E3 2009: Revamped E3 is as much on display as any game on the floor

Thanks to live broadcasts on G4TV and live blogging through outlets such as Gamertell, millions of eyes throughout the world are on the Electronic Entertainment Expo. It’s not just the games and consoles at this industry showcase that are under intense scrutiny, it’s the showcase itself.

Two years ago, the Entertainment Software Association tried to whittle the gargantuan E3 down to a more manageable event and was successful but the result drew much scorn within the industry.

After 2008′s E3, gaming luminary than Will Wright called the show the walking dead. Activision opted to skip the 2008 event altogether, holding its own press event at a separate locale and sending a clear message that E3 had issues. Entertainment Software Association CEO Michael Gallagher cautioned against calling this event a return to the old E3, but did promise to deliver the show “the industry deserves.”

The show expects to admit 40,000 attendees, a significant increase from the ghost-town like less than 5,000 it was estimated took in E3 2008.

To the delight of the still largely male gaming audience, the famous “booth babes” have returned. They have about as much to do with games as cheerleaders have to do with football but have become a tradition people associate with the show.

E3 is in a state of flux and since the industry it represents is all about rapidly changing technology, perhaps a constantly changing showcase fits it perfectly.

Read [Gamertell: E3 2009] Also Read [Edge Online]