A Look Back at E3 2014

Another Electronic Entertainment Expo has come and gone, leaving us to ponder this year's show... and to look forward to next year. nearly 50,000 attendees from over 100 countries converged in Los Angeles for E3 2014, according to the ESA.

Attendees were treated to sights, sounds, samples and swag from around 200 exhibitors, with the latest and upcoming games, accessories, hardware, consoles and technologies for videogame and entertainment products. Additionally, over 300 buyers from retail stores participated in the VIP Retailer Program, providing them with top-level concierge, travel and hosting services.

One noteworthy aspect of E3 2014 was its thorough adoption - and domination - of social media and online networking. Gamers around the world watched live online as the big press conferences were presented. Nintendo broadcast a pre-recorded digital presentation, instead of a live press conference, utilizing digital not only as the delivery mechanism, but as a method to present content without the concern of crashes or botched demos. According to the ESA, E3 2014 broke its previous records across all social media channels, recording over two million posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, combined and over 100 unique E3-related topics trending not only in the United States, but worldwide.

The ESA has announced that E3 2015 will be at the L.A.C.C. in Los Angeles again, taking place on June 16th-18th, 2015. Think of this as a sort of "save the date" for next year, so you don't plan anything else during the time that you're going to want to be following everything videogame as it's announced at E3 2015. On the other hand, no one following E3 should be surprised about the location; with very few exceptions, E3 is, generally, held there. However, the contract behind that was renewed back in 2013... but for only three years. That means that, yes, E3 2015 will be there, but E3 2016's location is not yet determined. Perhaps it's time to have one in Atlanta, again? Or will they choose the East coast? Personally, I hope they choose a venue that is large enough to keep everything in a central location, rather than spreading it across a slew of hotels, as was the case in Santa Monica. Actually, given the tendency toward social media, video streaming and massively multiplayer online games, perhaps the ESA should consider the "Gig" city of Chattanooga, Tennessee... the home of America's Fastest Internet. Just sayin'.

For more information, check out the official E3 Expo website or follow E3 on Twitter.