E3 Board In Talks About Making Show Public

It's a rumor that's been circling since the E3 Expo wrapped earlier this summer, that the show will return to all of its glory with all new approved access to the public.

The latest word we've heard is that the idea has been officially brought forward and is in discussion by the board of the Entertainment Software Association. That means the possibility of an open E3 is one step closer to reality, if the rumor is true.

The question now is, is the move, if it happens, too little, too late? Can anything save E3 at this point or was this year's event and the across-the-board negative reactions to it the final nail in the show's coffin?

Shacknews got confirmation that S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky, for the PC, faces a delay of "a few days" after its revised drop date of Sept. 5 but, more importantly, there is a recall in effect for any copies of the game that have already shipped to North American retailers. This doesn't affect the game's European release date (also Sept. 5).

Publisher Deep Silver had to recall the copies because of a printing error that left the game distributed without CD keys (that detail comes via Blue's News forums, which also have claims that some retailers are listing the game's new release as Sept. 15).

Now, obvious question, WTF about getting it via Steam? Hrm. Steam says it's available Sept. 6 — think rationally, what are the odds something goes out digitally before its commercial release? So consider that a moving target date that only means "not Sept. 5."

In the end, it's some bona fide facepalm when a game is delayed a second time (original date was supposed to be Friday) and then called back because of a printing error.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky Delayed Again, Recalled from North American Retailers [Shacknews]

Will Wright Says E3 Is "The Walking Dead"

Whoah, little late on the post-E3 navel-gazing aren't we, Will? That's OK. Spore's probably been keeping you very busy. Anyway, Wright's message is a little different from the usual "love it/hate it" thing. He's just sad that it's dead and doesn't know it.

It almost feels like a zombie at this point; it's the walking dead. It's such an abrupt end to what was E3, which had been this huge escalating arms race....Right now we're in this kind of dicey, do we have an event, what event is it, which one do we go to? I think we're in an uncomfortable transition zone when really the real E3 died a couple of years ago.

Probably the best analogy yet. You can't bring it back, it's already dead, so all that's left is either let it keep wandering around causing harm or suck it up and put it out of its misery.

Will Wright: E3 is "the walking dead" [Gamesindustry.biz] [Image]

E For All? More Like N For Nobody, Right?

Last year's E for All show kinda sucked. Then again, at least last year's E for All had some exhibitors. This year's show is looking like a complete dud, as with only six weeks to go before the thing kicks off the number of confirmed, big-name publishers stands at...two. EA and Microsoft. With Eidos still thinking about it. Those publishers not going include *deep breath* Activision, Capcom, Sony, 2K, Ubisoft, Midway, Atari, Sega, LucasArts, Sony Online, Square Enix, Codemasters and Gamecock. Just to name a "few". Maybe next year they can do the smart thing, call it a day and just roll it into E3, let the public in ala TGS and GC.

Most major game publishers bypassing 2008 E For All Expo [Big Download Blog]

New Mirror's Edge Gameplay Trailer Shows Free Running Acrobatic Insanity

Even though Mirror's edge made Ashcraft a little ill at E3, the game looks like it's going to be one hell of a ride. This quick paced gameplay trailer gives us a little taste of what we can expect.

KORE Resurrected for Wii from '03 Xbox Title

Here's the debut trailer for "K.O.R.E.", which we're told is the resurrected The Kore Gangthat was planned for Xbox way, waaaay back earlier in the decade. Now the "outvasion from inner space" is coming to Wii. Looks like a madcap action/platform sort of in the style of Destroy All Humans. You get to run around as one of three mad scientist aliens in funky exoskeletons. The developer is Snap Dragon Games. So do you like teh "K.O.R.E."? Do you not like? There's an 11-minute gameplay video on the jump if you want a closer look. No word on release date.

Nintendo Says "Thank You" For Watching Its E3 Press Conference

E3 2008 is over. Finished. But Nintendo hasn't forgotten and is sending out thank you notes, thanking folks for attending its presser. The letter reads: "THANK YOU for attending our E3 media briefing. Nintendo aims to bring people engaging experiences...to make them smile...and we hope we provided you at least a little of that during our event." Below that, it's signed by Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime, vice president of corporate affairs Denise Kaigler and vice president of sales & marketing Cammie Dunaway. Regardless of what you thought of Nintendo's E3 press conference (eh...), classy of them to send out thank you notes.

Publisher Deep Silver is teaming up partners GSC Game World, Ascaron Entertainment, and Game Life to form a rather impressive presence at the Games Convention 2008 next week. On the more hardcore side of things we'll see a definite slant towards PC gaming, with the adventure game Secret Files 2 - Puritas Cordis, Piranha Bytes new RPG Risen, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky, and X3: Terran Conflict, along with the Sacred 2: Fallen Angel for the PC, PS3, and 360 and their Wii survival horror game Curs3ed Mountain.

They'll also be showing off a range of family-friendly DS titles, including their Let's Play line (Let's Play Teacher, Let's Play Vet...Let's Play Doctor, perhaps?), along with two pet sims from Game Life - Horse Life and Baby Life. Okay, so a baby isn't technically a pet. They'd just be much more enjoyable if you treated them as such. "Honey, did you let the baby out?" See? Much more entertaining. Hit the jump for more details on Deep Silver's line up!

Does Kotaku Manscape?

E3 was pretty hectic for me, so I only vaguely remember Flynn and the GayGamer crew pulling me aside to answer me several questions, most of which were gaming related. Thankfully they've been posting a series of videos called "My Scrapbook of Precious E3 Memories, in which members of the gaming press offer up their opinions of the import topics of the show, such as Favorite Game, Worst Game, Pet Peeves, and the most important question of them all, "Do you manscape?"

Manscaping is what a man does to maintain his appearance, generally referring to certain places that shall remain nameless. Aren't you dying to know our answers? Hit the link below to see McWhertor, Ashcraft and I handle the question with varying degrees of tact, and be sure to check out the whole series for more opinions we'll probably regret having put to video later.

My Video Scrapbook of Precious E3 Memories Part 8: Do You Manscape? [GayGamer.net]

Do E3 Awards Really Matter?

On Tuesday we posted the official Best of E3 awards, but do they really make a difference? Do what the critics feel are the best of the best actually translate into higher sales? UBS analyst Ben Schachter seems to think so, compiling this handy chart to prove it.

"Do awards translate into higher sales? The answer is yes, but not always. Additionally certain categories have a higher correlation between awards and sales. Since these awards began in 1998, the Best Console title has sold an average of 2.42 million units life-time in the U.S., according to NPD," Schachter explained.

Poor Jet Grind Radio. Had my beloved Dreamcast not taken a fall you would have been right up there as well. Schacter goes on to mention that while this works for Best Console title, it doesn't work across all categories, notable Best In Show, with past winners including the PSP and Gamecube, both of which performed poorly in the face of competition.

E For All Sees Fatal1ty Is A Selling Point

The E for All Expo folks have just announced that professional E-sportsman Jonathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel will be returning to their 2nd Annual shindig as "the face" of the show. He'll be on hand during the show to sign autographs, conduct demonstrations, take on challengers, and maybe - just maybe - deliver one of his trademark sly smiles.

“There is no one else in the video game industry quite like Fatal1ty and we’re thrilled he’s returning to E for All,” said Mary Dolaher, Chief Executive Officer of IDG World Expo, the leading producer of world-class tradeshows and events around the globe. “He’ll bring much excitement and attention to the show and we’re eager to see him interact with the fans, which is what he does best.”

I had always assumed gaming was what he did best, but there you go. Are there actually people out there who would go to E for All specifically to meet this guy? I can understand going for the games, the camaraderie, the excitement, and perhaps the games again, but just to meet a guy with a number in his name that doesn't rap? I just don't see it.

Game Critics Best of E3 By the Numbers

You've had a chance to digest the raw data of who won what from the Game Critics Best of E3 awards. Now here's a bit of fuel for that angry fanboy deep inside you: A run down of all of the 2008 Best of E3 Game Critics Awards stats.

Platform Breakdown By Number Of Wins
Xbox 360: 8 (Down three from 2007)
PlayStation 3: 7 (Down one from 2007)
PC: 7 (Up three from 2007)
Wii: 1 (Same as 2007)
PSP: 2

But wait, that's just the tip of the iceberg. The Game Critics folks have also broken down wins by publisher. Electronic Arts took home the most wins, despite taking one less category this year than last year. Sony was in second with three total wins and Bethesda in third. Microsoft rounded up the list, while Nintendo didn't win a single award as a publisher.

Game Critics Announce Best of E3 Winners

Fallout 3 and LittleBigPlanet tied for the game with the most awards handed out for this year's Game Critics Best of E3 awards.

Fallout 3 landed the coveted Best of Show award as well as Best Role Playing Game, while LittleBigPlanet landed Best Console Game and Best Social/Casual/Puzzle Game. However LBP was passed up for Best Original Game, with Mirror's Edge getting the nod instead.

Hit up the jump for the full list of winners and feel free to look back at our votes and the full finalist list, to see how they compare.

Kotaku's Picks for Game Critics Best of E3 Awards

Last week the Game Critics Best of E3 finalists were announced with much fanfare and debate.

Today, I turned in Kotaku's official ballot for who we think the winners should be. I have to say this was one of the harder years to judge. In particular you had games like Left 4 Dead, Fallout 3 and LittleBigPlanet all vying for the same awards and let's not forget Spore, Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero World Tour, LEGO Batman, etc, etc.

Hit up the jump for our official ballot and then chime in to explain how we got it all wrong.

Hollenshead: E3 Was Pretty Much a Disappointment to Everyone

"E3 this year, in my opinion, it was pretty much disappointing to everybody" id CEO Todd Hollenshead told me early today during an interview. "The press were disappointed, the people I talked to in the industry are disappointed, almost everyone agree that that was the wrong way to do it."

It's too early to tell if the shrinking E3 has helped bolster id's own id-centric annual show QuakeCon. Usually id Software waits until the Saturday of the show to get official attendance numbers.

But Hollenshead is already sure that QuakeCon is the right way to host a gaming conference.

So of course I took a look at my roommate situation and saw that Michael Fahey and I were going to be bunk mates for the next few days. No more than a minute later I get this hysterical laugh from Owen on instant message. "Adam, good luck trying to sleep BWA HA HA HA" he says. I was dumbfounded. There was no way I could have possibly been prepared for what was in store.

My E3 dreams were shattered when it came time to go to sleep. The great thing about being the Kotaku video intern (at the time) was that I got to capture all of the wonderful Hallmark moments. Video, after the jump

E3 2008 Predictions: How'd We Do?

Let's just say we shant be getting any job offers to be Michael Pachter's trusted aide, as our incorrect guesses about what we thought we'd see at E3 this year grossly outnumbered our correct ones. In our defense, we cast a wide net with our E3 '08 predictions, with some clearly outrageous bets that were ground more in fantasy than reality. Plus, E3 sucked.

While we were surprised to see a lack of X-waggle and to learn that Kid Icarus was a no-show, that Duffy performance clearly came out of nowhere. Hit the jump for the final tally and keep your eyes peeled for the winner — and possible tie-breaker — of our E3 Fantasy Betting Pool contest. Woot!

Every year I vote on a number of different game of the year, best of E3, best of whatever awards and every year I run into the same problem: The categories never really work for me. Often it ends up feeling like you're trying to squeeze a round peg into a square hole and hope for the best.

Thing is, I don't really have a solution. Take for instance today's news of the Game Critics' Best of E3 finalists. Check out those categories.

Best Social/Casual/Puzzle Game
Best Online Multiplayer Game
Best Action Game
Best Action/Adventure Game

Heck this year there were even a few that didn't get enough votes to make the cut.