ESA's 2009 Revamp Of E3 Saw Revenue Surge To $11.8 Million

The Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, saw a significant rise in revenue in 2009 over previous years, according to a tax form filed by the Entertainment Software Association. The games show went through multiple changes during the second half of last decade, downsizing the event and moving to another venue in 2007, before returning the smaller event to the Los Angeles Convention Center a year later, and finally expanding to the original larger scale in 2009. A Form 990 filing with the IRS made by the ESA earlier this year and first discovered by news site GameSpot, reveals that the 2009 show saw dramatically greater revenue than the previous year, tripled to $11.8 million. However, revenue from member dues has decreased year-on-year, with $17.4 million brought in during 2007, $15.2 million in 2008 and $12.3 million in 2009. The filing also revealed that the ESA brought in a total on $31.2 million revenue overall for 2009, up 21 percent from 2008's $25.8 million. Total 2009 revenues also included $5.77 million derived from Entertainment Software Rating Board rating fees. Game companies including Activision, Electronic Arts, Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo have already confirmed their attendance at this year's E3 event in L.A., which is set to take place June 7-9 at the L.A. Convention Center.