Microsoft's Xbox, a pillar of gaming, won’t be seen on the show floor of 2018’s E3. But this is not an abandonment of E3, it’s actually more of an up𒊎grade. Rather than being one booth among many, Xbox is getting the entire Microsoft Theatre to itself for what it calls its “biggest showing ever.”
Ever since E3 opened its doors to fans last year, gaming companies have had to switch up their approach to E3. Nintendo had to restructure its booth mid-show in order to accommodate the huge lines for Super Mario Odyssey demos. Microsoft seems to be preempting aꦕn expected increase in trafficℱ now that E3 organizer ESA has decided to sell even more public tickets this year.
The Microsoft Theatre is right across the street from the Los Angeles Convention Center, where E3 is held. This will make it so𓂃 that fans won’t have to travel far to see Xbox, and will provide a lot more space for game demos. Perhaps it will be the thing to alleviate the dreaded E3 lines. Since Xbox also doesn’t have to play by the LA Convention Center’s rules, it is providing industry attendees with specia♑l industry-only hours. Finally, the Microsoft Theatre will also host the E3 Xbox presentation on Sunday, June 10th.
Even with all that going on, Microsoft itself will still have a presence on the E3 show floor. say that it will come in the form of a booth for Mixer, the new🀅 streaming service Microsoft hopes will be a competitor for Twitch. Since Mixer’s brand is focused on interactive streaming, the booth with broadcast demos of Xbox games and even provide equipment and space for attendees to host streams of their own.
As advertising and delivering news on video games becomes more social media-based, it makes sense for companies to cater more directly to the fans. As mu💎ch as industry people seem to dislike it, E3 becoming a fan-friendly event is probably the best move the show can make. So it’s encouraging to see companies like Microsoft basing their E3 plans around showing more to the fans at home, and interacting more with the fans at the show. Perhaps this will be the start of many shakeups at E3.