The Electronics Entertainment Expo, or E3 as it is fondly known, has become a grand tradition in the gaming community. It’s a ceremony to celebrate all things gaming, where industry members not only exhibit and report on upcoming games, hardware, and business developments, but come together, crammed into meeting halls, theaters, and press rooms as one big, happy family.
It’s also a yearly exploration of downtown LA for those of us not native to the City of Angels, and the complete E3 adventure is far more than the news stories, game previews, and video interviews might reveal. With that in mind, I’ve decided to share a collection of photos here on GamerNode as the week progresses, with the hope that I can share the boots-on-the-ground experience a little bit better than our usual show coverage.
Welcome to E3 2014!
E3 takes over much of downtown Los Angeles with banners, flags, billboards, etc.
Press quietly checking in for Sony’s press conference.
All these press conference wristbands are cutting off Jason’s Circulation.
People are all about backpack decoration at E3.
LAPD officers are always on hand at the various E3 events.
E3 is exciting in every language! These guys are from Chile!
This wise man found a solution to the wristband problem.
Lots of video footage is shot, just about everywhere. Like this example, in line for the Microsoft press conference.
People play games on stages. Even Insomniac President Ted Price does it! He’s playing Sunset Overdrive here.
Publishers try to make it fun for everyone. It’s like a carnival with these Sunset Overdrive characters and themed bus.
And apparently this is a hirable Uber vehicle with a Call of Duty theme!
Sometimes people carry Microsoft-themed sun parasols!
The E3 foot traffic may rival the infamous LA automobile traffic. On second thought, no it doesn’t.
The press room sees many games journalists working hard on E3 stories.
Media badgeholders pick up their credentials here.
It’s always a good time at the Sony press conference.
There’s plenty of food at Sony’s press conference.
Sony’s press conference is a deep blue to oppose Microsoft’s signature green.
Andrew House leads Sony’s presentation.
Real people watch virtual people.
Sometimes the devs really surprise us.
Hello Games plans to bring us No Man’s Sky and solidify procedural generation as a design philosophy.
The night ends with an UBER car ride back to the hotel.
Nintendo is hosting a Smash Bros. tournament this year. Look at that line of Smashers!
The press room is home to games journos writing furiously to meet deadlines.
This is what the space outside of West Hall looks like before the show begins on day 1.
The Order: 1886 impressed both me and this young lady in Sony’s private meeting room.
A bit of LittleBigPlanet 3 (read: joy)? Sure, why not? Spoiler: it feels just about the same, but better.
Not all games are gruff men shooting automatic weapons throughout gray cityscapes.
Decompressing in front of West Hall after a long day.
The Ouya is tiny (portable!) and has some rad games. The controller is way more comfortable than it looks.
The 110 freeway cutting through downtown Los Angeles at night. (Moments later, I stepped in dog crap.)
EA put me in a police precinct set before rushing a group of booth attendees out to play Battlefield: Hardline.
EA went all-out with their booth decorations.
Activision spared no expense with this theater full of recliners to watch Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.
E3 is larger than life.
There was even physical activity! Players competed for the fastest time, from CoD to push-ups. Who won it all? Yours truly.
Zombies at an after-hours party!