World of Warcraft, and lack of it, at E3
by Mike Schramm 
Jul 21st 2008 at 7:30PM
I was lucky enough to go to E3 this year with the Joystiq crew last week, and while I had planned to cover some stories about WoW for you guys, the biggest story I came back with was: that there was no story. I didn't hear or see World of Warcraft mentioned once. When Blizzard said they were not showing at E3, they meant it -- I didn't even hear a competitor mention their name.There was one mention of Blizzard at the Activision press conference on Tuesday. Mike Griffith name-dropped Blizzard once just to say the merger had happened, but there was nothing at all about World of Warcraft or any of Blizzard's properties. And I had planned to try out the Novint Falcon controller with WoW. I did try it out, and it is an interesting, if expensive, PC game controller, but Novint told me they didn't have it working in a form they wanted to show off with World of Warcraft yet.
Kind of strange that the biggest game in the world didn't get a single mention at the biggest game show in the world, but then again, it's not that weird when you consider that E3 has scaled way down by magnitudes from past years. Companies aren't as interested in the event when there are many, many other ways to market and show off their games to journalists, and considering that Blizzard has invested heavily in not one but two giant events of their own this year, it's no wonder they don't want to spend any money at E3. Shame that we couldn't bring you more WoW coverage from LA last week, but we'll be back there in October, and there'll be plenty of news to report then.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Events, WoW Social Conventions, Blizzard, BlizzCon, Worldwide Invitational
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
DougE Jul 21st 2008 7:53PM
Supposedly, Bliz is doing a session at the San Diego Comic-Con this Friday. I'd think having to choose between E3 and Comic-Con Bliz went for the better choice for exposure.
Kalis Jul 21st 2008 8:09PM
Simply put, E3 isn't the biggest game show in the world anymore. Since Blizzard has Blizzcon, E3's become irrelevant.
Kalis Jul 21st 2008 8:11PM
Um, the site's called WoWinsider. It's supposed to cover WoW. And I fail to see how that's "covering up" for anything.
eNoroX Jul 21st 2008 8:15PM
Jeez, who shat in your cheerios this morning.
Verses Jul 21st 2008 8:46PM
1. Shut up, if you don't like it, there's 10'000 more blogs that will offer better news for you.
2. It's WOW INSIDER, these people are passionate enough to write news for us about BLIZZARD AND WOW, you don't go on a Cat blog and say: WTF!?!?!? I WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT DOGSS !!
3. Seriously, don't read it if you don't like it
4. Everyone who gives his life to write a blog about WoW is a Fanboy/girl, Fanboys/girls don't understand the concept of impartiality, and that's how we like it.
5. lawl I voted you comment down :P :P :P :P
Painhealer Jul 21st 2008 9:06PM
Like many other companies, Blizzard has chosen to selectively attend events that will provide them the most benefit, for both the company and their customers.
Don't have anything to announce, don't go. Doesn't provide access to your target market, don't go. Simple and sound business decision.
It does make great fodder for blogs and reporters who must report every insignificant detail. Not that it's actually news or noteworthy, it's simply a fact-based observation and it satisfies the word-count requirement to publish.... sigh
DirtyPriest Jul 21st 2008 10:01PM
Blizzard has their own dedicated shows for their announcements now and plus they can work on their schedule too. Besides, E3 sucks nowadays and its audience is more inline with console gaming too.
PimpyMicPimp Jul 21st 2008 10:55PM
Are you really that surprised? Blizzard always announces it's big things at it's own events. Blizzcon is a few months away and we just had WWI. Blizzard makes it's own hype. They don't need E3.
God, I sounded fanboyish, but you know it's true. Blizzard is almost an industry unto itself.
Metatron Jul 21st 2008 11:34PM
Yes Mike we all know you went to E3 well done, its not that big a deal even with it being press only this year (which it really isn't... fansites still go... I should know)
Secondly as already stated E3 is going the way of the dodo interms of big news releases and major information releases especially in the field of PC gaming, which is something you should know if you attended it.
Thirdly like also already stated it is mainly a console market convention, which in recent years has become more of a media market circus rather than a news outlet for such information for consoles, the one in germany provides more news worthy information these days.
And last but not least blizzard runs the MMO industry and they have no need what so ever for E3 (regardless of sounding fanboyish or not). They would increase their internal costs if they visited such an event and if they did visit they would have to put the effort in, which is something not needed or wanted by them when they have BlizzCon annually and events like WWI.
So in closing this article really is null in void unless you wanted a third or fourth chance to tell us you did indeed go to E3... GZ /sigh...
P.s. Sorry If this sounded overly harsh or whatever but really this is just a waste of space on an otherwise amazing WoW related blog. Props to WoWinsider but not to this post... seriously...
Anyway much love and all
PimpyMicPimp Jul 21st 2008 11:36PM
If you reply to a comment, you really should have something to say about said comment. The use of other people to bump up the listing of what you have to say is the worst part of this site.
Leviathon Jul 21st 2008 11:19PM
It's been known for months that Blizzard left the ESA and wasn't going to be at E3.
Ancalimon Jul 22nd 2008 11:36AM
Verses put it perfectly: 4. Everyone who gives his life to write a blog about WoW is a Fanboy/girl, Fanboys/girls don't understand the concept of impartiality, and that's how we like it.
It's like asking a Batman fan if Superman is better. sure he has more power, but in the end Batman will sound better in their opinion.
so Shut up and troll somewhere else nub
John Jul 22nd 2008 10:20AM
TO: Everyone who's complaining,
Not everyone is like us, not everyone Knows that Blizz wasn't going to E3, not everyone even knows what E3 is (or what it used to be), this article is for those people, a way to say, "Hey, there was this sorta big deal (not really, but it used to be) game convention last week, and, nope, there was no wow there"
To: Mike,
the reason why you "didn't even hear a competitor mention their name" is the same reason why political candidates never refer to their opponents by name (well usually, they say "My opponent"), because saying the name gives it power (not in a new age BS kinda way), but saying their competitor's name makes you think of their competitor, and makes you compare their game to WoW, they want you to stay focused on their game without bringing to mind their competitor's (and in politics it's b/c the electorate is stupid and sometimes will vote for the name they've heard the most, or the most recently)
Stgimbles Jul 23rd 2008 1:36PM
Well, that's understandable, Blizzard has it's own E3, and it's called BlizzCon xD
Thander Jul 22nd 2008 3:18PM
I used to follow E3 news closely when it was the big party every year. It was the only place for all the big announcements. Now, most companies hold their own events to showcase their games and announcements.