Paving over the road to Mecca

Earlier today, I received some news that made me die a little inside. Seriously, that's not a dramatization. If gaming was a religion--which is technically could be--E3 would be its Mecca. Gamers from all across the globe made the trek to LA, in order to catch a glimpse, take a peak, and be graced by the presence of gaming genius. They would cram into a small auditorium, packing it so tight that you could barely move, and become a part of the craziness. It was my dream to, one day, be a part of that craziness; to make that trek, and find myself amongst the masses of sweaty gamers with calloused thumbs. Today, that dream died.

Ok, so that was a dramatization.

I guess it makes sense. I mean, over the years, journalists and publishers alike have become increasingly bitter and jaded towards the whole affair. I guess after doing it over and over every year, the novelty of it dies. Realistically, E3 hasn't been healthy for the industry in a very long time. The whole community seems to stop entirely before and after the thing, with a massive rush of information in a three-day span in between--kind of like the speed up of events after massive lag. The cost of doing business has also increased dramatically for everyone involved, which means setting up events/booths/tech demos has become alot more expensive and even more time consuming. I'm not sure I agree with the idea that it takes away from development time for game publishers--anyone who watched the PS3 press event this year can attest to the fallacy in that argument--but it definitely puts a lot of pressure on them to perform with what they really may not have. It also potentially means a more consistent stream of news year round, though I'll wait to see if that actually happens; I'm extremely skeptical.

But who gives a shit about realism? This was my dream, damn it!

Yeah, that's right, I said it. E3 was my dream. It may be shady, but I didn't care if I had to do the "friend-of-a-friend-who-works-at-EB" thing. The road to Mecca was my destined path, and suddenly it's like it no longer exists. The defining moment for thousands of gamers, that "first time" that no one but us would understand, is suddenly...gone. It's a generation split really. Those who have been, and those who will never be. The latter is where I now sit--which sucks, since I was supposed to go this year.

The penny-pinching from publishers and developers means that, at least in the near future, it will become less of a trade show than more of one. Instead of turning it into something like Comi-Con, and charging people for admission, booths, and closed-door demonstrations, it's becoming what it was originally intended to be: an industry event for industry insiders. Though I find this kind of ironic, because gaming has and always should be about the gamers, not just the gaming "industry". What was once an opportunity for up-and-coming journalists/designers to become part of the elite and test their metal, has now become another isolated event in a line of events designed to keep the John Q. Gamer out, and only let in those who are worthy--in other words, pay them enough.

Then again, who knows. It'll be a few months before any tangible details are revealed. It still hurts though. A lot.

Peace,
Ram