Each year at E3 the booths seem to get a little more decorated, the set-ups a little more elaborate, and the wow-factor a little more intense. This year at E3 2015 was no exception, with tons of game companies splurging on eye-popping displays that you just have to see. Go big, or go home they say! Well, from what I see at E3, virtually every major game company present has decided to go big!
Lifesize characters
E3 takes place annual at the Los Angeles Convention Centre, and this year in front of the large South Hall, Microsoft made its presence known with a massive stage (where daily live streams are recorded), and just behind it you’ll find two beautiful lifesize statues of Master Locke and Spartan Locke from Halo 5: Guardians (image seen at the top). That’s not all though, go inside the South Hall and you’ll find lifesize versions of Mega Man (left) and Kaos (right), the main villain from the Skylanders franchise.
This is just a small (very small!) sample of the kinds of interesting characters you’ll find on the E3 show floor. Other examples include a lifesize version of C-3P0 to greet you at the Star Wars Battlefront VIP waiting area, or the 5 foot version of the Incredible Hulk, made entirely out of LEGO blocks, inside the Warner Bros. Interactive booth for LEGO Avengers.
Huge signage & art
Another point of interest at the show are all the many posters, banners, and artwork displayed everywhere. I mean literally everywhere. I saw garbage cans wrapped with Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward posters, Mad Mad banners surrounding pillars in the convention center, and of course, there are massive advertisements on the walls and hanging from the rafters. My favourite this year is the enormous Just Cause 3 poster outside the South Hall, partially because it’s one of the games I’m most excited about at the show, but also I love how it looks like Rico Rodriguez, the protagonist of the game, is about to parachute down to the E3 show floor (this ad is hanging way up high!)
Vehicles
The eye candy doesn’t stop there though, as the show contains so many beautiful vehicles, like the all-new Ford GT that is making it’s debut in Forza Motorsport 6. I also saw a UNSC supply truck (from Halo), Mad Max’s Intercepter car, offroaders rigged with gaming stations in the back, and a full-sized Skylanders SuperCharger vehicle!
Cosplayers
Another thing you’ll see a lot of at E3 are cosplayers! These are people dressed up as their favourite characters, typically with handcrafted, and very elaborate, outfits.
Our very own Melanie Boutin-Chartier, who writes a lot of our French gaming articles on the Best Buy Canada Branche Toi blog, met her dream cosplayer at the show–Lara Croft from Tomb Raider. Melanie posed for the photo (seen to the left), something I’m sure she’s going to treasure forever!
Well, that’s just a small taste of the exciting sights you’ll find on the E3 show floor! Be sure to follow me on Twitter @NextGenPlayer if you want to see more. I’ll be posting the most interesting attractions I see!
For more E3 related information visit Best Buy Canada’s E3 Gaming Page