More conventions

Penny Arcade Expo (August)

Who would have thought that an event organized by the team behind a web comic strip would suddenly become a contender for the next E3? The third annual gathering of gamers this August is going to be the biggest yet in Bellvue, Washington with Microsoft, Nintendo, UbiSoft and many more publishers in attendance. Penny Arcade Expo appeals to the truly fanatical gamers with all sorts of activities that the old E3 would never have had (like the Omegathon).

Prediction For New E3: Probable. Penny Arcade Expo is in the Seattle area which means a bunch of game publishers and developers are just a car drive away. 2007 could be an even bigger show (although they would almost certainly have to move out of their already cramped convention center next year). While the Leipiziq convention happens around the same time we could see PAX gaining an edge over it in the years to come, especially if its as well run as it has been in the past.

Tokyo Game Show (September)

Always a huge show, this is the place for Japanese publishers to show off upcoming products. Sony is sure to have a massive PS3 presence at this year’s show on the heals on the PS3 launch and Nintendo used it last year to show off their new controller for the Wii console (then called Revolution). You can bet that there will be a number of new game announcements from Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft at this year’s show and in year’s to come.

Prediction For New E3: Not Probable. The Tokyo Game Show is already a huge event for the press and public to attend so we don’t see it getting any bigger. It’s also almost exclusively geared for the Japanese market which doesn’t make it a hot prospect for US and European game announcements and demos. Nintendo has also refused to actually have a booth at the Tokyo Game Show for some time. While it will remain an important event, we don’t think this show will supplant the old E3.

America’s VideoGame Expo (October)

Now in its second year, this event held at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, PA is appealing to the consumers rather than the press and several days ago it sent out a press release announcing it was trying to bring in more developers and publishers to attend.

Prediction For New E3: Not Probable. When we got the aforementioned press release, we had to go, “Who are these guys?” Last year’s event was mainly geared for mom-and-pop game stores to display their wares. This year their biggest current exhibitor is Ziff Davis with their 1Up.com and magazine properties. We applaud the show for trying to get in on the E3 fallout press but the location, lack of interesting exhibitors and its October date against a much bigger and nearby consumer event will make this a huge E3 replacement dark horse.

Digital Life: (October)

Last year, big gaming web sites IGN and GameSpot each launched consumer gaming oriented trade show events. This year, neither one has announced a follow up. That leaves Digital Life, the consumer electronics/gaming event in New York City organized by Ziff Davis, the company who publishes web sites like ExtremeTech and 1Up.com and magazine like Electronic Gaming Monthly and Computer Gaming World (soon to morph into the official Games for Windows magazine). Now in its third year, the show has become bigger and bigger. Microsoft used it last year as a way to promote the Xbox 360 just weeks before the launch of the console and will return again this year as well. A PC gaming tournament will also be held around the event as well.

Prediction For New E3: Possible. October represents the last time that game publishers and developers will be able to push their products to an awaiting public before the real Christmas buying season begins. With the E3 downsizing, we think Digital Life could become more important and its New York City location will get a lot of mainsteam media attention. Our big worry is that some publishers seem to be ignoring the show for some reason. Neither Sony nor Nintendo will be attending this year which seems odd concerning the launches of the PS3 and Wii this fall.

GenCon SoCal: (2007)

The original GenCon in Indianapolis is being held this very weekend and always gets some upcoming video and PC games to show off to its many attendees (who also come for the trading card, pen-and-paper, and board games at the show). The same organization launched a Southern California version of GenCon which will be held in Anaheim this November. However a couple of days ago show organizers sent out a press release announcing that due to the E3 downsizing they were going to expand the space for video and PC game exhibits. The Indy show will have 47,000 square feet more of exhibit space for 2007. Even more interesting is that the SoCal show for 2007 (which does not yet have a definitive date announced) will be moving into the Los Angeles Convention Center, the same location as the old E3.

Prediction For New E3: Possible. It’s too early to really tell if GenCon’s expansion plans in Indianapolis and its move to LA in 2007 will be enough to attract more attention from video and PC game publishers. A lot will ride on what date the SoCal event will be held. If it’s in November like this year’s Anaheim event it may be too late for publishers to care about coming to show off products that will be out on the streets already.