July 1st, 2013 — More than 48,000 video game industry professionals, investor analysts, journalists, and retailers from 102 countries converged in Los Angeles last month to experience the future of interactive entertainment at E3, the video game industry’s premier global trade show.
This year, 230 exhibitors unveiled the latest in computer and video game hardware and software, and revealed highly anticipated upcoming titles. E3 2013 featured a new Online and Mobile Game Pavilion – an area specifically designed to display social and mobile games– underscoring the industry’s evolution and the diversity of its products. In total, E3 resulted in an estimated 28,000 total hotel room nights and generated nearly $40 million in revenue for the city of Los Angeles.
In addition to showcasing the video game industry’s innovation, this year’s E3 recognized the winners of the first annual E3 College Game Competition. More than 60 colleges and universities competed in the inaugural contest, which enabled student teams to submit original games for a chance to exhibit at E3. A distinguished panel of judges selected five finalists to present at E3, and named Savannah College of Art and Design’s Lost in Thought and The University of Wisconsin-Stout’s Flash Frozen as the co-winners. Each winning team received a special showcase and valuable networking opportunities at the show.
E3 also featured the fourth annual “Games and Learning Roundtable,” during which education experts, government officials, teachers, and industry representatives explored effective methods for harnessing video games and game technologies to transform education and raise awareness of important social issues. For example, Chris Fanning, executive director of the Outdoor Foundation, highlighted the Game On! App Challenge, a new contest launched in partnership with ESA that challenges kids to create mobile game apps or promote existing games that inspire youth to go outdoors and stay active. Representatives from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Institute of Play, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition also attended, and discussed projects and contests that provide engaging learning opportunities for the next generation.
Video and pictures of E3 2013’s biggest press conferences, interviews with industry leaders, and exhibitor displays are available at: http://www.e3insider.com/. E3 2014 will take place June 10-12, 2014 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
