E3 Is No Longer The Most Important Show In Gaming


E3 is just a couple of weeks away and while the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) used to be the “be all, end all” of the gaming industry, the latest trend has it not meaning that much to gaming companies at all. In fact, it could be said that E3 just doesn’t mean that much to the industry anymore. Before the idea of disagreeing with this jumps into your mind, let’s take a look at who or what is not at the show as opposed to who is.

Nintendo is not bringing the NX.

There was a day if you told anyone in the industry that a new system had been announced, it was within a year away, and it was not going to be a part of supposedly gamings biggest event, people would have thought you were crazy. However, Nintendo has chosen to not show the NX at this year’s E3. Instead you will be left with what can best be described as a three day Legend of Zelda commercial, this according to Nintendo’s own E3 site.

Nintendo has not given many reasons why we are not seeing the system. The most we have from the president, Tatsumi Kimishima, is there is not enough software available to launch the system this year. In years past, this hasn’t stopped Sony, Microsoft, or even Nintendo from at least giving a hint what to expect from a new system.

There has been some speculation that companies are looking to take their own approach to releasing new systems. Sony and Microsoft both held events outside of E3 to show off their newest systems. However, the reveals were prior to E3 so the system was present at the event.

Activision/Blizzard is not coming at all.

In March, Fortune broke the news that Activision/Blizzard would not even have a booth this year at E3. Now, just how significant is this. Very significant would be a gross understatement.

Blizzard’s World of Warcraft is the world’s most popular paid Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) game. This year, World of Warcraft is publishing a sixth expansion with Legion. World of Warcraft will also be brought to life on the big screen. Just days before E3, Warcraft opens to wide release in the United States.

Blizzard had the most-anticipated new intellectual property (IP) release just this past week in Overwatch. It has instantly shot up to number one. The game is sold out at a number of retailers including Amazon. Yet, the most popular game at the moment will have no presence on the show floor at E3.

Image via Activision/Blizzard
Image via Activision/Blizzard

Other great games that won’t be featured at E3 include Call of Duty, Skylanders, and any other game that is published on a yearly basis by Activision. This clearly will leave a huge hole, and E3 has nothing to fill it.

Electronic Arts is also out this year.

When you think sports video games, Electronic Arts or EA Sports comes to mind. The makers of the Madden football and NHL hockey series have been synonymous with E3. This year things are changing. Electronic Arts (EA) will have not be at this year’s E3.

Instead, EA has opted to run their own show. With EA gone, there will be few other companies at the show to fill the sports void. If the absence of those big guns aren’t enough, EA is also responsible for some other highly popular titles. Star Wars: Battlefront, Mass Effect, and Destiny are just three very popular games that will not be at what was once America’s most popular gaming conference.

Image via Bungie
Image via Bungie

Could it be that E3 is just not needed anymore? With instant access to gaming news at the consumer’s finger tips, do they really need to have an industry show dedicated to it? Are companies sick of having to hold onto information until the middle of June, especially considering the number of leaks we have seen in recent months? Whatever the cause E3, certainly seems to be on its way out.

[Image via Entertainment Software Association]

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