History Electronic Entertainment Expo

1 history

1.1 1995–2006
1.2 2007 , 2008
1.3 2009 onward

history

before e3, game publishers went other trade shows display new or upcoming products; these include consumer electronics show (ces) , european computer trade show. game industry grew rapidly during 1990s, industry professionals felt had outgrown older trade shows. according tom kalinske, ceo of sega america, ces organizers used put video games industry way, way in back. in 1991 put in tent, , had walk past porn vendors find us. particular year pouring rain, , rain leaked right on our new genesis system. furious way ces treated video games industry, , felt more important industry giving credit for. sega did not return ces following year, , several other companies exited further ces shows.

separately, in 1994, video game industry had formed interactive digital software association (idsa, later becoming entertainment software association, esa, in 2003) in response attention industry had drew united states congress on lack of ratings system in late 1993. idsa formed unify video game industry , establish commission, entertainment software ratings board (esrb) create voluntary standard rating system approved congress.

the industry recognized needed type of trade show retailers. according eliot minsker, chairman , ceo of knowledge industry publications (which produced , promoted show infotainment world), retailers have pointed need interpretive event them make smarter buying decisions interacting wide range of publishers, vendors, industry influentials, , opinion leaders in focused show setting. attempts made between video game companies , consumer electronics association (cea) ran ces, improve how video games treated @ ces, these negotiations failed produce result. pat ferrell, creator of gamepro owned international data group (idg), conceived of idea starting dedicated trade show video games, building off idg s established experience in running macworld convention. ferrell contacted idsa saw appeal of using position in industry create video game-specific tradeshow, , offered co-found electronic entertainment expo idg. though several companies agreed present @ e3 event, ferrell discovered cea had offerer video game companies dedicated space @ next ces, have conflicted planned e3 event, requiring companies pick 1 or other. of idsa members supported e3, while nintendo , microsoft still supportive of ces approach. after three-to-four months, ferrell told cea s ceo gary shapiro won , had cancelled ces video game event, making e3 premier trade show video game industry.

1995–2006

the first event held may 11–13, 1995 @ los angeles convention center, convention s location in future years. organizers unsure of how successful be, end of convention, had booked of space @ convention center, , saw more 40,000 attendees. in aftermath of first year, e3 regarded biggest event in video game industry. idsa realized strength of debut trade show, , subsequently renegotiated idg allow idsa take full ownership of show , intellectual property associated name, while hiring idg execution of event. show remained held @ may of calendar year through 2006.

due failed negotiations convention space in los angeles, 1997 , 1998 e3 conventions held @ georgia world congress center in atlanta, georgia.

the show returned los angeles convention center in 1999, , continued grow in attendance, ranging 60,000 70,000 attendees.

2007 , 2008

following 2006 convention, idga—now esa—found many exhibitors worried high costs of presenting @ event, spending between $5 , $10 million booths. had found larger proportion of attendees bloggers , attendees not perceived industry professionals vendors, managing secure access conference. these additional attendees diluted vendors ability reach out target audience, retailers , journalists. both of these reasons had caused comdex trade show shut down. several large vendors told esa going pull out of next e3, have had domino effect on other vendors.

to avoid this, esa announced in july 2006 e3 downsized , restructured due overwhelming demand exhibitors, , limit attendees media , retail sectors. 2007 , 2008, e3 renamed e3 media , business summit, , moved july timeframe, 2 months later in year previous shows. 2007 show held @ barker hanger @ santa monica airport , other nearby hotels in santa monica, california, limited attendance 10,000. 2008 event returned los angeles convention center, capped attendance @ 5,000.

esa harshly criticized these smaller events. industry analyst michael pachter said because consumers had been eliminated attending events, there little external media coverage of these e3 s, reducing visibility , commercialization opportunities publishers, , postulated without change, e3 become extinct. pachter found retailers less interested in e3 due later calendar date.

2009 onward

responding complaints previous 2 years, esa announced 2009 e3 more open, capping attendance @ 45,000 , closed public, achieve balance between 2 extremes. subsequent e3s have taken place in june of calendar year @ los angeles convention center.

starting in 2013, of major video game companies, particularly nintendo , electronic arts, have opted not showcase @ e3. in nintendo s case, foregone large keynote presentation , instead have used pre-recorded nintendo direct , live video events during e3 week since 2013 showcase new products, though still run floor booths hands-on demonstrations. electronic arts since 2016 has set separate ea play event in nearby locale announce , exhibit titles, citing move result of lack of public access main e3 show. other vendors, microsoft , sony have used pre-e3 events showcase hardware reveals, leaving e3 event cover new games these systems.

since 2015, esa has sought ways bring public members event, industry have seen increased publicity of games through word-of-mouth average gamers. in 2015, 5000 tickets distributed vendors given fans able attend event. e3 2016 featured separate free e3 live event @ nearby l.a. live space provide small-scale version of e3 experience. while drew 20,000 people, found underwhelming. in 2017, esa reserved 15,000 tickets convention members of public buy; these sold, leading more 68,000 attendees during e3 2017, led noticeable crowding , floor management issues.

while esa has convention center space reserved through 2019, esa s ceo mike gallagher said, following 2017 event, may considering other options due lack of modernization , upgrades center has had make space more appropriate needs. gallagher said esa working city , anschutz entertainment group (aeg) owns los angeles convention center , space around it, plans have 500,000 square feet (46,000 m) of additional exhibition space added 2020, judge in upcoming 2018 show.

the esa unveiled new logo e3, replacing s previous 1 using three-dimensional block letters flatter, stylized graphic, in october 2017.