It’s no secret that E3, once the indisputable highlight of the games industry’s announcement calendar, has found itself slowly floundering into irrelevancy in recent years, with an increasing number of publishers reducing show presence in favour of more intimate events and livestreams of their own. In response, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) – the US trade body that runs E3 – is reportedly proposing a radical rebranding of the show for next year, which would turn it into a “fan, media, and influencer festival”.
All this comes via a leaked pitch deck (as seen by GameDaily.biz) intended for the ESA members, which suggests possible new forms for E3 following member feedback. The core of the proposal revolves around the idea of turning the once-industry-only event into a more consumer-focussed affair, and the ESA’s membership has reportedly already approved an additional 10,000 tickets for the general public, bringing total consumer tickets up to 25,000.
As part of that change, E3’s traditional floor layout could, according to the ESA’s proposal, be adjusted to accommodate eight large-scale stage-like “experience hubs” where punters are able to watch influencers and celebrities playing video games – with the organisation suggesting the Los Angeles Lakers playing a basketball game as an example.
Additionally, to accommodate the influx of consumers eager to try out the latest titles, it’s proposed that an app could be used to register a time to play a demo, and that publishers could provide “queuetainment” to advertise their wares to those waiting in line – with both offering obvious marketing opportunities for ESA members.