@Riven: haha, bless you for not making me feel too old here.

young'uns! go wiki him, he influenced a lot of what you dig now, with your hippin' and your hoppin'

TheIrishNinja

@Soyerzz: true, true. but isnt it harder to have those piles nowadays with the internets (and sites like this) taking the lid off most of your surprises weeks, if not months before?

TheIrishNinja

VERY dull, A couple of cool announcements, Nut lacks what the old ones had, People and PILES of Announcements

Soyerzz

Man i REMEMBER playing Aladdin and Earthworm Jim on my SEGA GENESIS!! Back then he was a "superstar" producer developer.

Glad to see hes still around, anyone care to update me as to his recent exploits?

Riven

If e3 can't build excitment then there is no point to it. Nintendo should bring back spaceworld. Microsoft and Sony can both have their own supershow. I feel given sometime e3 can be something special again... Some event is better than no event.

Gunloc

@Alex_Mexico: But was it really glory? Aren't the problems facing E3 now, the problems that have always been facing it. Except now we have a whole new host of issues piled on top. E3 just seems like a lose-lose situation.

In the over-the-top fashion, you have publishers and developers complaining because they have to spend millions and millions of dollars trying to captivate an audience already captivated by endless competition (and booth babes). Which just results in an endless bout of million-dollar one-up-manship. In this bare-bones deal, you have an expo/summit/meeting that no one cares about it, because it doesn't even seem to care about itself. So the industry collectively shakes its head because its trade show can't even present itself properly.

So how do you strike a balance? How do you create an event that will wow audiences without breaking the bank. That can be accessible not only to developers, but also consumers. Its a tough position to be in, and I doubt any solution will ever please anyone. I can't say I enjoyed a bloated E3. It seemed...chaotic, frenetic, convoluted, and ultimately served as an overblown press conference. I rather like the direction we're taking with a smaller, intimate E3. Is it perfect as is? Hell no. But a step in the right direction? Maybe.

Ultimately, I think E3 is in the midst of an identity crisis. What does it want to be? A showcase for new games, a platform for industry-only types to meet. It seems a little late in the game to be figuring it out, but before E3 can be "fixed" it has to find out what it wants to be.

MykalBloom

Companies should make their own events (like Apple) where they can pace the event according to their needs.
Also it could become a great opportunity for journalists to get regulary drunk (yes Garnett I'm pointing at you).

Garo

..who's David Perry?

N3k74r42

That's too bad, really; I did appreciate what they were trying to do in revamping the E3 to be about more than just throwing marketing dollars to outdo one another.

Let's not forget that E3 thrived when gaming had very few other conventions, and each console and game maker saved their games and announcements just for the show. When other shows eventually started to rally in other parts of the world, E3 almost by seniority was still the biggest and best.

Had these other shows not existed, the changes made to E3 may have worked: the convention would have forced attention on the games and not the booth babes and multimillion dollar booths. Alas, turns out those were what gamers wanted to see, so companies just went elsewhere. nt?

Datheron

consumers are ignored (remembering that the future of this industry is direct connections with consumers - not retailers),

sure coudlnt disagree with that one after watching the pressers, that're clearly there for retailers/investors and not us, which im now thinking is the point.
anyway, Perry's great, but what's he up to these days? Wii could use a new Pitfall!.

TheIrishNinja

Phew, I was worried no one would have the courage to say anything as ground breaking and challenging as this.

penty85

But what does the other David Perry think?

[en.wikipedia.org]

cocomo

I don't know who he is, but I really feel like I want to find out.

Ryumeka

So this is how it ends.

Not with a bang, but a whimper.

Black-Dog-Howls

here's hoping for E3 to return to its former pre-2006 glory. Never fully understood the logic behind making these changes.

Alex_Mexico

He's not wrong here. The user who just sits at home doesn't know the extent of it, but I believe him that it's a disappointment. There's a rumor out that last week's may have been the last E3.

Amun-Ra

They should do a split: First 2 days press and exclusive looks, followed by 3 days of consumers. That way, the pressers and "behind closed doors" stuff is rid of before Joe Public wanders in, making more room for more booths to ease the queuing.

sanctusmortis

@Riven: The Matrix games? ;)

henhowc

What really, REALLY gets me is that I pretty much said the same thing when the first announcement of the E3 format changing happened.

Lemme sum up what I think is going to be coming down the pipe in the next few days.

Industry to ESA: "E3 sucks now! Change it back!"

Ironically, I seem to recall that it was the game companies themselves that wanted the format to change in the first place. Go figure, huh?

JChaos

He's got a point. Isn't the ESA supposed to represent the industry? Why not just have the major publishers get together and organize an event instead of having an entire organization dedicated to it?

Talleh

Well, the problem here is that there never really was a consensus on what E3 was supposed to be like, and they never offered the fans a direct outlet in the form of a day for them. As such, tons of people who were neither industry nor press swarmed the event, they didn't get treated well and the industry and press folks resented the hell out of the fans who were making it more difficult to do their jobs.

The answer is simple. Make E3 five days. Wednesday-Friday.
Be very strict about this time frame, these three days, it's absolutely INDUSTRY ONLY. The media and the devs/sales folks can have the space and limelight to get what they need done without the throngs.

On the weekend...give it up to the fans. Turn it loose, give away a ton of stuff and make them feel welcome. Be as outgoing and professional as the Japanese events like TGS are.

Having a huge focal point for the industry was a very big thing, and the current compromised event satisfies nobody.
This isn't rocket science!

XeviousBlue

Broken? Kinda like Enter the matrix then.
Ha-ha.

Ehetyz

When he reaches fifty ask him if he still feels the same. I think youth plays in most hearts when saying things that mean nothing.

Thetallywacker

In all honesty, sorta like what Gunloc said, I'd prefer to see everyone just have their own show. MS/Nintendo/Sony can all pick a weekend somewhere, or even a week or two, find one big convention center that they can swap hands, and then let those interested with the products show up.

This way, they won't be spending millions trying to one-up each other. They will be playing to the crowds that came out to see things for that brand of hardware, there would be a lot less need for competition this way. Make it a four day event, split two for press, conferences, releases, the next two for public showings, hands-on time, giveaways, etc.

Ampillion = That Man.

He's right, E3 is a load of balls lately.

Also - Kotaku readers, give it a rest with the snide comments about the mostly-rubbish Matrix game. Don't forget, Perry and Shiny made some bloody great games too - Earthworm Jim, MDK, Messiah, Sacifice.

kiigan

Hey, Dave Perry! Nice to see you again, man. You should speak up more often.

freakout

He's not bad looking, who is he?

ksins5

Well I think David Perry is broken, stupid.

Naw, I'm just kidding. I love you Dave! Now bring me a new Earthworm Jim game and fry me some bacon.

Billkwando

Perry speaks the truth

Listen to this man

Snake726

Come to Germany's Games Convention, Perry

[www.gc-germany.com]][0]=YToxOntzOjg6InJlZGlyZWN0IjtiOjE7fQ==&session=3b3c7da6a913b4a27cd7d14ca6e147b7

medik

HAWT! ^_^

Zaxxon Q Blaque

@N3k74r42: Earthworm Jim dude......I hope you were joking :|

@Perry: I agree. E3 is lame. It was much better when there were booth babes and bazillions of people. :D

Candlejack

If he's so damn concerned about the consumers, they why did he botch up the games based on the Matrix? Dave Perry = FAIL

bubuli

E3 Thinks David Perry Is Broken, Stupid. E3 being me.

Protector one

E3 should be this huge game show availble to all the public. Lots of games should be playable in a big ass building. It should also move locations, keeping it in LA every year is stupid. Lets move around a bit and get new faces to show.

boots555

For those of you who don't know, David Perry was the Dude Huge of the 90's, minus the internet hate.

The Cliffster is definitely a good comparison.

Billkwando

Dave Perry is still around, who knew? Maybe he should spend less time complaining and more time making video games.

CaptMonkey

I never knew David was soo....good looking, I mean seriously; I'll totally cuddle with that fellow there.

But it would be kinda awkward, I kinda grew up with his games so...um, hi!

As for E3, totally balls, it was balls in 07, and mega overhyped balls in 06. I truly think E3 needs to be open to the public and not like E3 for everyone, but just open to everyone. Could you imagine the revenue?

But E3 is fading in importance more and more each year IMO...with companies holding their own show and Lep and PAX, not to mention TGS.

jenovasilver

move E3 back to Hotlanta, reinstate Freaknik, and it'll all be gravy.

rainofwalrus

@jenovasilver: But would he cuddle with you? That's the question.

Anyway, enough joking - although Perry is 100% correct, does Perry matter anymore? As someone said, he was basically The Cliffster of the 90s, but hasn't done anything since, other than the crap Matrix games. Earthworm Jim, Sacrafice, and MDK were rad, though.

Make some more cool games!

SpiralJacobs

Perry is right. Right is, in this case, also obvious. However, when Dave Perry's being all sage and making with the open-chesty-shirt thing, he's got a woeful lack of working on Earthworm Jim going on. So please, Davefucius, less jibba jabba and more Earthworm Jim.

wild homes desires a pudding!

thing*

Cazamalos

the only think "Stupid. And broken. And an embarrassment." here is Acclaim.

Cazamalos

Not awfully edgy of Perry to say this stuff long after everyone else has already said it, although that doesn't make it any less true. It would've held more weight if it hadn't come from a source that has become sparse and stale itself, however.
What has Perry really done since EWJ that has been as notable? It just looks like he's piping up to simply put himself in the spotlight, but with nothing to show for it.

I will agree though that GDC is still a beacon of hope in these uncertain game convention times. I had the pleasure of attending it this year and felt it was considerably more substantial than E3... let's just hope it doesn't start following E3's footsteps.

Eji

I think that this a perfect example of how you can take a great and viable idea and make it in a old and ugly prostitute which will do any trick for a bunch of dough. Like David stated is not about retailers is about consumers. i remembered years ago where E3 was the pinnacle of trade show for the gaming industry. this is a great time to come up with a more humble idea towards consumers and make the E3 what it really should be. ohhh and i forgot the E3 CEO you can have yourself FIRED!!!! buddie what a cluster fuck you made for the developers that should be at the convention. how about a KOTAKU Convention i bet you it would be AWESOME!!!!!!

Vectortuff

Unless this guy is talking about his pet koala, I don't want Kotaku to post anything else this guy says. Got it?

Ravidrath

@SpiralJacobs:

Yes....yes he would. I could bake him cornbread.

jenovasilver

@jenovasilver:
Is cornbread an incentive? I don't know. Maybe I've never had good cornbread.

SpiralJacobs

What has Perry done recently? Has no one seen the new Acclaim classics [www.ponystars.com] , [2moons.acclaim.com] and [dance.acclaim.com] ?

Ninroms

David Perry is the Creator of Earth Worm jim and i fully agree with his words, E3 is over man OVER!

S_A_B_A_T_H

E3 needs to be press only for the first two days. It should then be opened to the public for a couple of days.

Lukems

I think it's pretty obvious that E3 can't continue like this. Consumers were very unhappy with this year's E3, and so were many developers, it seems. E3 definitely needs to be held in May again; a month or two earlier, even. Then at least we'd get exciting announcements instead of companies repeating the same few things we already knew.

E3 today is nothing more than a way for companies to advertise their holiday lineups. It's a joke.

MorbidLilim

not that I disagree with him but who is this guy???????????

freespeech