the experience and make it better. We’ve done that this time, and we will be making adjustments to guarantee it is going to be a tremendous show. There are a number of press briefings going on – a record number,I believe – that starts a few days before E3. That’s a reflection of the fact that people realise that this is the place to make news and break news, and have that amplified around the globe in a way like no other show can.
Taylor also revealed that the association is considering bringing customers to the event, which is something it’s hoping to do this year alongside figuring out how to accommodate YouTube personalities. In response to companies like EA and Activision announcing that they won’t be setting up a booth at the show floor, Taylor said that the ESA is pursuing other companies to make up for that.
We obviously want to have a robust, energetic show floor. So if people aren’t there, we will find others to be there. E3 is a place that people want to be. We are not a mortuary convention, it is quite the opposite. There is a lot of activity in this space, from the college level to indie developers to triple-A titles. We are talking to, and are talking to, a number of entities and developers, and encouraging them and inviting them to be a part of the show, when perhaps in the past they have not been.
E3 2016 is scheduled to take place between June 14 and 16 in Los Angeles.
[Source: MCV UK]
