As I indicated in my last editorial, attending E³ was a very exciting experience for me. There were an abundant number of justified and constructive reasons why I saw the event as a vital excursion. Sure, we all know that this is the place where the media and press alike meet under one roof for 3 days, the domain where even newcomers in the industry hoping to be establish their companies and ideas to be recognize; it's also the place where you can sample all of the latest games before the common public, and of course - there are the lovely ladies which have been acknowledged by the gaming populace (mainly male editors I am sure) - booth babes.

To get back on track...since the endeavor to utilize the super-highway to accomplish a childhood goal did the very site you all have come to visit come into existence. In fact, this site carries more history and drama enough to score high among the documentaries on The Discovery Channel. Exactly what is it that I am getting at ??? It would appear that not too long ago, the very thought of doing a fansite, gamezine, basically an unofficial publication that would be available to the net community was all the least but popular. In fact, before TNL was around, we once existed as a small aspiring site known as GameNet, to which old-time editors who existed on sites such as PlayStation Interactive, 64i and such all clamored for one vital element in order to thrive - readership. Three years have passed, I still can be recognized as being a avid Capcom gamer who'll never deviate from my fond admiration for Chun Li, yet lo and behold - fansites have become hip and trendy. Hm? How is this possible? It only seemed like yesterday, simply stating to others that you ran a webpage was enough, a time when everyone under the sun flossed (read: basically, showing off...) their newbie Photoshop skills and lens flares that could be seen in every 1 out of 3 fan pages. I definitely was among them and it was quite humorous. Now we have a new agenda that's facing the gaming industry and it's one that not only has agitated the very journalists of popular, established publications, but the movers and shakers of the industry itself. In short, the market is getting crowded with fansites.

Now wait just a second...

Without running the risk of creating a contradiction here, allow me to justify a few points here as it's only come to my attention upon the team registering for their second E3 event. Fansites that attended last year literally created havoc as it was reported to me that members of 'esteemed' sites were rude, haughty, and basically made the very members that rightfully should be there unable to effectively do their jobs. It's no wonder that the committee chose to enforce the rules more tightly, among them requesting that such sites prove that they were an established business or endorsed by a actual corporation.

Despite tighter enforcement, as the editors from GameFan Online pointed out: E3 2000 was still considered for lack of a better word - a zoo. Being among one of the attendees, I was overwhelmed as I didn't expect the volume of people that were present to be so high. As one editor points out:

...my lasting impressions of this show will be that it's getting too crowded with people who "sneak in" just to play games. I'm sure each and every one of them feels entitled to be there, since they've paid the $19.99 a month to have their own website, but it's making life increasingly difficult for professionals (not just the media) to get their job done at the show--plus, game companies are putting less and less money into chicken (freebies) because the fanboy population scarfs it all up anyway. I can remember a time when the chicken flowed, and you could actually get work done at E3. Those days are long gone, however...and the show organizers really need to do something to correct the problem, or very soon, we won't be able to get anything done at E3.

I'd be lying if I didn't say that initially any fansite, established or not could read this and take offense to this? It turns out that many were not happy about what they read and proceeded to sling out bickerings and what not. Folks, it's an issue that hasn't suddenly popped up. It's a situation which has been existent for quite some time. Ask yourself why is it you're truly developing a website? Is it a goal to perhaps venture into the gaming industry? Running back to show off all the cool chicken you scooped at the show? Whatever your intentions, it should be honestly that you share a passion for gaming, one that your readers can discover and appreciate. For the record, creating a fanzine does not automatically guarantee you'll achieve the industry's awareness, respect, and to those looking to cash in on the craze - it does not guarantee you'll become a millionaire either.

Weighing the pros and cons

While TNL is certainly not the most prominent site, we've certainly established a significant niche for ourselves. To give a balanced argument to both sides of the coin: fansites like ours are a great way to add another voice to the gaming industry which before the dawn of the internet was only possible through print publications. Gamers of young and old, male and female now have assembled together to share with the net community their opinions, and with any luck, establish credibility and solid readership. To those who show dedication, possess a solid grasp of the English language (sorry, but simply saying 'this game rocks' just doesn't cut it), along with a sincere drive to excel in gaming journalism can draw up new opportunities. It's a great deal of work, nothing comes easy, don't expect anyone to simply hand things to you, but in the end, it can pay off.

To the naysayers, the ones that will be here today, gone tomorrow: quit wasting the time of those who are in the business. The last thing anyone needs is a scam artist pretending to be interested in a company only to grab as much as they can until their attention spans fizzle. It's folks like you that are giving the established fansites a bad rap. As for E3, it's not an arcade, and no one needs to be bothered with a group of uncourteous gamers. On behalf of the established sites that have been around the block and proven themselves, keep it real or simply don't play at all...

Game Over...

··· Bahn