http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?optio … 8&Itemid=2

How sad.  I realize the show and it's extravagance isn't really necessary, but damn were those some good times.  Where else can you ride the bus to work and argue with anyone and everyone about the state of the game industry?  Where else can you play hundreds of unreleased games, ogle gorgeous women, grab free drinks, meet celebrities, and break your back carrying more free crap than you know what to do with, all under one gigantic roof?

My first E3 was E3 1997 and what an incredible experience that was.  The N64 and PSX were both hitting their strides, and I was overwhelmed.  I remember being dazzled by the then-great Rare's debut of THREE games, two of them brand new.  I remember impressing a booth babe with my Star Fox 64 skills (I wasn't actually that good, but the three people I iced really sucked).  And, most importantly, I remember playing a little game called GoldenEye 007 for the first time.  Everybody said the game would suck because it was licensed and that I was biased for being a Bond fan.  Ah, good times.  Plus, I met Miyamoto.  I never dreamed that would have happened.

I went on to attend eight more E3 shows, evey one except the first two and this year's.  Some shows were great (1997, 1998, 2002) while others were not so much (1999, 2000, 2004), but they were always an experience and I hope that something of a similiar magnitude will take it's place in the future.  Jaded journalists may describe it as an overcrowded circus, but what a circus it was.

E3, you will be missed.

Yeah, I'm pretty sad I never got to go to one.  At least I've been to TGS two years in a row, but the fact that anyone can go to that one diminishes the coolness (mostly because it's so packed you don't get to try but a few games) (...and there's a lot less swag).

This is all a joke, right? Why (and how) can this happen?

You know, ever since I heard of it, my dream has been to go to an E3, and meet the industry giants, like Miyamoto, Kojima, Sakaguchi, and all of them. The free swag looked awesome, and playing games that only a few people would see until their release just sounded really f---ing awesome (I honestly didn't care about the booth babes).

My word, though . . .

The same way CES once broke apart.

Reading this reminded me of a comment I read on GAF, left by the usually wrong nekofrog, but this time I think he's about right:

"The idea of E3?

What you have seen for the last six years was not the idea of E3. It became an over-indulgent, self masturbatory show of lies and deceit (from ALL companies -- yes, even the beloved Nintendo).

Booth babes, beer, meet-and-greet sessions where the only point is to get to meet people that are "famous" in the game industry does not equal a trade show.

A trade show -- or trade expo -- is supposed to be a gathering and showing of new technologies, both software and hardware. This was the ORIGINAL intention of E3. No different from electronic expos in the 80s that showed off new computers. What happened there? Companies set up their booths and hooked up their gear. There was no flash or glitz, just hard facts, the equipment, and the people who created it.

E3 has been a complete joke for years. They tried this year to curb it, but it seems they failed."

http://gamesarefun.com/news.php?newsid=6663

RIDGE RACER!

I always enjoy the bluster, revelations and missteps (Sony's conference from this year has already gone down as legendary). I wouldn't have liked to go to one though, it looks hellish to be honest. I don't think I'll miss it.

Tell me about it. Just watching the coverage of this year's E3 on G4 gave me a headache. It didn't help that their coverage consisted mostly of talking heads and cutscenes of games I'll never care about.

Hum. Well, I dunno. I mean on the one hand, it'll be nice that certain outlets will have to report something different in May than, "Lookit the tits on thet booth-gurl thar," but it's not like news about the rest of the year will come in one orgasmic dose, either. But I guess this is just an 'oh well' shrug.