Nintendo backs ’smaller E3 show’
Nintendo is the first of the big three games console
manufacturers to confirm it will attend the smaller E3 show in Los
Angeles in 2007.
The Electronic Entertainment Expo has been the world’s
biggest games show for many years but will be scaled back for next
year’s conference.
It follows concerns from games publishers over the cost of attending the event and manning giant booths.
Microsoft and Sony have not indicated their plans for E3 for next year.
Smaller, more regional games shows have increased in
importance in recent years with many of the bigger publishers running
their own showcase events.
Discrete events
The console manufacturers have also developed more
discrete events, with Microsoft running annual Xbox days for media,
developers and retailers in different territories.The biggest announcements at E3 also typically took
place at invite-only sessions held before the conference got underway
officially.
A spokeswoman for Nintendo told BBC News: “Nintendo will
be at E3 in 2007 but we have no details about our presence there as
yet.”
Games publisher Electronic Arts also backed the smaller show and said it would be attending.
Tiffany Steckler, head of European PR for Electronic
Arts, said: “The new event will be less disruptive to development
schedules and a smaller more intimate show in LA is likely to result in
further support for regional events such as Leipzig, China Joy, Tokyo
and other events around the world.
“EA is supportive of the alternative event and plans to participate.”
A Microsoft statement said the company supported the decision taken to reduce the size of E3.
It said: “We are very supportive of the Entertainment Software Association’s decision in providing a new vision for E3.
“Over the past 12 years, the industry has grown and
matured and it’s great to see the show evolving to meet the needs of
the industry.”
The show will no longer be hosted at the LA Convention Center, which attracted 60,000 delegates every year.Instead it will be based around a number of hotels to provide a more “intimate” event.
