I sit here on an airplane to Los Angeles. Half believing that I am about to realize a dream I’ve had since I was a child…Attend the Electronic Entertainment Expo as press for this wonderful website I’ve become a part of.
There are some parts of me that don’t believe this is actually happening. How did a kid from the Midwest, with no real achievements in his life end up going to the largest gaming convention in the world? I’ve asked myself that question every day since I got the email confirming I was accepted into E3 as part of Senshudo. I don’t understand it myself, but I’m so thankful I’m here.
When I was a kid, I loved video games. On second thought, love is not the right word...I was obsessed with video games. Games of all kinds on many different platforms of the time (Nintendo 64, Sony Playstation, and PC were my mainstays). Over the years, my love of video games has grown into something that I consider being a job; playing them and writing about them for Senshudo TV. The stories, the art, the music…I love it all. I wouldn’t trade the hours I’ve spent immersed in video game worlds for anything.
So to be sitting on a plane heading to the conference where gamers dreams can come true in a heartbeat or be crushed just as quickly is fascinating to me. E3 was always this illustrious thing that only important people got to attend.
E3, to me is more than the announcements, more than the conferences. E3 is about bringing people together from all around the world to celebrate a love of gaming and entertainment. It’s one of the only places in the world where you can unite under a common goal and everyone is accepted for who they are…Gaming nerds! E3 is about the connections you make with the people you meet. Be it at the convention itself, or online in a game that was announced here. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Stew and Dave both of whom I met online. E3 is about passion. Each of these companies presenting games this week has passion. Be it for their fans, their product, or the money the games make them the passion is undeniable. Sure the press conferences can be hokey scripted affairs (I’m looking at you, Microsoft 2013) but it takes hours upon hours of preparation to make those conferences happen and don’t tell me that doesn’t take passion and heart. From the game developers and designers, some of whom have never spoken in public much or at all, to the head honchos of various companies standing on that stage…Each and every one of them is there for US. To show us what they have been working so passionately and so hard on.
I’m grateful that I am here, and cannot wait to share these experiences we have this week with our community and the world. I hope you’ll join us on this journey and enjoy what you see! Share it with your friends, your family, your enemies (they’ll surely become friends!) We’re so proud to be here representing YOU.
That is what E3 means to me...So I ask you...What does E3 mean to you?