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View Full Version : E "Not quite" For All

bapenguin
10-22-2007, 09:58 AM
GamesIndustry.biz (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=29828) has the total attendance numbers in for this past weekend's E4 All Expo. The total? About 18,000. Sound impressive? Not quite. At the end of August, the Penny-Arcade Expo managed to pull in around 37,000 attendees.

Remember, E4 All was set to take the place of the now dead E3. The 2006 E3 show had around 60,000 visitors during it's time period, so it looks like E4 All has a long way to go. The show is already planned for next year around the end of August, which is most likely to occur during the same time as the Penny-Arcade Expo. It's going to be a regular Battle Royale of expos, and I don't see many publishers doing double duty going to both shows during the same time period. Things could get ugly.
Sl1pstream
10-22-2007, 10:02 AM
E4All vs PAX
Actual gamers vs People who advertise by making women wear tvs in their shirts.

Hmm, what to do, what to do...
Gorvi
10-22-2007, 10:03 AM
How much was it to get into PAX, though? Didn't they charge some ridiculous amount to get into E 4 All??
bapenguin
10-22-2007, 10:05 AM
How much was it to get into PAX, though? Didn't they charge some ridiculous amount to get into E 4 All??

PAX was $40 for a 3 day pass.
Dr.Finger
10-22-2007, 10:06 AM
It's actually going to be even uglier, as the Leipzig festival is just one week before that next year, too.
Sandman
10-22-2007, 10:10 AM
I think I might go to PAX next year if I can afford it. Were 2008 dates announced?
lockwoodx
10-22-2007, 10:12 AM
E for Meh

blah blah
WastelandDan
10-22-2007, 10:12 AM
I think I might go to PAX next year if I can afford it. Were 2008 dates announced?

I'm just waiting for them to announce the East Coast convention they said they were considering a while ago. California is too far to go for a videogame convention for people living EST.
Dr.Finger
10-22-2007, 10:14 AM
I'm just waiting for them to announce the East Coast convention they said they were considering a while ago. California is too far to go for a videogame convention for people living EST.They'd never do it, but I'd love to see PAX-east at the Javits Center.
Sandman
10-22-2007, 10:15 AM
I'm just waiting for them to announce the East Coast convention they said they were considering a while ago. California is too far to go for a videogame convention for people living EST.

A flight to Seattle only runs about $600 for me.
Goronmon
10-22-2007, 10:15 AM
It's been the last weekend in August every year I believe, so just go look on the calendar for an estimate.

I'm just waiting for them to announce the East Coast convention they said they were considering a while ago. California is too far to go for a videogame convention for people living EST.You're just lazy. I live in Maine and I went to PAX this year. I even took a train back!

Word of advice, don't take a train back.
Goronmon
10-22-2007, 10:17 AM
A flight to Seattle only runs about $600 for me.That much? I booked really early, but I got a one-way ticket from Portlant, ME for a little under $200.
bean19
10-22-2007, 10:19 AM
18K is not bad at all for an inaugrial event. This means that it might stay around and I'm all for that. The U.S. is big enough for more than one consumer videogame expo IMO.
Sandman
10-22-2007, 10:20 AM
That much? I booked really early, but I got a one-way ticket from Portlant, ME for a little under $200.

This is looking at the last weekend of August 2008; and I'm going out of my small town airport and connecting in ATL. Probably would be cheaper if I felt like driving or getting a ride to Jacksonville.

Drops down to $400 going out of Jacksonville....both round trip.
Psykoboy2
10-22-2007, 10:27 AM
Yeah, not to defend E For All, but what was PAX attendance numbers their first year - i think it was pretty close to E's.
Tricky Thumb
10-22-2007, 10:36 AM
Yeah, not to defend E For All, but what was PAX attendance numbers their first year - i think it was pretty close to E's.

Actually I think it was around 9,000 for 2004 PAX. However it's been basically doubling in attendance each year. We'll have to wait and see how E For All does next year to really know how it's going to do in the long run.
bapenguin
10-22-2007, 10:40 AM
A flight to Seattle only runs about $600 for me.

Man, you are getting ripped. I got round trip to PAX last year from Newark for $250.
bapenguin
10-22-2007, 10:41 AM
Yeah, not to defend E For All, but what was PAX attendance numbers their first year - i think it was pretty close to E's.

The first PAX was basically "a bunch of guys hanging out" while E4 All has MAJOR corporate backing and sponsorship.
Scull
10-22-2007, 10:44 AM
Yeah, not to defend E For All, but what was PAX attendance numbers their first year - i think it was pretty close to E's.

Not even close. We had just shy of 4,000 at PAX '04. But we have been almost doubling each year's attendance.

As of now PAX is scheduled for the last weekend in August, which happens to be Labor DAy weekend and compete with E4A, Bumbershoot, DragonCon, Leipzig, and is just 2 weeks after GenCon. I've been trying to get the team to reschedule, but booking a convention center happens a long ways out, so it doesn't seem likely we'll be able to play nice with everybody else :( Of course PAX is still better than all those other guys, but that is going to make for one heck of a weekend.
Telefrog
10-22-2007, 10:48 AM
The first PAX was basically "a bunch of guys hanging out" while E4 All has MAJOR corporate backing and sponsorship.

Agreed. PAX didn't bill itself as the 'replacement' and better version of E3. PAX earned the loyalty of fans, be they Penny Arcade fans or gamers.

E4 is a complete failure. Not having MS or Sony is a huge wash for a convention that was supposed to be about videogames and technology.
Jeffrp03
10-22-2007, 10:49 AM
I always going to think of the E4 guys as the ones who had TV's in their shirts outside of PAX, for myself I am going to keep going to PAX and say froget these other conventions.
PXG 360
10-22-2007, 11:12 AM
There are two issues:

1) No one knew about it, not even hardcore gamers. They needed to do more advertising
2) The cost of admission was mighty steep. $50 for two days? Damn....Isn't TGS like $8.60 or something

Next time, they need to advertise more and make it so more people can go. But hey, the fewer the people, the shorter the lines, and thats cool with me? Do you really want more people to be there? Do you want screaming kids and their parents ruining all of the fun? I sure don't...
cppcrusader
10-22-2007, 11:38 AM
There are two issues:

1) No one knew about it, not even hardcore gamers. They needed to do more advertising
2) The cost of admission was mighty steep. $50 for two days? Damn....Isn't TGS like $8.60 or something

Next time, they need to advertise more and make it so more people can go. But hey, the fewer the people, the shorter the lines, and thats cool with me? Do you really want more people to be there? Do you want screaming kids and their parents ruining all of the fun? I sure don't...

I'd say you're right except for that first reason. People knew about it, especially hardcore gamers. I think its more along the lines of nobody really cared.
Sl1pstream
10-22-2007, 11:40 AM
They did advertise. Just not in a good way.
Nicodemus
10-22-2007, 11:41 AM
Do we really need a replacement for E3. I for one wont miss the booth babes, pomp and circumstance, and over-the-top extravagance that sucked money from the industry. I'd rather see more resources going towards games than marketing.
Pureboy
10-22-2007, 12:21 PM
I went to E for All (posted some game impressions in another thread), and I don't think it was worth the money, unless you really wanted to play a few games early. There also wasn't really more than a day's worth of stuff to play. If you live in the LA area, it might be worth it for a 1-day pass.
ElectroDruid
10-23-2007, 02:37 AM
The 2006 E3 show had around 60,000 visitors during it's time period, so it looks like E4 All has a long way to go.

Um... No, not really. Didn't E3 die because it got too big? If so, perhaps 18,000 is exactly the attendance they wanted, and no more. I think with something like this, the number of attendees is not really the deciding factor on whether a show is a success. With something like PAX, yeah, it probably is, but for an industry-only event (which I presume E4 is, although I don't know), I can see it more being about *who* is there, rather than how many people are there.
Pal
10-23-2007, 06:09 PM
I attended E for All and was thoroughly bored. The place was poorly lit (somewhat dark) and pretty sparse, which had an immediate impact on my mood and expectations. A few games to play here and there, the only things worth playing (for me) were MGS4, Super Mario Sunshune, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and Rock Band. Some of the booth girls were just chatting away to each other to pass the time and didn't care if I was heading their way.

E for All is something to keep in mind, but it's no deal breaker yet. I'm not sure that I got my $115 worth (two days plus Game Career Seminar).