On E3's Awards, Anticipation, Predictions 42
Thanks to HomeLAN Fed for its article discussing the state of the annual 'Best Of E3' game awards, in which the writer suggests that the "E3 awards are a bit of a sham and... a lot of games that get these awards are either not released in the coming year or if they are they are not as good as their E3 presentations make them out to be." He points out that "...out of the 16 categories that the Game Critics E3 awards had last year, 10 of them went to games that have not yet come out and won't be out until after E3 2004." Elsewhere, GameSpot focuses its 'GameSpotting' editorials on the forthcoming E3 trade show itself, suggesting that the show "is becoming a bigger and bigger source of stress and anxiety to the gaming industry as time goes by", even taking into account the excitement of "the biggest video game convention on God's green earth."
I realized something... (Score:5, Interesting)
Trade Show Stress. (Score:5, Interesting)
its true
at this years music messe, my company (a leading musical instrument manufacturer) opted not to participate - we all still went to the show, and enjoyed it very much - but since we've long since stopped timing our product releases to the show period of the year (and only release things when they're -ready- i.e. manufacturing is producing shelf-storable product), we no longer feel a demand as a mfr to invest so heavily in the show.
its a double-edged sword, though. a lot of customers expect new stuff at the show. nevertheless, it feels better as a company not to have to cater to the mob-think that trade shows == target product release date. 'its ready when its ready' is definitely not something you'll hear much at a trade show
Re:Trade Show Stress. (Score:3, Interesting)
Wish I was there (Score:4, Insightful)
Can't find the link to that one,
But this is basically what I mean
http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=1999
Re:Wish I was there (Score:2)
Dancing Robot 1 [penny-arcade.com]
Dancing Robot 2 [penny-arcade.com]
E3 Awards (Score:5, Interesting)
Who exactly is hypeing these games that gets them the awards? If E3 is such a source of anxiety to the developers and publishers, maybe they should start by setting realistic expectations of when they're games will be delivered. It's not that I don't agree with id's philosophy of "when it's done" - but why show the game that early if they know the game isn't going to be released until *after* the following year's E3?
Do they need all the publicity to hype a game that far out? I would assume that the smaller game developers probably do - but if you look at the ones winning the awards - Doom3, HalfLife 2, Halo 3, they're going to get the coverage in the press regardless if the game is there or not.
I don't know what the answer or the solution is - my choice would be for E3 to have a rule that games to be shown should be released within 6-8 months of the show, but the inevitable "code leak", "revamping", or some other excuse would poke holes in that quicker than anything.
Re:E3 Awards (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:E3 Awards (Score:3, Interesting)
But I agree. Most games are given a basic time for its release at E3. So any games that aren't scheduled to release in the following year shouldn't get awards.
Re:E3 Awards (Score:2)
Why hype a video game 2 years from launch? Why saturate the market for movies that are 1 year off? Are you marketing people retarded?
Re:E3 Awards (Score:1)
It's not all bad (Score:2, Interesting)
Wish I could go (Score:3, Offtopic)
Re:Wish I could go (Score:2)
So how did you like working for Ion Storm [megatokyo.com]?
the other side of the coin (Score:4, Interesting)
E3 is not all bad though! New hardware such as the Nintendo DS is always fun to see unveiled and next-generation titles usually incite some drool when revealed. Come on, you know your jaw hit the floor when the Metal Gear Solid 2 trailer was shown for the first time.
I think the overall lesson is that all news/hype/etc. that you read before a game is actually released should be taken with a grain of salt.
GuildWars (Score:2, Informative)
The what looks to be awesome game Guildwars (from former employees of Blizzard, making it out to be a "Diablo 3" of sorts) is offering their client for everyone to play during E3. I think it's a great idea, so you can judge for yourself how it is, rather than reading hyped up previews. I don't know about you, but I would love to go but probably would never be able to, so I think opening up more to the public works well. Either way free gaming is free gaming.
Re:GuildWars (Score:2)
I hope to God that the economic model works, but I have my doubts. Big, gaping doubts.
Once more, the deal with E3 (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Once more, the deal with E3 (Score:1)
E3 is about building hype and has always been fully directed by marketing departments, includ
Re:Once more, the deal with E3 (Score:1)
Where do you think those deals are made? Oh, thats right, E3. Geez, connect the dots.
Is everyone forgetting the purpose of E3? (Score:5, Interesting)
John Callahan of HomeLAN Fed is missing the point. E3 is to games like ShoWest is to movies. Hey, everyone knows that the games aren't finished yet. It's the entire point of having E3; pitch your unfinished game to retailers in hopes of having it finished in time for the Christmas buying season. If all the games were finished, there would be no need for E3. Sheesh, everyone knows that the E3 awards are based on impressions made on the journalists and public. The real awards that count are the IAIAA awards or whatever they're calling themselves now.
Like my bud Greg Kasavin at Gamespot said in his editorial, these games are often at the show two years in a row. Is it stressful? Well yeah, because you're working not only to impress the buyers but other developers at the show. The years I worked at Microsoft's booth at E3, we did our best to impress the press but we worked harder to impress the guys from Blizzard who wandered over to see our game. (And vice-versa). E3 is what it is. Personally I think HomeLan Fed is complaining about nothing and this year's E3 is no less stressful than any other year.
Well, that is unless you're Infinium Labs...
Re:Is everyone forgetting the purpose of E3? (Score:1)
Maybe E3 isn't for "us" (Score:2)
If you saw a box that said "Best Action Game of 2001!!!" are you telling me you don't expect that that game actually was playable in 2001?
If the trade show is just for insiders, keep the awards on the inside.
The purpose of E3 (Score:5, Insightful)
E3 exists for two reasons.
1) So publishers can convince retailers to carry their games (which has already been pointed out).
2) So Developers can sign publishers for their product.
3) So Publishers can sign Developers.
4) For the "Big 3" can sign publishers to their consoles.
Essentially, E3 has a huge impact on the financial side of the game industry. It is where most deals are made. You need your stuff to look good so someone can use it to impress someone else.
Its also a pissing contest among peers. Its onething to convince an end user that your game is kick ass. Its another to convince your competitors that you are the 'hot shit'.
Unfortunately, E3 can screw with the schedule of a project. The tightest crunches on any project will be for its Beta / Gold milestones, and for E3. This is because if you show at E3, then people will want to play your game. And if you crash, it gets around.
Ever try to get software to a non-crashing state when its between 40% and 60% done?
END COMMUNICATION
Re:The purpose of E3 (Score:1)
For large values of two, it appears.
Your points are valid, I just couldn't resist...
Re:The purpose of E3 (Score:1)
Jibe 2 - Michael Bolton, is that you?
Re:The purpose of E3 (Score:1)
Best Demo Awards (Score:1)
New criteria for "Best of Show" awards! (Score:2)
And we pretty much know where THAT game has ended up this year, right?
e3 (Score:2)
Anyhoo, I'm going to e3. Next year. I'd love to go this year (there's a FF concert too!) but unfortunately, I'll have to wait. But seeing as how next year is shaping up to be the time when all of the nextgen hardw