Were The "Winners" of E3 Enough To Ensure Survival?

Now that the industry is winding down after another E3, it's time to reflect on the relative success of the show. Paul Govan reflects with a GeekDad view of the "winners" of this years show. The question is, after the attempts to scale it back to a much more exclusive event, has E3 managed to escape obscurity and defeat at the hands of up-and-comers like PAX? Highlights of the show included Microsoft's new controller-less interface, a sexier PSP, and a myriad of releases from Nintendo.

Haven't cared much

[stoolpigeon]

As I doubt I'll ever have an opportunity to go. PAX on the other hand - I haven't made it yet but I will eventually. So e3? meh. PAX? yes- absolutely I am stoked it is doing well as I look forward to being a part of it in the future.

Heard of E3. Never heard of PAX

[Anonymous Coward]

So I guess that E3 has managed to escape obscurity and defeat for now.

Why did they make it exclusive, anyway?

[PhrostyMcByte]

I don't really understand why E3 can't be more like Comic-Con. Make it a fun event for gamers. It's not like the press will find it any harder to get info. Create some panels, signings, big rooms for LAN games, etc.

Re:Why did they make it exclusive, anyway?

[Beelzebud]

Because companies like 3D Realms and God Games made it an L.A. Strippers Convention for a few years there.

Re:Myriad

[FlyingBishop]

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/myriad [wiktionary.org]
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/myriad [reference.com]

It also means 10 thousand. Obviously, though, in this context, it just means "a large number." This usage is a rhetorical device commonly called "hyperbole."

Re:Myriad

[BobMcD]

This makes for a good example of why the word 'Nazi' gets used...

http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/myriad.html [wsu.edu]

Some traditionalists object to the word âoeofâ after âoemyriadâ or an âoeaâ before, though both are fairly common in formal writing.

Surely some of the comments offer better fodder for your zealotry...

Re:Haven't cared much

[moderatorrater]

That attitude is the one I share, and I think shows the difference between the two shows. After all, E3 is about game companies showing off to each other, PAX is about people who love gaming getting together. I belong to the second group, but not to the first.

Re:Heard of E3. Never heard of PAX

[2short]

Well, what one random Anonymous Coward has heard of may not be the best standard. Just FYI,

The impressive E3 attendance being reported here: 41,000
2008 PAX attendance: 58,500

I'm not sure why E3 is described as trying to "escape" defeat at the hands of PAX. How about, Can E3 recover from the defeat PAX has dealt it?

More to the point though, E3 and PAX have different goals. E3 tries to generate press for it's exhibitors. PAX tries to generate enjoyment for it's attendees. So your having heard of E3 while PAX is better attended may indicate the success of both shows.

Re:Haven't cared much

[flitty]

I think they both have their place. E3 is used by the consoles to show their latest and greatest reason for existing, and a chance for the gaming market to make a case to the public about it's wares, with it's best shirt on. NPR covered E3 this week, along with other news outlets. I've yet to hear any mention of PAX on national media, even though it seems to be much more appreciated by the gaming community. I think that E3 needs to exist separately from PAX, or else you'll only taint PAX, and kneecap the ability for these corporations to make their best marketing pitches.

Most gamers know that the claims put out during E3 are crap (my favorite this year "Only the PS3 has the power to run this 40' x 80' display!"), and everyone looks at any claims made during E3 with the appropriate skepticism. it's nice to have that kind of marketing speak segmented to it's own show, and I'm glad it's back to serve this purpose.

Re:I'd say...

[moderatorrater]

Wii Sports and the rest of the "Wii" series are glorified tech demos

Wii Sports and Wii Play are still widely played among the people that I know. Wii Fit is extremely well selling. Wii Music is the only flop that I can see off the top of my head from the "Wii" series. All told, even if they are just "glorified tech demos," they're still more popular than any game that I can think of on the other systems. Between that, the new Metroid, and a co-op version of their most popular game on their systems, they had something for everybody this year. I would say that 3 games which are practically guaranteed to be hits would qualify them for something slightly better than "meh".

Re:Haven't cared much

[nschubach]

Most gamers know that the claims put out during E3 are crap (my favorite this year "Only the PS3 has the power to run this 40' x 80' display!")

...anyone that thought that was not an attempt at humor or sarcasm anyway is a fool or a "fanboy."

You don't honestly think they wanted people to believe that, do you?