By Ryan Nakamura
Staff Writer
Photo by Ryan Nakamura
The ambience of the annual E3 event was filled with anticipation and excitement as thousands of people poured into the LA Convention Center. E3 is the world’s leading trade show for video games ranging from mobile and computer devices as well as other related products. At E3, the video game industry’s top talent fill the Los Angeles Convention Center, bringing tens of thousands of the best, brightest, and most innovative professionals to display their ideas and technology.
The five day exhibit housed some of the most anticipated video games yet to be released to the public. Popular companies including Ubisoft, Bethesda, Warner Brothers, and Microsoft held gaming booths to allow visitors to demo their new games. Once I entered the convention, I immediately sought after the most popular games. Well received titles like Battlefield 1 required me to wait for nearly for only 15 minutes of playing time. Yet as I wrapped up playing, I was surprised to find people eagerly returning back to the line to play it again.
Many companies give away free products to advertise their brand. While most companies passed out free items to the guests, some got a bit more creative. One particular booth that stood out to me was the NBA 2k sports exhibit. In order to receive a coin etched with Kobe Bryant on it, participants had to make a free throw. As I watched from the line, it was apparent that many people hadn’t even touched a basketball before, aside from their NBA2K16 video game that is. But I converted my first shot to earn the coveted coin and moved on to the next booth.
The convention also featured a large presence of the increasingly popular Virtual Reality games. One booth I particularly enjoyed was driving a stationary car through a demolition derby and have the car shake from hitting another vehicle as if it were happening in real life. I also had the opportunity to ride a roller coaster, fly in a spaceship, and use a skateboard to roll down San Francisco streets.
The atmosphere of E3 was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, and a large part of it is that E3 appeals to many different types of people. Whether you’re a music fan, a sports fanatic, or someone looking to experience video games for the first time, there is always something to enjoy at the annual event.
