Nintendo have this morning announced that they won’t be holding an E3 press conference. “At E3 this year, we are not planning to launch new hardware, and our main activity at E3 will be to announce and have people experience our software,” says a statement.
“We will use E3 as an ideal opportunity to talk in detail mainly about the Wii U titles that we are going to launch this year, and we also plan to make it possible for visitors to try the games immediately,” it continues.
“As a brand new challenge, we are working to establish a new presentation style for E3.”
Nintendo’s last couple of E3 conferences have been a little iffy, whilst their pre-recorded Direct shows have been much punchier – it’s wise that they’re opting out this year.
“We decided not to host a large-scale presentation targeted at everyone in the international audience where we announce new information as we did in the past. Instead, at the E3 show this year, we are planning to host a few smaller events that are specifically focused on our software lineup for the U.S. market.”
Nintendo will hold closed and specific events for distributors and the Western gaming media. And, of course, have all their latest games playable on the show floor.
“Apart from these exclusive events for visitors, we are continuing to investigate ways to deliver information about our games directly to our home audience around the time of E3,” says the company. “We will share more information about them once they have officially been decided.”
Sony is expected to talk more about the PS4’s hardware at their pre-E3 show, and Microsoft, who will have shown their new console in May, will focus on games.
uncharted86
Is it to hide the lacklustre third party support for Wii U?
Alex C
No. It’s so they can concentrate on showing their games the best way they can. Whilst recently has been via the Direct shows.
Peter Chapman
This makes sense now that the vast majority of your audience is watching via a live stream anyway. Any big news coming out of E3 press shows is generally coming from people sitting in an office, watching a live stream – the people who attend are too busy attending to type up the myriad news items that come.
So, like Sony did in February and MS will do at the end of May, you make your own event, capture your own audience and take away the competition for ears and eyes that E3 has. I’d expect everyone else to start dropping their expensive E3 press shows over the next few years – it’s just not the best use of resources any more.
Alex C
E3 should just be the show floor and halls. People equate the conferences to E3 and they’re not linked at all.
KeRaSh
This makes me a little sad. Throughout my whole childhood E3 was the event to look out for to get a glimpse at the newest games and consoles. Now it’s slowly coming to an end. I wish there was some sense of tradition when it comes to these things…
Peter Chapman
I agree but there’s no room for tradition or sentiment in a billion dollar industry, unfortunately
jimmy-google
E3 is an event that reaches outside the traditional gaming circles more than any other, console announcements draw crowds but game focused presentations and streams don’t get close to an E3 press conference.
Its also a great place to announce new IP. Would watch dogs or star wars 1313 have got the press they did if it weren’t at E3? I’m not so sure
Alex C
Don’t agree at all. Sony did just fine with the PS4 reveal with getting the news out there. Far more than they would have lost in the noise at E3.
Peter Chapman
yep, the mainstream awareness of Move Vs Kinect just after both were announced (and still today…) is evidence that you can announce something with far superior practical applications at E3 and still have it ignored by the easily distracted.
jimmy-google
As I said console announcements draw crowds. The market cost for the PS4 one was big, something you don’t need to spend on when announcing at E3
gazzagb
Makes perfect sense, all eyes will be on Sony and MS for the hardware for their conferences, while Nintendo can let their games do the talking on the show floor as its unlikely many next gen games will be available from Sony and MS.
jimmy-google
If they plan to release this year the games well be payable