CEA Decides Against E3-Competing 2007 Game Event

Officials from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the owners and organizer of the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), have announced that the organization will not launch a 2007 gaming event. CEA representatives had in August announced plans to form an advisory committee to consider creating a new video game event in the wake of the E3 annual event's refocusing effort by the ESA, and reports had indicated that the association was close to announcing such an event. However, Karen Chupka, senior vice president of events and conferences at the CEA, issued the following statement today regarding a CEA gaming event: "At the request of our board, CEA spent the past few months soliciting industry feedback, via advisory committee meetings and a research survey, to determine the need for a new gaming event. During this process, we found a strong desire for a gaming event that included a broad array of the gaming industry, including PC and wireless gaming companies. Although CEA was prepared to launch a new event, the recent announcement by ESA that it would open its event to both ESA and non-ESA members and would include PC and wireless gaming, led us to conclude that a new spring West Coast event would likely not serve the best needs of the industry. At this point, we will continue dialog with the industry to determine if the need for a broader gaming event exists for 2008. We believe that consumer electronics are a vital part of the gaming experience. Broadband access, quality surround sound, large HD screens, portable video devices and cutting-edge furniture, all can make the gaming experience immersive. Gaming and consumer electronics are inseparable and we continue to look for ways to work together in our mutual interests." The 2007 International CES is currently scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada from January 8-11. Event organizers have announced a new Gaming TechZone for interested exhibitors, which will be located in CES' Sands/Venetian exhibit space. The Gaming TechZone will allow gaming companies to showcase their products and technologies to exhibitors and attendees.