Just for games and gamers: IDG explains E for All
- March 29, 2007 00:00 AM PST
IDG World Expo's Mary Dolaher speaks with GamePro, explaining some of the finer points of the Entertainment for All Expo.
By Eugene Huang
Earlier today, we revealed that Nintendo would be signing up for the Entertainment for All Expo, which kicks off at the Los Angeles Convention Center on October 18th before ending on the 21st. To supplement the news, we caught up with Mary Dolaher, executive vice president of IDG World Expo, the group in charge of organizing the festivities. Here's what she had to say:
How many gamers are you currently anticipating to be in attendance at E for All?
It's a little too early to tell, but at the moment, we're expecting figures of anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000. So far, the internet response on our website has been tremendous, with over 12,000 requests for information within the few weeks that we've made the initial announcement for the show.
Incidentally, for those looking to book tickets, we're also looking to add ticket registration to our website very soon. I'd really like to say it'll be ready by May 12th, but it will most likely be sometime in late May.
What kind of gamers are you expecting at E for All? Do you expect more in terms of hardcore gamers, or do you think they'll be a large number of casual gamers in attendance?
We're expecting a pretty solid mix, but not exactly an even split. We expect more of the "hardcore" gamers to come in on Thursday and Friday. To prepare for their arrival, we have a lot of special programs in store for them, so stay tuned as we make further announcements in the coming months. For the Saturday and Sunday of our show weekend, we expect a lot more of the casual audience to arrive. School will be out on the weekends, obviously, and that means a lot more families will be able to make the trip out to LA.
Could you elaborate more on the special programs that are being planned for those in attendance?
It's a little too early in the year right now, so we're not ready to announce anything at the moment. We'll be ready to make a more detailed announcement in about a month, sometime in late April.
But what we can say so far is that we're looking to book a fair number of celebrities. Some of these celebrities will be on hand to compete against gamers in special contests and tournaments. For instance, we might charter a famous rock star to play against gamers in, say, Guitar Hero. Please note that this isn't a formal announcement, of course, but just a hypothetical.
Ideally, these video events will also take place in the South Hall, which can accommodate 7,000 people. We also have a number of night time events scheduled, such as the Video Games Live concert that is to take place at the Nokia Theater on October 19th.
Why have you chosen the city of Los Angeles as an exhibition ground?
We did a lot of research regarding suitable locations, and the upwards of 15 million people who live in the metropolis of Los Angeles made us come to our final decision.
But just like E3 had been in years past, E for All will be an entertainment show, and what city would be better to host an entertainment show than the entertainment capital of the world? The fact that so many celebrities are based in the Southern California area makes LA a likely candidate. For instance, the Lakers are right next door at the Staples Center, so it's more than possible that a celebrity like, say, a Kobe Bryant, would be able to walk right into E for All and start shaking hands with gamers. Of course, once again, this is not an announcement, only an example.
What will be the driving point that will make gamers want to attend this conference?
Picture, if you will, a huge exhibition hall filled with the latest in video games. There are demos of products way before they hit store shelves, and a fascinating array of accessories that you can try firsthand. But this won't be for industry insiders or members of the media -- it'll be just for the gamers. The fact that ordinary people will be able to experience all that in one place is what I think will bring people to E for All.
And for those who don't want to have to drive from mall to mall, we'll also be devoting Kentia Hall to retail stores. Gamers will have the option of buying a wide array of products from retailers on-site.
And for gamers who want their opinions heard, we're offering them a chance to vote in a "People's Choice" awards of sorts. Gamers will be able to vote for which games they felt were "best in show".
There'll be a lot of excitement in store on the showroom floor -- the momentum will only continue to build in the weeks and months ahead.
Do you have any announcements to make regarding guest speakers?
Right now, it's a little too early to say anything definite. Sometimes a celebrity might have prior commitments, or sometimes, for instance, a sports star might get traded to another team across the country and won't be able to make it to the show. We're reserving formal announcements for special guests from the months between June and October.
What companies are currently signed up to appear?
We can't say much at this point in time. Unlike some other shows that aggressively market the fact that "Company X signed on meaning that Company Y and Z have to follow suit", we're taking more of a subdued approach. But we can say that 30% of the floor space has already been sold. More detailed announcements will be made in the future.
We would also like everyone to know that we will be opening up a space for a "College Pavilion". This will not only act as a means for colleges to recruit new students, but will also allow potential designers the opportunity to show their projects to publishers and get them out in the open.
Earlier today, you announced that Nintendo will be signing on as an exhibitor. In the past, Nintendo has gained a reputation as a company that's a little selective when it comes to the trade shows it attends, usually choosing instead to host their own events. Why do you think Nintendo decided to join forces with E for All?
For a more specific answer, you'd probably have to ask them, but we believe that their core development philosophy and our mission statement seemed to gel quite nicely. I think the company sees our show as a nice foray into the market.
But ultimately, I think what sets us apart from other trade shows is that we're not all about the glitz and the glamor. You're not going to see double decker booths with wild music pumping out of massive speakers. Our exhibitors aren't going to be spending around $8-10 million on decorations for a booth that won't even be reused for next year's show. Our trade show is all about content -- letting gamers play the games. I think a lot of companies will look at that and eagerly sign on.
