WASHINGTON—The videogame industry’s annual extravaganza of booth babes, deafening sound effects and eye-popping displays is lowering its profile.
The Electronic Entertainment Expo, which drew more than 60,000 industry professionals to Los Angeles this year, will be dramatically scaled back beginning next year. The Entertainment Software Association, which owns E3, confirmed the move after rumors surfaced over the weekend that the ESA might pull the plug on the show entirely.
“Over the years, it has become clear that we need a more intimate program, including higher quality, more personal dialogue with the worldwide media, developers, retailers and other key industry audiences,” ESA President Douglas Lowenstein said.
Indeed, the event—which showcases videogames and hardware for cell phones, consoles and PCs—has come to resemble the world’s largest arcade rather than a conference and exposition. Lowenstein said the show will probably stay in Los Angeles, where it has been held for 10 of its past 12 years, but likely will move to a downtown hotel, giving up the spacious L.A. Convention Center.
The move could be a boost to pure-play mobile gaming companies, which were often overshadowed by massive, cross-platform publishers such as Electronic Arts, Microsoft Corp. and THQ.
