The ESA (Entertainment Software Association) is one of the largest video game lobbyist groups (much like the NRA for the gun industry) in the United States, although that may not be true for long. Recently a mass exodus of developers, including Activision-Blizzard, the largest video game publisher in the world, has the future of the ESA in doubt.

It is the ESA’s job to lobby and represent video game publishers in Washington, officially stating that the ESA is

“dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies that publish video and computer games for video game consoles, personal computers, and the Internet.”

With the exit of publishers Activision-Blizzard, LucasArts, and Id Software one has to wonder if the ESA has not been doing its job to a level that these companies see fit for their investments. One of the most popular rumors as to explain for the decisions is the dislike for the current ESA head Mike Gallagher.

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Alas, here we are. It’s late May in 2008, and there is something missing. It’s certainly not the first year, and unfortunately it won’t be the last. The Electronics Entertainment Expo is, as we knew it, gone. If you can recall, mid-May used to be the exciting time of the year for gamers. The equivalent of the comic industry’s San Diego Comic-Con, E3 was the mecca of fandom and press for video games, with the big companies announcing new hardware, games, innovations, and giving rousing press conferences. Remember the big-to-do about Reggie? All of it started at E3. Nowadays, E3 still exists, but in a form that is unrecognizable. Gone are the outrageous booths with playable demos and scantily clad women; what we have now is simply a lineup of press conferences. These still could prove to be exciting I suppose, but really, what’s the point?

I remember when I was younger, wishing that I could miraculously get a job at Babbage’s or Electronics Boutique (before they were all one in the same) so I could be a part of the “industry” and thus get to attend E3 as an industry person and play all the latest and greatest. That this dream will never be fulfilled is not what disappoints me. What truly sucks about it is that E3 was a week that usually blew your mind. Announcements came out of left field, and gamers peed their pants in excitement.

Granted, most of us could never go, so we got our news fed to us via video game websites, but think of their losses as well. That week in May probably provided a vast increase in traffic for these sites, with gamers looking for any info they can grab. Streaming videos, press conferences, interviews, and screen shots were all the rage. I know that we still get access to these things, and that there are still other trade shows, but it was the electricity of E3 that separated it from all the rest.

I think what truly irks me about the loss of E3, granted I’m sure that it cost everyone a great deal of money , is that this represents the moment that gaming truly stopped being what seemed like a tight knit group of counter-culture degenerates and became something else entirely. Yes, I know that gaming has been in the mainstream for many a year now, but still, with an industry as big as that to have such a close connection with fans is rare, and now it is effectively killed. Video games have become like the movie business, shrouded in secrecy and speculation until official announcements are made through a press conference or statement. Boring.

I know sales are great, and gaming has a spectacular future. I just want a show that will get me excited for the upcoming year. What better way to do that than to hold an over the top convention for the sole purpose of pumping everyone up? Perhaps someday, the fun will be resurrected.

-Joey Esposito