My history stretches back to the inaugural E3. There was a time when nobody had any idea what game manufacturers were going to present.
And honestly, that’s the way it should be.
Sure, we all had hopes. We all wanted to see certain things from the presenters. But just about everything we ended up seeing on that stage was a surprise, just because the Internet hadn’t entirely ruined our anticipation and excitement.
The E3 2014 conferences are nearly four weeks off and yet, given all the recent leaks, we may not have any surprises. At this point, it has become a matter of waiting for presentations we already know are coming. How is that any fun?
The era of instant gratification
Yes, I know. Everyone would rather know now, due to a combination of the worst attention spans in the history of mankind and the “information age.” It’s always better to have it now as opposed to later. It’s like modern society’s religion.
However, you can’t deny that when E3 finally rolls around (and remember, we’ve got several more weeks of information and details), there will be a very different vibe in the gaming community: Rather than excited anticipation, we’ll likely feel indifferent expectation. So what if Sony ends its conference with a fantabulous Uncharted 4 demo? Everyone is expecting it to happen, anyway. Therefore, when it does show up, there won’t be any great response from the audience, and if it doesn’t show up, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear boos.
This is what the curse of instant gratification addiction does: It renders the achievement of a wish ineffectual. The old adage, “the anticipation of getting something is often better than actually getting it” doesn’t apply to the gaming industry these days. And that’s sad.
It’s the SURPRISES that generated so much buzz, not merely the realization of the expected
If you look at the history of previous E3 presentations, you’ll notice that everyone remembers the surprises. There are always a few, and they help to generate more interest in the industry in general. If we know everything ahead of time and we’re simply waiting on confirmations, the excitement will have seeped out of the experience. By the time E3 actually gets here, I wonder what the game companies can do to get any attention at all.
Yes, obviously, the big games will get plenty of attention. Also, hearing about all this great gameplay scheduled to be presented isn’t the same as actually seeing it. That being said, not knowing about it when you walk through those doors is a much more heady experience. You watch: When Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo doesn’t announce something they were rumored to announce, all the journalists will ask why it didn’t happen. That’s what will make headlines; not what did get revealed, but what didn’t.
That’s what these leaks will cause.
I can’t be the only one who feels this way… can I?
