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Another year of SXSW has come and gone and that means that another year of Screenburn Arcade has closed its doors as well. This is the third year for the Screenburn Arcade, which is part of SXSW's Interactive section. It is home to all things gaming. The Arcade is a place where companies of all sizes can interact with the public to show off their wares. Everyone from Indie projects to full-blown studios are welcome to make an appearance. This year's Screenburn Arcade shows that a lot of progress is being made to make this a very professional and sexy attraction for gamers and the companies that want their attention.
The Arcade has many game companies that have come to give the public a hands-on experience with their product. Two booths stood out in my mind when it comes to a gamer's dreams come true. Separated by only a small path, two warring factions set up camp and prepared for competition. On one side you had Dell, with their monster XPS gaming PC's and on the other side, the HP's new beast, the Blackbird 002. Where else can the average consumer get the opportunity to compare and dream about systems of this magnitude. Usually you have to settle for someone else's impression in a magazine. Now, add being able to look at them up close and personal, as well as get real playtime on them.
Several schools and camps are popping up in order to raise the next generation of game makers. Screenburn Arcade offers face time with these schools and allows the aspiring game makers a chance to speak to representatives and ask questions about their future. No matter what a company is trying to introduce you to, they have to get you to the booth. Sure you can use scantily clad women who have no idea what product it is, but this year I learned the secret to the success of a booth. If you bring Rock Band or Guitar Hero III, they will come, and they will stay.
Seagate sponsored some friendly competition at the Screenburn Arcade by giving gamers a chance to go head to head with the Frag Dolls in a game of Rainbow 6: Vegas. This was a never-ending parade for my own personal amusement. Let me break this down for you. You take four professional, seasoned female gamers and place them on a pedestal. Then you take four people off the street who have more times than not never played with one another, and watch the bloodbath ensue. So just like the real Vegas, the house always wins. How do people expect to seriously compete against the untold hours and perfected teamwork and communication. This was not what was funny to me. What kept me laughing were the true looks of disappointment and disbelief these people off the street would exhibit. Yes, sadly it was usually young males, but still what were they expecting?
And speaking of pro-gaming, Screenburn Arcade played host to CGS 2008 North American Combine and Draft. The Championship Gaming Series has made great strides to televise and bring you the world of professional gaming. In today's world of increased gaming enthusiasm, professional gaming is only going to get bigger. Think you have what it takes? Sign up, show up and step up. There is a lot more to the sport than just being good at a game. They take great strides to make sure that the athletes can represent themselves and the support seriously and professionally. Does this mean no trash talking? Of course it doesn't, but it does mean that sportsmanship will always prevail.
It was a great third year. The show floor looked better than it ever has. More and more people are coming every year, and that is not just the curious, but the companies that wish to talk to them. As the numbers grow, I can only hope that this show continues to pick up where the late E3 left off, dropping all of the pretentiousness and providing an opportunity for the public to see what is going on in the world of gaming. |