E for All: Consumers don’t really matter?
Wednesday, August 29th, 2007 at 2:11pm by Jack
Basically, all the signs and portents say that E for All — the consumer-focused conference meant to replace E3 — is going to be dead on arrival when it begins in mid-October.
There’s no Microsoft presence there, nor Sony, nor Activision, Capcom, NCSoft, Sega, Midway, etc. EA is rumored to be on the cusp of bowing out. The only company of note still committed to the conference is Nintendo. So there’s still a weak pulse — Monty Python would say it’s not dead yet — but I imagine even Nintendo will be rolling out Wi Sports demos and Mii creation stations. I hope they don’t though.
Put simply, I think an opportunity exists for them to do more.
I really don’t know what to make of the mass bailout going on with major publishers. On the one hand I don’t really care about E for All to begin with, but then again I’ve never really been into the Old Boys Club schmoozefest that exists between journalists and publishers at these events (LinuxWorld, however, that’s another story). On the other hand, I can’t help but think this as a great representation of how little the consumer actually matters to these companies. You really don’t. They’ll say their non-attendance is a money thing, but really, how better to market your games to the consumers than actually show them at a consumer show? It’s almost, dare I say it, like they know if they show them to the gaming press first (you know, hardcore gamers posing as journalists?), they’ll get a better review than if they let consumers decide for themselves. How odd.
This is E for All. It’s not being marketed as a competitive show. It’s being marketed as the consumer’s show, and yet big name companies like Microsoft and Sony couldn’t be bothered and bailed with little thought or serious explanation. “Journalists” like those that exist on high traffic gaming blogs today have done little to help E for Everyone; mockery and cynicism seem to be par for the course. It’s much cooler to be snarky than professional, apparently.
It’s at this moment, when I see the major publishers and the journalists off in their little corner, snickering at the consumer-focused show, that I get a sad mental image. I see insecurity. The journalists couldn’t wait for the “public” portion of E3 to be carved out, and the publishers seemingly can’t wait not to attend a show where the end user is the focus. It’s yet another echo chamber in an industry now notorious for caring only what happens to a certain type of gamer.
So I sincerely hope Nintendo plans a surprise or two for this conference; for this non-event in the eyes of the mainstream media and the big name publishers. I hope they take the stage, or a soap box, or whatever IDG can afford to give them, and make a statement about how Sony and Microsoft don’t really care about true gamers, and that all of their promises about expanding gaming are about as reliable as Xbox 360 hardware. Maybe they’ll even dust off a Megaton announcement and really set the Net on fire. It will be a fitting beginning of the end for the Old Boys Club and yet another coup for Nintendo.
Any of you people who don’t matter to Sony or Microsoft anymore planning on going?
EDIT — E for ALL. Thanks!
August 29th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Hmmm…. Last time I checked, it was called E for All.
August 29th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
I think I liked E for Everyone better… Had a nice ring to it!
But I can see the issue from these publishers’ perspective. This is not a controlled venue, you don’t want to invest millions in an environment for the regular consumer where you are going to compete against different platforms. It becomes a Roman Circus, like E3 used to be, and it’s more likely to hurt your product than raise interest in it.
August 29th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
(In my opinion, by the way, Sony’s woes with the PS3 started with last years E3! And they invested way too much money on the event.)
August 29th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
I can’t comment on the rumors about EA, Sony, and Microsoft but I mostly agree. I think fans really want E for All, and they trust the team that built E3 to build a show that gamers really want to see. And that’s what it’s all about. This is a team of people who really want to bring some of that E3 experience to everyone.
I can’t imagine why Microsoft would rather go to TGS and compete in a country that clearly has no interest in them, when they could show up in LA and try to maintain their lead over a floundering Sony. Microsoft’s biggest title of the year, Halo 3, comes out a couple of weeks before E4 - and Japan won’t care - so hype it at E4!
Similarly, I can’t imagine that Sony doesn’t want to get their offering, which finally has the titles to support it, in front of as many people as possible.
Fortunately, the current crop of exhibitors and special attractions still makes an outstanding show and who knows, there are probably some big surprises coming in the next few weeks.
But I, for one, will be very disappointed if Microsoft and Sony don’t show.
August 29th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
That would be excellent in my opinion. Though I live in Michigan, so I likely won’t be going to anything soon, maybe Leipzig next year?
August 29th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
As reliable as Xbox 360 hardware? Sony and Microsoft don’t care about their gamers?
Hate to break it to you, but the only reason Nintendo seems to care more is because all they have are games. Sony and Microsoft can fall back on their giant corporations and branches of electronics; Nintendo has to rely on the only consumers they have.
Nintendo cares about the same exact thing the other two major companies do– Money.
August 29th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Also, don’t jump to say that Nintendo is the only notable company staying. You should take a look at the list of companies before you make a comment such as that.
August 29th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
“I can’t imagine why Microsoft would rather go to TGS and compete in a country that clearly has no interest in them” –Fool Throttle
You just answered your own question…
“Similarly, I can’t imagine that Sony doesn’t want to get their offering, which finally has the titles to support it, in front of as many people as possible” –Fool Throttle
That’s exactly the problem with E for ALL: that event won’t pull enough people to justify the companies’ expenses for putting a show there.
August 29th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
we have an e for all already- its called PAX, and it was great (mp3 demo ftw!)
honestly, i really think pax can build itself out into a true e for all better than a new forum can.
August 29th, 2007 at 11:56 pm
The thing about E for All is that it’s so late in the retail cycle that it’s basically redundant. Nintendo is going to go and show off Mario Galaxy and Phantom Hourglass (and Wii Sports) because that’s what they’re going to be trying to sell a few weeks later.
Microsoft will already have shot their marketing wad on Halo 3, and Sony doesn’t really have one to shoot.
August 30th, 2007 at 8:15 am
More was already done at PAX. This would be why no one gives a shit about E for All.