X-Play Delivers More E3 09 News: Four Halls, Bigger Booths, and Booth Babes, Oh My!
As promised earlier, tonight’s episode of X-Play asked the questions that eager E3 09 anticipators wanted answered. Will bikini-clad booth babes be running rampant through each of the four massive halls the LA Convention Center has to offer, or will we be once again treated to a substandard event.
Hit the jump, and let Adam Sessler work his interrogation magic, while you frantically search for a sharpie to mark “vacation” across your first few days of your June 2009 calendar.
So, let’s recap. Richard “you can call me Dick” Taylor, Sr. EV of ESA Communication and Reasearch, goes head to head with Adam “my back is feeling much better” Sessler.
As it turns out, the June 2nd through 4th dates were apparently selected in an effort to stay out of the way of development cycles and allow retailer to make informed decisions for the holiday season. I guess Best Buy needed a little extra time to pick and choose their exclusives.
The event will once again not be open to the public. How are you feeling about that? In order to get in, media will be asked to fork over “proof points” like W2s and a pay stubs. Why stop there Dick? How about some of that felt-like material from the inner surface of our cubical wall? And what if you’re a blogger, who makes a living burning the midnight oil, searching for news in the deepest and darkest of places? Well, according to Richard, those patrolling the blogosphere will be handled on a “case by case” basis. Whatever that means.
Bigger booth sizes are something the organization realizes needs to happen, and they are working on the specifics. In terms of the Convention Center itself, it appears that we’lll once again have access to all four halls, however, after some double talk concerning “turn styles flipping over” Mr. Taylor stated that, while the event will be much bigger than last year, it still won’t be as big as the old E3.
Why so change-ious? (see what I did there?) After each show the ESA conducts a survey, poling those who attended, and with emphasis, Richard admits that there was “some very clear direction” that came out after this past show — get out, really?
What about the companies that bailed on the show, like Lucas Arts? Short answer, they are welcome, but the ball is in their court. He then proceeded to describe E3 as the “preeminent gaming event” — I wonder if he really believes that?
How about the “bells and whistles” as Adam put it. Can we expect to have see booth babes and loud music? Richard’s response cited the event’s standards in terms of noise etc, which he claims have always been in place, but as for “the models”, he says that they are encouraging each exhibitor to create their own brand as they see fit. So there you have it. If you don’t see half naked women, blame it on Nintendo. Don’t let your loyal, and admittingly horny, gaming audience down Reggie!
The interview wrap up consisted of Richard babbling on about the Video Game Voters Network, essentially asking us all to rally against our government in the name of video gaming. Shameless plug? Maybe, but the man did answer our questions.
