Game Pro Expo to Pick Up Where E3 Left Off

November 1, 2006 2:56 PM

Earlier this month, the Entertainment Software Association revealed its plans for E3's replacement, an invite-only event on a much smaller scale than the megalithic E3 of recent years. Now, according to an industry memo paraphrased by GameSpot, tech industry publisher and expo producer International Data Group will be holding a new ESA-backed trade show that will essentially take the place of E3. IDG is responsible for events such as Macworld and LinuxWorld, as well as numerous magazines including PC World, Computerworld, Macworld, InfoWorld, Network World, and GamePro. Unlike the ESA's own replacement show the E3 Media and Business Summit, this new Game Pro Expo will seek to create the same atmosphere of hype and glitz that was a major factor in the downscaling of the former E3Expo. It will be endorsed by the ESA.

IDG's first Game Pro Expo will take place from October 18-20, 2007, several months after July's E3 Media and Business Summit, and will occupy E3's former Los Angeles Convention Center home. It is expected to be comparable to E3 in size and scope, and will consist of both trade show elements as well as consumer elements such as game competition. Publishers are being instructed to "use E3 as a guide" when planning their Game Pro Expo presences.

The move comes as something of a surprise, as the primary reason E3 in its past form came to an end was due to publishers pulling out of the event after determining that the show was costing far too much money for exhibitors without appropriate returns. In the wake of the ESA's announcements, there have been numerous announcements of new events and expansions of existing events hoping to step in and fill E3's shoes, prompting concerns that the issues E3's downsizing sought to remedy may simply crop up again immediately elsewhere.

Chris Remo

Filed Under

From The Chatty

Refresh Go To Thread

sammyl

 reply
November 1, 2006 3:07 PM

Hopefully the major publishers will stay out of this one, allowing the smaller companies to pool their resources and have their own conference, while the major publishers and console developers stick with their current expos.
- Chris Remo
  
   reply
  November 1, 2006 3:08 PM
  
  That would be great, but I don't see it happening considering they want this event to rival E3.
  - Tincan
    
     reply
    November 1, 2006 3:19 PM
    
    God that makes no sense! Lets try and do what we had before and end up spending more on even more shows.
    
    I guess its just the people promoting these events that want to try and keep the E3 cash going. I just can't see the big pubs getting too heavy in this or what would have been the point of getting rid of E3. Oh this crazy industry.