Reaction: E3 Is a Relic Desperately Clinging to Relevancy

[Gizmo_Duck]

The problem is that E3 doesn’t know what it wants to be: it was originally conceived as a trade show, but has gradually transitioned into a consumer event. However, it serves neither purpose particularly well, and in an era where publishers and platform holders can attract significant audiences through their own dedicated platforms, the importance of commanding an E3 stage has eroded. For a long time it’s felt like publishers have been going through the motions, but that’s especially true this year.

The event reached parody status when, during a Capcom showcase where we were told beforehand what to expect, a planned Resident Evil Village update amounted to a black screen with text informing us that DLC has entered production. Coronavirus has surely impacted productivity among all of these major publishers, and we fully respect and understand that, but perhaps common sense should prevail here: the company could have stayed away until it has more meaningful content to show.

We’re sure many will point to Microsoft and Nintendo’s excellent showcases as examples of E3 2021’s ongoing relevancy, but neither needed to be tethered to the event at all – both platform holders could have delivered just as strongly through their own platforms and on their own terms during a period of convenience to them and their partners. Sony, on a whim, showed Horizon Forbidden West a couple of weeks prior to the show – and its engagement is higher than almost everything at E3.

Ultimately, this year’s show has reeked of desperation: it’s clinging to the idea that the industry needs a week-long advert. But it doesn’t. In an era where publishers and platform holders can have a direct dialogue with fans, the E3 stage no longer commands the importance that it once did.

Ex-PlayStation boss Shawn Layden said it best when he justified PlayStation’s decision to drop out of the 2019 iteration: “The world has changed, but E3 hasn't necessarily changed with it.”

@The Mad Titan @winb83

 

[The Mad Titan]

Shawn on a topic from pushsquare.




They been trying to get E3 out the paint.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

Sony stans


Only ones saying dumb shyt like this is you weirdos.

The rest of us just had a great weekend celebrating gaming

 

[The Mad Titan]

No E3 is strictly beneficial for sony as the market leader.

They could have said that and left it alone.

They already had a hand in making sure things that could have been shown weren't.

Of course they don't want a neutral ground of gaming to take place.

If E3 is irrelevant so is TGS (Tokyo game show) but I doubt they speak up on that

 

[Gizmo_Duck]

No E3 is strictly beneficial for sony as the market leader.

They could have said that and left it alone.

They already had a hand in making sure things that could have been shown weren't.

Of course they don't want a neutral ground of gaming to take place.

If E3 is irrelevant so is TGS (Tokyo game show) but I doubt they speak up on that

I don’t understand how it was beneficial for microsoft or nintendo?

What difference does it make if Microsoft has their big presser May 29th, and Nintendo has theirs June 22nd? other than not having to hear, “who won e3”?

 

[levitate]

I don’t get it.
Seems like this should be a slam dunk every year.
So many games being produced, videogame market booming…, like WTF is the issue???

 

[MeachTheMonster]

I don’t understand how it was beneficial for microsoft or nintendo?

What difference does it make if Microsoft has their big presser May 29th, and Nintendo has theirs June 22nd? other than not having to hear, “who won e3”?

You got it backwards.

Microsoft and Nintendo and other big publishers being there, props up the smaller games that may not get any hype on a random Wednesday. That’s how it’s always worked. The big games could always stand on their own.

It’s just a celebration of gaming. Only reason y’all reach for a reason to say it’s a “bad” thing is cause Sony pulled out.

If Sony was still there you would be saying none of this

Just like we won’t get y’all saying anything negative about how TGS isn’t needed.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

I don’t get it.
Seems like this should be a slam dunk every year.
So many games being produced, videogame market booming…, like WTF is the issue???

Sony doesn’t attend anymore so Sony stans gotta trash it

 

[Gizmo_Duck]

You got it backwards.

Microsoft and Nintendo and other big publishers being there, props up the smaller games that may not get any hype on a random Wednesday. That’s how it’s always worked. The big games could always stand on their own.

It’s just a celebration of gaming. Only reason y’all reach for a reason to say it’s a “bad” thing is cause Sony pulled out.

If Sony was still there you would be saying none of this

Just like we won’t get y’all saying anything negative about how TGS isn’t needed.

Most publishers didn’t even participate so what are you talking about. All those smaller games eventually get drowned out in the headlines to things like Elden Ring, BoTW and Halo. All the big opinion pieces and DF videos are what clog the headlines and those are about the big franchises and studios. I haven’t seen one indie game get a big feature or highlight this entire weekend.

It was basically the nintendo and microsoft conference. Which could have been done anytime this summer. ID@xbox event, nintendo indie direct, and PlayStation SoP were better venues for highlighting indie games rather than throwing them in sizzle reels inbetween bigger budget games to pad out time.

 

[Legal]

I've been saying that judging E3's existence off of this year isn't a truly objective assessment. It's pretty obvious that for the most part, nobody really had shyt. Now if this is a dud next year, THEN we can start that talk.

 

[Gizmo_Duck]

I've been saying that judging E3's existence off of this year isn't a truly objective assessment. It's pretty obvious that for the most part, nobody really had shyt. Now if this is a did next year, THEN we can start that talk.

But its been this way for years...even when sony was there.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

Most publishers didn’t even participate so what are you talking about.

only major publisher that didn’t participate was Sony

All those smaller games eventually get drowned out in the headlines to things like Elden Ring, BoTW and Halo. All the big opinion pieces and DF videos are what clog the headlines and those are about the big franchises and studios. I haven’t seen one indie game get a big feature or highlight this entire weekend.

You weren’t paying attention. There was a whole show for indie games.

It was basically the nintendo and microsoft conference. Which could have been done anytime this summer. ID@xbox event, nintendo indie direct, and PlayStation SoP were better venues for highlighting indie games rather than throwing them in sizzle reels inbetween bigger budget games to pad out time.

No, it wasn’t

 

[DPresidential]

I don’t understand how it was beneficial for microsoft or nintendo?

What difference does it make if Microsoft has their big presser May 29th, and Nintendo has theirs June 22nd? other than not having to hear, “who won e3”?

The community source of everyone gathering in anticipation for a showing off the future of gaming should be a protected experience.


It's just cool to have a community focused lead up to what we speculate we'll see and what surprises will exist.

So regular video game hobbyists really on some "over it" vibe with shyt like E3?

I don't know, maybe I'll always be a toys r us kid

 

[Gizmo_Duck]

The community source of everyone gathering in anticipation for a showing off the future of gaming should be a protected experience.


It's just cool to have a community focused lead up to what we speculate we'll see and what surprises will exist.

So regular video game hobbyists really on some "over it" vibe with shyt like E3?

I don't know, maybe I'll always be a toys r us kid

Meh, its all fake, if microsoft had announced their big conference two weeks ahead the same amount of people would have watched it, same with nintendo. Having it take place from Saturday to tuesday didn’t make a difference in viewership and theres no community since everyone is streaming it anyway

 

[The Mad Titan]

Most publishers didn’t even participate so what are you talking about. All those smaller games eventually get drowned out in the headlines to things like Elden Ring, BoTW and Halo. All the big opinion pieces and DF videos are what clog the headlines and those are about the big franchises and studios. I haven’t seen one indie game get a big feature or highlight this entire weekend.

It was basically the nintendo and microsoft conference. Which could have been done anytime this summer. ID@xbox event, nintendo indie direct, and PlayStation SoP were better venues for highlighting indie games other than throwing them in sizzle reels inbetween bigger budget games to pad out time.

Because Sony frowns on E3. Most publishers don't want to be on sonys bad side.

Notice that all the ones that did and really did either have deals in place already, are independent enough that they don't care.

Everyone else played neutral and showed off already announced games or hardly nothing at all.

We didn't see gameplay nor trailer or announcement footage from a single Sony exclusive title

You think that is by chance?

Elden ring could have been. On the main stage of E3 for Xbox. it wasn't, ever wonder why?