This summer, the video game industry will converge on Los Angeles for E3 2011. The game industry's annual trade show, E3 is where tons of amazing games are shown publicly for the first time. We've gathered the most frequently asked E3 questions and answered them here.
What is E3?
E3 is an annual video game tradeshow that, in its current incarnation, is attended by developers, publishers, media, retailers, distributors and other groups tied to the industry. The purpose of the show is to connect all those groups and share information about what games will be available over the course of the next one or two years.
When is E3?
The show is always held in the summer, but the exact dates change from year to year. E3 2011 will take place from June 7-9 (Tuesday – Thursday), but unofficial E3 activities can begin as early as the Sunday beforehand and can stretch into the following weekend. Additionally, publishers such as Electronic Arts hold annual "Pre-E3" events for media in the weeks leading up to the show.
When is the Microsoft Xbox E3 Press Conference?
Microsoft's Xbox E3 press conference this year is on Monday, June 6. Attendees have been asked to arrive by 9:00 am PDT, so it will likely start a little after that. As in past years, the briefing will be held at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.
When is the Sony PlayStation E3 Press Conference?
Sony's 2011 PlayStation E3 Press Conference will be held on Monday, June 6, 2011, at 5 p.m. in the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
When is the Nintendo E3 Press Conference?
Nintendo's E3 2011 press conference will be held on Tuesday, June 7, 2011, at 9:00 a.m at the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
Will IGN have an E3 Live Stream?
Every year, we broadcast live from the E3 show floor. It's the best place to see live demos Ð by the developers themselves Ð of the hottest games of the show. In 2010, we showed you Halo: Reach, Portal 2, Infamous 2, DC Universe Online, PlayStation Move, Gran Turismo 5, Dead Space 2, Gears of War 3 and tons more. When we're not showing live demos, we're broadcasting the biggest press conferences, straight to your computer. The IGN E3 Live Show and all our E3 coverage can be found at IGN's E3 2011 destination page. It starts on the afternoon of June 7 and runs through June 9, all three days of the show. When we're not running live segments, we'll be re-running the best demos and conferences, just in case you missed something. And some of the segments will be archived soon thereafter, so you can watch many of the best demos at your leisure.
Where is E3 held?
This is the fourth year in a row and fourteenth year overall that E3 has been hosted at the Los Angeles Convention Center in downtown L.A, although it has also been held in Atlanta and Santa Monica, California. While the LACC is home to the show itself, the big publishers will hold their press conferences at nearby venues.
What games will be at E3?
As usual, there's going to be a flood of game announcements at this year's E3. Check IGN's Big E3 Games List for the latest and greatest. Last year's announcements included the 3DS launch lineup, Kinect's official name, the Xbox 360 slim, and more. Check out IGN's Pre-E3 preview to vote on your most-anticipated games of the show.
Who can go to E3?
The event used to be more of a free-for-all, and it's also seen periods of tight restriction. The current format is industry-only, but the list is less exclusive that it has been in the recent past. Tens of thousands of people will attend E3 this year, and if you're connected to the videogame industry, chances are good you'll be able to attend.
Who runs E3?
E3 is produced by the Entertainment Software Association, a professional organization of videogame publishers. The ESA also runs the Entertainment Software Rating Board, which is responsible for rating games
How long has E3 been around?
The first E3 was held in L.A. in 1995. Before that, new games were shown at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The first E3 is special because it marked Sony's entrance to the videogame market with the PlayStation.
What are IGN's Best of E3 Awards?
Every year, IGN honors the best games of the show with our Best of E3 awards. Editors nominate games they've seen as the show progresses, a list is formed, and then we vote on the best titles in multiple categories. Keep in mind that what we see are unfinished products, and we only see what publishers want us to see. So it's quite possible that games we're blown away by at E3 won't hold up as well a year later. What we're really saying with our E3 awards is, "Your demo blew us away. We can't wait to see more!" At E3 2010, we gave Bethesda and id Software our coveted "Best Overall Game" award for Rage. Portal 2, Epic Mickey, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Marvel vs. Capcom 3 also took home awards.
What is the E3 Show Floor?
The show floor refers to the exhibition halls of the L.A. Convention Center. There are hundreds of thousands of square feet of display space at the show, and publishers like Activision, SEGA, Square Enix, Microsoft and Sony pay to rent booths and display their games. The convention center show floor is packed with flashing lights, giant video screens, and elaborate demo stations. Some of the bigger publishers also have makeshift meeting rooms built into the center of their areas for private meetings.