E3 2015 just started, and we've already had Microsoft blow our minds with its Minecraft for HoloLens demo, Sony fulfill our hopes and dreams by finally announcing a release date for The Last Guardian, and EA show us how we can literally get in the game for the upcoming NBA Live 16.
With today's 24/7 news cycle, social media and livestreams, the press and the video game industry don't just keep up with E3, more formally known as the Electronic Entertainment Expo. Oh no. When E3 arrives every year, it's unmistakably on everyone's minds.
And for good reason. These days, E3 is the premier event for the gaming industry, which companies large and small attend to make huge announcements, show off their latest products and generally get the world excited for the future of gaming.
This year's E3 officially kicked off on June 16 and will last until June 18 — but if you've been on the Internet lately, you've probably noticed that there have been loads of pre-E3 activities. Many major companies, such as Microsoft, Sony and Ubisoft, have already held their press events. Now that E3 has officially begun, there's still plenty more excitement to come.
E3 wasn't always this major — like everything else, E3 had to start somewhere. But even from the beginning, E3 was on the cutting edge of gaming, showcasing what we would all play in the future and what would eventually change the world.
Here are the five things you need to know about how E3 became what it is today.
1. This Is The 20th Anniversary Of E3
E3 is largely about promotion these days – which it always was – but the impetus for the event was about much more than that. Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut introduced the Video Game Rating Act of 1994 in Congress, which prompted executives from gaming companies to create the Interactive Digital Software Association, now known as the Electronic Software Association, according to Engadget. The ESA would create the Entertainment Software Rating Board in 1994, establishing a rating system for video games.
Now that the gaming industry had its own trade organization, it looked into creating a trade show. Many felt the Consumer Electronics Showcase – which was and still is one of the tech industry's big annual trade shows – didn't allow the video game industry to shine, relegating their displays to undesirable locations on the show floor. Companies like Sega had alread started to branch out and hold their own shows outside of CES.
Finally, Pat Ferrell – the creator of GamePro magazine – came up with the idea to have an industry-specific trade show as an alternative to CES, according to Engadget. Though the Consumer Electronics Association promised a special video games section of its CES show in Chicago, the IDSA decided to hold E3 at the same time — essentially drawing a line in the sand to make companies choose between the trade shows. Once the IDSA secured big companies like Sega and Nintendo, E3 was a go.
3. The First E3 Was Pretty Spectacular
It usually takes some time for an event to find its groove after first launching. The very first E3 hit the ground running. Sony and Sega had a rivalry going into the first E3, as described in great detail by MCV in 2013.
Sega was up first and introduced its Saturn console with a price of $399 and surprised everyone by launching it that day, as opposed to its original September release date. However, Sony introduced the PlayStation and stole the show with the announcement of its $299 price point. Nintendo also unveiled its Virtual Boy 3-D gaming console, but that flopped and was discontinued the following year.
If you really want to know what the first E3 was like, you can watch the above YouTube video of some of the event's highlights — featuring footage of '90s-tastic games like Rayman, the Atari Jaguar gaming console and lots and lots of guys with long hair.
4. You Won't Believe Everything That First Appeared At E3
Since then, E3 has been the place for the gaming industry to show off its latest and greatest games and consoles. Over the years, Super Mario 64, Xbox Live and the Nintendo Wii were all unveiled at the show. Basically, if it's been a big deal in the video game industry, it probably debuted at E3.
5. E3 Hasn't Been Immune To Controversy
Like any big event, E3 has had its fair share of controversy over the years. The usually enthusiastic event was noticeably muted in 1999, less than two months after the shooting at Columbine High School — a time when violence in video games was under intense scrutiny.
E3 also made national news in 2013 when a Microsoft employee, demoing the game Killer Instinct, made what many perceived to be a rape joke. Ubisoft came under fire during last year's E3, when the company's technical director James Therien said playable female characters were cut from Assassin's Creed Unity because it would have "doubled the work."
We've also seen plenty of more light-hearted memorable moments during E3's press events over the years. It just goes to show you that E3 has become about so much more than just gaming.
Stay tuned for more E3 2015 coverage all week from TechTimes and T-Lounge.
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