We can only hope the E3 booth babes follow suit.
Over the last few years the Electronic Entertainment Expo, once the Mecca of all things gaming, has been in decline. Watching the thinning numbers of exhibitors, the ever-more draconian limits on who can actually attend, not to mention the alarming disappearance of the humble booth-babe, has been not unlike watching a loved one's slow slide into senility and pants-pooping obsolescence.
But worry not, 'cause the Entertainment Software Association has embiggened its plans for this years event, promising a return to the good old days of gaming excess.
"The 2009 E3 Expo will be the preeminent North American computer and video game event," said Michael D. Gallagher, CEO of the ESA, in recent press release. "With robust exhibitor sales, high attendee interest, and strong commitments from multiple industry sectors, we are going to ensure the full excitement and energy of this industry is on display."
Gaming giant Activision, which pulled out of the ESA last year, is now back on board, bringing exhibitor numbers back up to the highs of previous years:
With news coming in from all sources that gaming revenues are one of the few industries not to be showing losses in these Grim Financial TimesTM, no doubt the industry at large feels the need to celebrate its growing success. Pleasing to us is personally is the relaxation of restrictions to who can attend. Last year's event was purely invite-only, and securing access was more like trying to find one of Willy Wonka's Golden Tickets. This year all you need is proof of employment in the industry and you're in.
With luck, we'll be reporting from the show floor this year, so it looks like there's reason to be excited again. Woo!
Issue: 133 | February, 2012