If the Monday before E3, when all the big publishers have their standalone pre-show pre-show conferences, is Day Zero of the show, today is Day -1. It's Sunday in the US, I've been on the ground for about ten hours, and already the convention center is buzzing with journos, exhibitors and a mess of security.
Speaking of security, their timing is impeccable - they stopped me taking photos pretty much when I was just about done. Apparently, before the show goes 'live', no one wants anything revealed. Oh well...
You can always tell the big games by the banner and poster space dedicated to them. Going by that logic, I think Assassin's Creed 3 and Halo 4 are possibly the biggest shows of the convention so far. Guardians of Middle Earth, the frankly baffling new DotA style game from Warner, may not have size, but the entire concourse connecting the two main halls is given over to action-oriented art from the game.
That and Epic Mickey.
Tonight is also one of the biggest nights of the Australian gaming calendar. Every E3, all the aussies present - journos, PR, even some developers - gather at a local bar. It's the one time every mag, website, and game publisher is present, and it's great to get together outside of the show and just hang out. It's a reminder that we have quit a cosy, amazingly friendly little slice of the industry.
The big trick is to not peak early, though - no one needs to kick the show off with a brain-shattering hangover. There'll be more than enough of those over the next few days...
So check out our gallery, stay tuned for the Electronic Arts, Microsoft and Sony conferences tomorrow (though Sony's looking challenging to get into), and then the show proper from Tuesday.
I'l be at the bar...
