E3 Is Action Packed Again
E3 is action-packed again
The video game expo roars back into Los Angeles after two low-key years. Buzz surrounds God of War III, DJ
Hero, The Beatles: Rock Band, Wii Sports Resort, Your Shape and Star Wars: The Old Republic.
2005 with more than 65,000
attendees, was toned down in
2007 to a stately affair in
Santa Monica with an invite-
only guest list of about 4,000.
It returned to the L.A.
Convention Center last July
but was so low-key that some
in the industry lamented that
it looked like a pipe fitters
convention.
This year, the Entertainment
Software Assn., the industry-
funded group that puts on E3,
screened the event's
registration to keep out the
"fanboys" -- people who like
to play games but don't work
in the game industry.
Danny Merrill
Companies, sobered by the
economic recession, spent
focuses on a hand-
held device at the
less money on parties. But
Electronic
there was still enough glam to
Entertainment Expo,
attract a sizable audience of
which drew more
gawkers and camera crews
than 35,000
from major TV networks.
attendees to the
Los Angeles
"What we've done is put
Convention Center.
together a show that is much
By Alex Pham and Ben Fritz
more reflective of the high
June 5, 2009
octane, high energy,
Villaraigosa, who welcomed
innovation and excitement
the conventioneers Tuesday.
that is the video game
This year, the orcs and elves
industry," ESA President Mike
returned to the City of Angels.
Some Angelenos may
Gallagher said.
And they brought money with
remember the video game
them -- more than $15 million
confab for its over-the-top
Game companies are
in direct spending on taxi
spectacles: soldiers
counting on that excitement
rides, hotel rooms, wine and
rappelling from U.S. Army
to help drive sales, while
sushi, among other things.
helicopters, models strutting
consumers are looking for
in thongs and 6-inch heels,
ways to save money.
The Electronic Entertainment
skateboarders sailing off half-
Expo, which was substantially
pipes and celebrity-soaked
Avid players plan to maintain
scaled back in 2007 and 2008,
parties that were more like
their rate of spending on
came roaring back this week
three-ring circuses.
games, but women and older
at the Los Angeles
players plan to spend less,
Convention Center, attracting
But the merriment came to a
citing the bad economy,
more than 35,000 visitors. For
halt in 2007 when game
according to a survey
Los Angeles, E3 was the
companies decided enough
released this week by media
biggest convention so far this
was enough. The show,
consulting firm Frank N.
year, said Mayor Antonio
which hit peak attendance in
Magid Associates Inc.
and is supposed to improve
Here are some of the
the controller's accuracy.
industry's biggest blockbuster
Players can practice virtual
bets for release in the next
archery, play pingpong or
several months:
shoot a few basketballs. Due
out in July.
* God of War III: Sony Corp.
has only one self-owned
* Your Shape: A more
video game series on par with
serious fitness title from
giants like Halo and Grand
Ubisoft Entertainment gives
Theft Auto, and this game is
users customized workout
the first for its PlayStation 3
routines based on their body
console. A big launch for the
shape. How does it know
ultra-violent action game,
users' shape? The game
which is set in ancient Greece,
comes with a camera that
is crucial to Sony's boosting
scans the body and gives
the fortunes of its third-place
visual cues to help players
console. Due out in March.
position properly during
stretches and yoga poses.
* DJ Hero: Activision Inc.'s
Just in time to combat
first spinoff from its Guitar
Thanksgiving dinners and
Hero franchise, one of the
Christmas cookies, it's due
biggest brands in the video
out this fall.
game business, abandons
the guitar and drums. DJ
* Star Wars: The Old
Hero is the first of the many
Republic: BioWare
Hero games to focus on
developed and Electronic Arts
another musical fantasy:
Inc. and LucasArts co-
spinning records and mixing
published this massively
tracks with a new turntable
multiplayer online game. To
controller. It also comes with
see this highly anticipated title,
a bit of controversy. Activision
visitors had to enter a
is in a lawsuit with the maker
starship-themed lair, one of
of a competitive game,
the most elaborate at E3. The
Scratch: The Ultimate DJ,
game features multiple story
which was shown at a party
lines and hundreds of
near E3 on Wednesday night.
thousands of lines of dialogue.
Due out in October.
Given its massive scope, the
pedigree of its development
* The Beatles: Rock Band:
studio and the popularity of
MTV Games' big music title
the movies on whose fiction it
was hyped at the opening of
expands, this might be the
E3 on Monday by Beatles
first title with a shot at
band members Paul
unseating genre king World of
McCartney and Ringo Starr,
Warcraft. When that might
who shared the stage. The
happen, no one knows: Old
$250 game will come with 45
Republic doesn't yet have a
Beatles songs, a guitar
release date.
controller, drums, a
microphone and a
microphone stand. Due out
Sept. 9.
* Wii Sports Resort:
Nintendo Co. adds to the
fitness genre, one of the
fastest-growing categories of
games. This one will include
the company's Wii Motion
Plus peripheral, which
attaches to the Wii console's
candy-bar-shaped controller
