Tiny Diggers – An iPad Construction Truck Game for Kids Age 2-5

First off, I will say that we are covering E for All (unless they take my invite after this), because it is a gaming event, but after losing the World Series of Video Games as a main event, and not getting such companies as Microsoft and Sony to show up at the event, I have to wonder why this gaming festival still exists at this point in time. And I say, at this time, because I still have a feeling it will be postponed or even cancelled.

Why would I want to see a gaming festival go away? Because I don’t think E for All is going to deliver on the experience that people want to get from it and it will just leave a bad taste in every gamer’s mouth. Gamers are going to this thing expecting an E3 2006 experience, and when they see what they are actually getting, they will be disappointed.

E for All originally came out as an idea after it was announced that E3 2007 would be invitation only. A lot of the people that normally would get into E3 by dubious means would be locked out. And the complaints were loud and verocious. So IDG came up with the idea of putting together a fan expo for gamers. Basically to give the gamers what they would not get in 2007.

The clamor for E for All got even louder after some journalists decried E3 2007 this year. Even in the beginning of the event, I was complaining about all the walking and the lack of a unified space. But after experiencing the whole event and realizing how much face time and game time I got due to the lack of crowds, I really enjoyed it. I then realized why the companies were complaining about the E3 of old. All the money they would spend to promote a game to people that were not even going to promote the games. Most were there for the booth babes and swag. It reminded me a bit of CES when people would go to a counter and not ask for info about the product, but what they were giving away.

But the fans would not let up. E for All is the wave of the future and E3 is a memory were heard time and time again on forums across the Internet. But as we got closer to the event date, things started to unravel for the IDG guys. Konami dropped out. Then Sony said they would pass on the event. Microsoft, held out for awhile, but they also gave the event a pass. Even as late as last week, the E for All folkes were having to assure the masses that EA was still involved. They removed the exhibitor list from the website as well, instead opting for people who are attending to ask for one to be emailed shortly before the show.

It got worse when they showed up at PAX a few weeks ago handing out fliers telling people to show up at E for All, almost in a desparate plea for attendees. Even our site which did not have a press invite, saying we did not have sufficient Alexa numbers, suddenly got a full VIP press invite. We were pre-registered guests and would have extra access to the floor and booths at E for All in October. It has become an all out blitz to get people registered for the event, most likely to inflate attendence.

I am sure that John Q. Public disagrees and wants to see this event succeed, because it will give them a chance to see all the games of the future that will come out with their own eyes. But if none of the bigwigs are showing up, then what games do they think they will get to play? And when they have to sit through tons of marketing one-liners and lots of promotional speak, they will start to get a bit bored with the event.

So, I wish these guys good luck, but I honestly think that the best thing for the E for All event is to have it go away. They just look so bad with this thing, with the heavy hitters staying away, and losing big attractions like the World Series of Video Games. At this point, I am going into this thing making sure to try to get video of the whole thing, because to be honest, I think it is going to be a train wreck of an event. Again, that is if it even happens.