Now that E3 as we knew it is no longer, the question that comes to many people is "what will take it's place?"

Influential gamer site Penny-Arcade.com has for the past couple of years put on a gamer expo known as PAX up in Seattle, WA, home of Nintendo and Microsoft, and as it's grown some are now ready to bestow it as the the next E3, despite the PA crew not really caring to make it such.

"PAX is all about the community, and Penny Arcade is committed to keeping it that way. We don't want to be E3," said Robert Khoo of Penny Arcade yesterday via press release. 

This brings to mind two questions for me: 

1. Does PAX have a choice? They are already moving the 2007 event to a venue THREE times the size of this years and admit to growing support from game companies and increasing attention from the media. Plus geeks love to converge! 

2. Do we even need another E3? E3 was noisy, smelly, tiring to navigate and seemed almost more of an excuse for companies to show how big their dick's were by spending millions on and off the showfloor. Couldn't that money be better spent on better advertising, marketing and PR strategies? Or simply making better games? I understand the need to showcase your wares but aren't their better ways to do it then 5 minutes at a kiosk in a crowded convention center? Though I will miss contempt-filled booth babes…

Full Release below: 

Seattle, WA-August 14, 2006-There has been much discussion in the industry about what event, if any, will take the place of the event formerly known as E3. Robert Khoo, Penny Arcade's Director of Business Development, responds to widespread speculation about the growing role of the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), now in its third year:

"PAX has clearly been growing in leaps and bounds. Even before the demise of the 'old' E3, this year's PAX was on track to attract more than 17,000 attendees with a big presence from Microsoft and Nintendo and scores of other big names in gaming. But PAX is all about the community, and Penny Arcade is committed to keeping it that way. We don't want to be E3. PAX is a place that hardcore gamers, whether they work in the industry, or not, come to be completely immersed in game play, game music and game culture.

There will be some changes in store for PAX next year. In 2007, PAX will move to a venue triple the size of 2006, and we've already begun to receive reservations for booth space from AAA publishers. Based on recent conversations with our exhibitors and potential new exhibitors, we do expect publishers to continue - perhaps even more so than in the past - to reveal developmental phase games to hardcore game fans in order to get their direct input on unfinished products. In a way, PAX is like a giant 3-day beta test, which works really well for both developers and publishers. We're also seeing an increase in PAX interest from the media - both gaming and mainstream."