Former PlayStation Commenting on the fall of E3, boss Shawn Layden claimed that the show didn't know what it wanted to be and didn't seem to be able to make the transition from a trade show to a consumer show. During his time at PlayStation, Shawn Layden made regular appearances at E3, giving presentations and meeting people from all over the world.
E3 stands for Electronic Entertainment Expo, an annual event that has played a vital role in the gaming industry for decades. The event was held in Los Angeles, California from 1995 to 2019. E3 had its last hurray in 2021, but the once-annual show hasn't been revived since then. At one point, E3 was a highly regarded event. Many gamers would be eagerly anticipating the show as developers have often created impressive E3 presentations designed to dominate headlines for days. While plenty of developers still prepare exciting trailers at shows like Summer Game Fest and The Game Awards, many fans feel that no single event has brought the industry together quite like E3.
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Shawn Layden breaks down the feature and malfunction of E3
In a recent appearance on Game Rant's Character Select, Shawn Layden talked about his E3 experience. When asked about the fall of E3, Layden simply said, “He didn't know what he wanted to be.” He explained that in 1995, E3 was a trade show. Its main function as a trade fair was to bring companies and retailers together. As he explained, someone from retail was walking the trade show floor looking for products they might be interested in carrying in their store. As such, the developer would show off what they've been working on and try to sell the retailer why they should have the game. At E3, he also discussed the importance of print, as gaming magazines were still a popular way for gamers to connect with the hobby. Impressing journalists could lead to landing the September cover of a major magazine, which would be beneficial to anyone selling their game or product. Layden expressed that this was all standard business, but things began to shift in the early 2000s.
The rise of the internet meant that the media surrounding video games became much more prevalent, which meant that a lot of information was leaked before the show. Retailers also became much more knowledgeable about games and didn't need as much guidance in choosing which to buy. Layden also went on to explain that from a retail perspective, E3, which took place in June, didn't really work. According to Layden, June was too late for retailers looking to stock their shelves with promising products in time for the Christmas rush. These types of deals often happen at the beginning of the year, in January or February. Instead, the show almost acted like a progress report on products retailers had already committed to carrying. According to Layden, this was the moment when E3 “lost its purpose” as a trade show.
While he said the people behind E3 tried to build in consumer elements, trade shows and consumer shows are fundamentally different. As an example of a successful consumer show, he offered the popular Tokyo Game Show, which allows gamers to easily experience a wide variety of titles. In contrast, Layden said that trade show booths are meant to be “traps” because companies want to keep the attention of those who come to the booth as long as possible. Moving to another stand probably means paying attention to the competition. Unfortunately, E3 never fully adapted or fully committed to becoming a consumer show, which likely contributed to its demise. While E3 may be gone, many other events have emerged to fill the void. For example, fans looking for fresh announcements can always tune in to Summer Game Fest, which offers a fresh look at upcoming titles.
