The first thing any returning visitor to eGames this year will notice is the vastness of space. The show floor space, we estimate, has been roughly doubled. This is not in the least part because this year, eGames is a subsection of the International Digital Entertainment Festival (or IDEF): your ticket will gain you entry not only to eGames, but to the Digital Lifestyle Show and the Develop Theatrette. At the official opening of eGames 2008, organiser Peter Barlow noted that they had “had a big year in the planning of this event, and we worked very hard to create the basis of an event which we can grow for the future. We felt that we’ve done very well with eGames over the last couple of years, and we felt that we were in a position to establish the next level of what we visualized very early on. So, to a large degree this has been a transition year for us.”
In terms of the major players, all have a significant presence as they did last year. Nintendo are again difficult to ignore as their floor space lies directly in the path of all who enter. A big focus is on upcoming Wii titles, like Animal Crossing: Let’s Go To The City and Wii Music, though the Nintendo DS also seemed to be picking up a lot of attention, with intriguing titles like Kirby Super Star Ultra and the KORG DS-10 Synthesizer on display.
Microsoft goes understated and low-key this year.
Microsoft have chosen to focus their energies on Gears of War 2 this year, and their gigantic Gears crate stands out from any distance. Sony have continued their dedication to having the largest display at eGames, with another impressive assembly including Resistance 2, LittleBigPlanet, MotorStorm Pacific Rift, and surprisingly, Resident Evil 5.
EA have also waged a fiercely fought battle on floor-space at eGames 08 - most notable is the huge FIFA Zone, where any football-of-the-round-variety fan could find enough to while away an entire afternoon. EA are also showcasing a number of top-tier games, including Left 4 Dead, Skate It and Mirror’s Edge. Speaking of, be mindful as you navigate the Exhibition Centre, as Mirror’s Edge cosplay runners are prone to dash at you from all corners.
Taking a hard right turn from the entrance will lead you to the Develop Theatrette, in which there have been, and will continue to be presentations from a variety of sources on careers in the game industry. Today, we saw Monash University and QANTM give illuminating talks. Continuing down the right flank of the building will bring you to the education side of the expo, with Infinite Interactive slotted in the middle to showcase Puzzle Quest: Galactrix and the Good Game game, Office Wars, amongst others.
While EA take us to the Mirror's Edge.
Continuing directly ahead will lead you to the main stage, the most reliable source of entertainment for the day. Highlights today included a life-size Spore creature making his way out of the imagination of a competition winner and to the stage, and the revealing of a new Nokia N-Gage title from local developer Firemint studios: Mega-Monsters, due in 2009. Taking the day out was a Dissecta industry panel featuring discussion on a variety of engaging topics, and an illuminating panel on competitive gaming.
Of course, right in the middle of all of this is a little booth manned by your friendly neighbourhood PALGN writers and staff. We think it’s possibly the most exciting nook of eGames, and we’d welcome all to drop by at any time and introduce yourself. On Saturday we’ll be seeing big things for our corner of the exhibition, including a focus on our R18+ petition and our collaborative, public work of interactive fiction. So if you are in the area, drop in and say hi; if you can’t make it, stay tuned as PALGN continues to keep you updated on all the most important goings-on.
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