As June 2010 drifts off into history I think to myself, “wow, what a month!” There was the NBA Finals, the World Cup and yes, E3.
For those in the know, E3 is the Super Bowl of the video game industry. It’s the week when the entire video game industry gathers together in LA to showcase new games, hardware and new ideas.
It’s fun.
I admit it’s a joy to sit in front on the tv for a week and read up on developer interviews and game announcements, watch game previews, tech demo’s and check out press conferences of big companies like EA, Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft and all the other guys. For people who pick up a controller every now and then it’s a good indication of what “crack you’re going to be smoking,” over the next year. Or, which addictive game is going to get you in trouble with your girlfriend.
For me, I love watching the industry grow. It reminds me of all those film history classes I took in college. The rise and fall of RKO. The creation of the Hollywood oligarchy of Disney, Paramount, 20th Century Fox, University Pictures, MGM, and Warner Bros. The evolution of black and white movies to color; silent films to talkies.
The tough thing about history is it’s always a little boring because it predates you. It’s hard to truly understand what the historical events were like. I grew up watching 80’s action movies and Disney cartoons so how am I suppose to relate to an audience being scared and entertained the first time they watched a movie of a moving train heading towards the screen? Sounded a little silly to me sitting in Film History 101 with Professor Brusutti.
But, what’s cool about the video game industry is we’re watching the evolution of the next great entertainment industry. Sixty years from now a kid is going to be sitting in a classroom listening to a college professor discuss how in the early 21st century major game companies began acquiring smaller more independent development houses in a move akin to the movie industry in the early 20th century. That kid is going to bored out of his mind because he’s going to have trouble dismantling what, for him/her, is not only normal in 2070 but antiquated.
But, me? I get front row seats. Now, that is cool.
[As usual this years E3 had a lot of cool games but you might be surprised what stood out for me this year. Hell, I was. Check it out here].
Danger Brain 
[…] talked briefly about how the Video Game Industry is relevant in a previous post and although I was looking at it from a historical perspective, here goes more evidence. It’s […]