E3 Returning to LA Convention Center, Still Invite Only

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E3 Returning to LA Convention Center, Still Invite OnlyPosted 1:35pm Tue Dec 18, 2007 by Aaron Dunlap Tags: E3, LA Convention Center, ESA

This year's E3 was a bit of a mixed bag. While I absolutely loved the invite-only, just-business approach the ESA took, the fact that all of the meetings, demonstrations, and showfloor venues were spread all over Santa Monica made everything a huge hassle. Standing in front of my hotel for 20 minutes to wait for a bus to come and then sit in the bus for 30 minutes before taking off with only one passenger to drive 15 minutes to my next random hotel destination became quite tedious after the first time (of many).

It was a popular complaint, and the ESA heard it. They've just announced that the 2008 E3 Media/Business Summit will be returning to the LA Convention Center from which it was spawned. However, it won't be the overloaded, crowded boob-fest it had become before. The attendance list will still be invite-only, and restricted to those who actually have business being there.

"While there will be opportunities for game demonstrations, the 2008 E3 Media & Business Summit will not feature the large trade show environment of previous years," ESA stated.

The way invites work still confuses me. My invite came directly to my house this year, not through our office address, and I was the only person to get one. It was weird.

Could have been all of the "E3 Needs to Change" editorials I'd written up to that point.

The event is scheduled for July 15 - 17, 2008.

Just when I thought I was done with downtown LA hotels forever...