Upon its original pitch earlier this year, E3 2020 was planning on revitalising its showfloor experience with the likes of experimental zones, access to insiders and influences, and digital programming. Video game merchandiser iam8bit was the creative director tasked with putting all of that together, but three months before the Electronic Entertainment Expo is due to take place, the company has pulled out of the role completely.
Revealed in a tweet, iam8bit said: "It’s with mixed emotions that @iam8bit has decided to resign as Creative Directors of what was to be an evolutionary #E32020 floor experience. We’ve produced hundreds of gaming + community events and it was a dream to be involved with E3. We wish the organizers the best of luck."
We can't help but feel like this is one more nail in the coffin for the show. Having the company leading your showfloor experience quit its role just a few months before the expo starts is never a good sign, particularly so when this will probably be the show's most important year for a long, long time. That is if E3 2020 even goes ahead. Los Angeles has called a state of emergency across the city following the Coronavirus outbreak, which the ESA responded to by saying: "We are monitoring and evaluating the situation daily. We are actively assessing the latest information and will continue to develop measures to further reduce health risks at the show."
Even if the show does manage to pull itself together after this loss, it may never have the chance to prove its value one last time. What do you make of this latest news? Pitch your own showfloor ideas in the comments below.
[source twitter.com]
Comments 18
I think this will (and probably should) be cancelled due to the virus outbreak. Other conferences in the US and elsewhere have ended up this way now
I think there is no coming back now. That's it. If the event doesn't go ahead, all those companies will realise they have the same impact by hosting digital showcases for far less money and resource. So they will take the Sony route in future years.
E3 - if it continues - will then have to resort to becoming solely a public expo to play the latest games, but without the huge presence from publishers announcing new software.
Have to wonder why iam8bit pulled out. They didnt mention COVID in their statement.
But where are execs going to apologise now? Blizzcon?
Time for an E3 Direct
A Sonic Showfloor.
@Rob_230 because they knew it would be a utter disaster what with all the focus on "influencers" and "streamers"
The smart thing for ESA to do is to take the year off, and use this time to speak with all the partners to reach an agreement on what E3 should be.
@FullbringIchigo Whilst i agree with you (absolutely bizarre the direction they want to go in), i understand iam8bit only came on board in january this year. That means they knew what they were signing up to. Something else is up behind the scenes. Perhaps more bad news for the ESA will leak out shortly?
Uuuhhhhhh........ "Stop, its already dead" lolol
E3 - The Tulsi Gabbard of Gaming Conventions
Credit to Aurich Lawson, Ars Techna's Creative Director responding to a commenter's criticism of their articles original cover picture.
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/03/e3s-newest-creative-directors-resign-five-weeks-into-the-gig/?comments=1&post=38698218#comment-38698218
But if they cancel E3, how will we get the Pete Hines & Todd Howard jokes show making light of their past year's transgressions? And the promises of how breathtaking their next gen games are gonna be with the same bugs?! Think of the "Whooo!" guy!
It has started to get that feeling about it that the E3 organisers just dont want to acknowledge the inevitable.
But, now where will all of the scheduled online influencers go now that E3 may be cancelled?
Oh wait, that's right, they have TwitchCon. Never mind!
Anyways, if E3 does get cancelled this year, maybe they can use that time to assess and evaluate the convention and make a strong comeback next year.
Or it'll die in the flames while devs move onto their own thing.
Been saying for a few days now that E3 is all but canceled I'd bet. However the way they worded that statement is a bit strange. If it was because of Coronavirus you'd think they would just come out and say that but it seems there's more at play here.
Wouldn't more Doom be a good thing?
If E3 doesn't happen this year, it'll never happen again.
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