Games Industry Wire » gaming_industry

E3 Floor Space Already Sold Out

admin — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 19:22:16 +0000

The 540,000 net square feet of exhibit space at E3 2006 has already sold out.

The 2006 E3Expo, the world’s premier computer and video game industry trade event, will host more than 400 exhibitors covering space equivalent to 4,650 Olympic swimming pools

E3 will be at the Los Angeles Convention Center May 9th- 12th. This is being hyped as the biggest E3 ever.

Hopefully, by that time we’ll be able to see some live demos with the PS3.

Post from: Games Industry Wire

Talk 2 Me Tuesday

admin — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 08:11:22 +0000

Today I’ve chosen to interview a friend of mine. David White is a Student at Georgia Southern University currently working on his masters degree in history. He’s what some of us would describe as old-school gamer; however, he is up-to-date on his gaming industry news and has some good opinions.

Sorry that I don’t have a picture of David, but you’re welcome to go visit his profile on mooble.com

Describe when you first started to play video games

I have been playing video games since I was about 5. That’s when my family got a NES. I did play some Atari too but not a lot. At 5 I thought super Mario was the greatest thing in the world when I first saw it I was blown away.

What would you do if you were a CEO of a company?

I would try to hire creative people and give them room to expand the boundaries of gaming. I would rather put out great quality games that helped shape the future of gaming rather than make a lot of money.

What game (series) would you retire?

Well I loved mega man 2 and 3 but aren’t they on like 79 by now? Seriously though, any time they just start churning out the exact same game over and over I would say its time to move on. But as long as the game play evolves with each installment I don’t have a problem with sequels

Where do you see the gaming industry going in the next 5yrs?

I think on-line gaming will continue to grow. Other than that it will be like most 5 year cycles. There will be a few games that will come up with something new and blow everyone away and most others will copy that.

How has online gaming changed the gaming industry?

I think it has given a lot of games infinite amounts of replayability. I grew up playing games with my brothers and friends so I am a very social gamer. I am more likely to play and play longer if I have someone to compete against or cooperate with. There are probably a lot of people out there like this who have greatly benefited from online gaming. Also it has brought the gamers a little closer to the development community with all of the online content. Gamers can now offer feedback and see patches to fix problems and add new gameplay twists.

What decision has upset you the most in the gaming world?

I don’t know of any one instance the upsets me however I wish the community as a whole would strive to be recognized as a legitimate art form. I know several game makers do this and within any community of people creating “art” you have these people and then you have the ones who copy them. Take Hollywood for example. There are good movies but there are many more that are shabby knockoffs of other good movies. But since film is an establish art form in people’s minds the community as a whole can get by with it. But people who are not very familiar with video games look in from the outside and they don’t see art. They just see some controversy and a lot of mediocre games.

What makes or breaks a gaming company?

The games. If your games suck your company sucks

Are you more of a console or PC gamer? List favorite games of each

I enjoy both formats but I’m mostly a console gamer. I use the pc for strategy and some rpg’s. On the pc I love Civ 3 (I haven’t played cave 4 yet), Neverwinter Nights, and the age of empire’s series. As for console games right now I think halo 2 multiplayer is still one of the best gaming experiences. I enjoy most sports games, most first party Nintendo titles and some rpgs. I do not have and Xbox 360 yet but I’m looking forward to oblivion.

Which next gen console will you most-likely buy?

Eventually I will get a 360 and I will also most likely a Nintendo revolution. I want to see it in action first though

Thanks for talking with me David. I hope you can get your hands on a next generation console soon

Post from: Games Industry Wire

Johnny Cage May Become Midway’s New Advertising Exec.

admin — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 02:54:55 +0000

Advertising has taken over most of what I enjoyed at one time. It starts small, but it grows in to the fiercest demon of them all. We now can’t even go to the restroom without being bombarded with advertisements. However, video games, at one time, were a sanctuary where I could relax and not be pressured into buying something.But, as some of you may know, with next generation gaming, there comes next generation advertising.
The ads for next generation gaming has already begun with the Xbox 360 through Xbox Live. But, for now, the ads are small, relevant, and don’t get in the way. But, with recent news from Midway, I get the feeling that the floodgates are going to be opened.

Midway Games today revealed they have struck a multiyear deal with advertising company Double Fusion to place ads in upcoming games played via online connections

The first game to utilize this brand new technology will be Stranglehold that was announced at last years E3 2005 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Before you think that I just hate big companies that advertise, please be aware that the concept of advertising is not evil; it’s just when advertisers ruin something that’s great that bothers me. I hope that gaming companies can utilize in-game ads but not at the cost of forfeiting a great game. I want companies to succeed in making money (it’s what capitalism is all about). Heck, if they can place ads in games to make them cheaper for me, it’s all good. But, I don’t want Johnny Cage coming on my screen asking me to buy his new Ray-Ban sun glasses.

Moral of the Story: Gaming companies need to be careful how they use advertising for next generation games.

Post from: Games Industry Wire