Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2017 will officially open to general public. About 15,000 tickets have been reserved for the biggest video game trade show.
Starting on Feb. 13, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) will start selling the tickets to customers. The first 1,000 tickets will cost $150 each, and the rest will sell for $250. All tickets are good for the three-day event and provide access to the show floor, panel discussions, and other events. It will run from June 13 to 15 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
E3 organizers are also offering a new class of business passes that include several benefits such as a dedicated entrance and VIP Business Lounge. These business passes are designed for lawyers, analysts, executives, and advertisers. The organizers are also encouraging top streamers and Twitch users to register as media this year. Moreover, there is a possibility of providing gamer events and discussions at LA Live as part of the event.
For years now, there have been calls to open E3 to the public. The decision to sell tickets directly to consumers this year is the latest plan to open the show to people who are not part the industry or do not belong in the media.
The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has opened the E3 doors in 2016 when they offered a free event to the public outside the convention center. It was quite a small-scale experiment (called E3 Live) last year that took place outside of the Los Angeles Convention Center, where attendees could go hands-on with upcoming games and take part in other events.
“The feedback we heard was clear–they wanted to play the games inside the convention center. Also, exhibitors inside the convention center wanted to have access to the fans. So this year we’re bringing the two together,” said ESA’s senior VP of communications, Rich Taylor.
There are 200 exhibitors lined up to attend the event, and Los Angeles Convention Center will be the home of E3 until 2021.