SGF 2025 General Discussion

[Digfox]

I distinctively remember a girl screaming at almost every word the person on stage spoke. Pretty sure there were guys too, half the audience at their presentations were paid actors, judging by the cheerful reactions that Fallout 76 and the mobile Elder Scrolls got.

Ah OK. I was thinking of this chap last year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8srazeJkSbo

Tbh I think they all justs use employees/paid whooping/staged reactions now. Avoid those Artifact moments.

[Team Andromeda]

Gutted really, I've always liked E3. Not because of showing off consoles or Megaton game announcements (that died out ages ago) but I like all the interviews and seeing consumers playing the games for real, none of this stage crap.

[Cassius_Smoke]

Gutted really, I've always liked E3. Not because of showing off consoles or Megaton game announcements (that died out ages ago) but I like all the interviews and seeing consumers playing the games for real, none of this stage crap.

Yeah it's good for first impression videos and opinions. Also seeing some indie games.

[Asura]

Tbh I think they all justs use employees/paid whooping/staged reactions now. Avoid those Artifact moments.

Yeah, in fairness, I don't think any of them are paid actors; they're just super-fan "influencers" who the companies pay to come (as in they pay their travel, hotel, ticket and probably some token expenses). They don't actually hire people specifically; it isn't like the Oscars where they actually do do that.

[vanpeebles]

It was cringeworthy pap.

[Digfox]

Yeah, in fairness, I don't think any of them are paid actors; they're just super-fan "influencers" who the companies pay to come (as in they pay their travel, hotel, ticket and probably some token expenses). They don't actually hire people specifically; it isn't like the Oscars where they actually do do that.

Agreed, tbf I meant more paid for in the sense of employees and influencers (of which the YEEAAAAAA chap was one) than stage cards and paid for extras (I've said this before). But essentially it's all paid, artificial responses in one way or another, whether employees or influencers. I believe the front 2 rows of the Bethesda conference were all employees last year.

[QualityChimp]

So why has E3 been dying? Why have the big boys moved away from it?
Is it because they have to share the limelight?
Maybe the costs to exhibit there are counter-productive?

[Asura]

Maybe the costs to exhibit there are counter-productive?

This, kinda. This is part of a wider picture as to the future of trade-shows in general.

E3 used to serve some very specific purposes in two areas - games journalism and PR, and games business and acquisitions. It was a place for journalists and company people to meet up and pitch projects, discuss buyouts and the like. It also allowed companies to make big announcements. Also shmoozing, and that's a key factor.

In the first instance, e-commerce and the internet has removed much of the reasoning for this. It's much easier for a company to produce a video and release it with fanfare, as Nintendo do. It's cheaper, it's more straightforward, and they have total control over the outcome (well mostly). E3 being opened to the general public (and not just industry) was an attempt to stave this off, but that was a double-edged sword. It has led to disastrous shows where companies have sank loads of cash and come away with a poor reception. Also, and this is going to seem insensitive, these shows often put people on stage who shouldn't really be on a stage, leading to some excessive cringe moments.

Businesses had a similar problem. The festival atmosphere is fine, but other events like GamesCom and GDC have arisen which are more business-focused, and that's honestly better if you want to look for an investor or if you're an investor yourself.

Lastly the schmoozing thing; culturally that has fallen out of favour. E3, like most entertainment trade shows, used to go hand-in-hand with booth babes, strippers and coke parties. That might still happen behind closed doors but it's not the face of any event anymore, except those which don't care about their public image.

So it's cost, yeah, but also that while the cost to put on a good show has risen, the value of a good show has fallen. That's the problem.

[QualityChimp]

like most entertainment trade shows, used to go hand-in-hand with booth babes, strippers and coke parties.

That sounds great!
I mean, I prefer Pepsi, but other than that...

[Team Andromeda]

So why has E3 been dying? Why have the big boys moved away from it?

Maybe they're all pulling out of the console market? or does that only apply to MS having a smaller space at E3

[wakka]

Sorry just skim reading here but how do I get into these stripper coke games parties?

[fuse]

I first played DmC in a tiny, noisy room, with an underdressed lady dancing on a pole about 2m behind me. I know this sounds like the kind of rock and roll lifestyle I enjoy on a daily basis, however it was at E3 and it was highly embarrassing for everyone involved. In general it's a terrible, noisy, overcrowded hellhole of a place to try and actually play a game, and the access to interview developers and to network with industry types is about all that I can imagine as a benefit for journalists. In terms of providing coverage of the big pressers, the split second advantage you've got over people watching the same thing at home is utterly negligible, and as more of them move to direct-to-consumer, a la Nintendo Direct, was always the sign to me that the times, they were a changin'. If anything, the indie guys that were trying to get their games seen at the bigger shows are now the ones that need E3 the most, but i'm sure as well they're not the ones who've kept the ESA's pockets lined all these years.

[Neon Ignition]

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-05-11-ubisoft-announces-ubisoft-forward-digital-showcase-event-for-july

Ubisoft have announced that their Not-E3 2020 digital showcase event will take place on 12 July 2020. Brace yourselves to see Watch Dogs: Legion, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, Rainbow Six: Quarantine and to be disappointed by the continued absence of Beyond Good and Evil 2

[briareos_kerensky]

and to be disappointed by the continued absence of Beyond Good and Evil 2

I dunno, but I fear I'll be even more disappointed to see how the game is turning up to be.

[Asura]

I dunno, but I fear I'll be even more disappointed to see how the game is turning up to be.

This; I've yet to see anything about it that'd inspire me with any optimism. I didn't dislike the game (well, cinematic) they showed; I actually quite liked it! But it looked more like a totally new game than a follow-up.

I hate to be that guy, but why make a follow-up to an existing critically acclaimed, "loved but also a flop" game, if you're not going to stick to formula? When Disney change a load of stuff in Star Wars it might rankle the fans, but they're going to make hundreds of millions because it's a super-popular brand. Beyond Good & Evil enjoys no such notoriety.