Has GDC sold out?

[SpiderMonkey]

It doesn't seem to be for developers any more. It seems to be trying to become a replacement for E3. I hear so much about press coverage and show floors and the talks being used to push product, rather than anything about educating developers. Seems a shame.

[Wrestlevania]

It seems to be trying to become a replacement for E3.

I was wondering exactly this on the drive in this morning, listening to the brief gush about GDC '07 by the 1UP Yours crew.

It does seem, very suddenly, to be just everywhere this year. Every reasonable game site seems to be huffing and puffing about how fabulous this year's conference is going to be.

I'm not convinced on the product placement angle though, not entirely. Sure, Sony will finally announce* their online social software for PS3, but within a reasonable context. Yes, it still reeks of PR, but social gaming isn't exactly on the back burner right now, is it?

Other than that I've not heard anything that seems overly "producty" being covered this year. And they're still doing the awards, which is a definite highlight.

* I have a friend who's an artist at Sony London, and she told me about this almost a year ago. I emailed places like Kotaku back then and got no response... :\

[miffy495]

I don't think the show itself has sold out, but maybe it's been sold out by others. The press has no E3 this year and is trying to turn GDC into E3 as a result. They're treating it very similarly and the coverage is beginning to make it seem like a sell out. I doubt the show will be drastically different, but the coverage definitely will be.

[Ginger]

Reading the press hype for the show made me think the same, but I agree with miffy this is not coming from the conference, whose format seems largely hte same.

[Marek]

You guys were given the wrong impression.

I'm at GDC right now and I can tell you there's nothing at all to worry about. GDC may have taken over a little bit of the business side of E3 (developers meeting publishers) but definitely not the press/retail side. There's a few more press events than usual perhaps, but nothing that should cause any alarm.

[netmonkey]

I've heard rumors that there's going to be some sort of press event in May, where all new games will be announced. It will not be called E3, though.

[Roderick]

Damn you, Marek Bronstring, for all apparent reasons.

[vimes]

Still... they've got booth babes.

[Ginger]

That's the beginning of the end.

[SpiderMonkey]

I don't think the show itself has sold out, but maybe it's been sold out by others.

I just bumped into this in the Eurogamer Miyamoto talk transcript

19:28:59 - Hmm... Is he going to announce anything new at all?

and realised how very, very right you are.