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Contacts:
Charlotte McCormack

IDG World Expo
508-424-4837
charlotte_mccormack@idg.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 19, 2009

CONTACTS:
Dan Hewitt
202-223-2400
dhewitt@theESA.com

Michelle Curran
Double Forte for the E3 Expo
415-848-8120
media@e3expo.com

Washington, DC – March 19, 2009 – Positive momentum for the 2009 E3 Expo continues the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced today, pointing to robust exhibitor sales, support from all sectors of the entertainment software industry, and a high number of attendee registrations. E3 Expo currently has 90 percent of available space sold with over 100 exhibitors and is on-track to meet its attendance expectation of 40,000 qualified individuals. The 2009 event will take place in Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Convention Center from June 2-4.

"If you have a career in games or just love to play them, get out your calendar and circle the first week of June," said Jeff Brown from EA. "The E3 Expo is bigger and better this year and for EA, the expanded format means we'll have more demos, announcements, promotions and blockbuster games than ever before."

"It is very exciting for the videogame industry to once again have a global platform from which to report on the trends, innovations and exciting new games that are fueling the growth of our market," said Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of publishing at THQ. "We look forward to meeting with press and retailers from around the world, as well as the investment community to share several key titles from THQ's portfolio at the E3 Expo in June."

The ESA said it is working to ensure that exhibitors and attendees have a high-caliber experience with maximum efficiency, due to an increase on booth size caps and attendance limitations. In addition, show organizers stated that the growing success of the entertainment software industry has helped expand its exhibitor list into broader technological circles.

“E3 Expo is back, and that's a very good thing. The conference is being held at just the right time, with June late enough in the year for the publishers to feel confident about game quality, and early enough in the year to generate retail buzz,” said Michael Pachter, analyst with Wedbush Morgan. “The show's format is a return to the great E3 Expo’s of the past, and there is tremendous interest from investors, publishers and media. I expect buzz about the show to build every week until June, and expect many breaking announcements the first week in June. E3 Expo will re-establish itself as the preeminent North American computer and video game show, and also will likely be considered the preeminent computer and video game event globally."

“This event will unveil and showcase the latest in outstanding entertainment, creativity and innovation. Everyone interested in the computer and video game industry will be in Los Angeles this June,” said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of the ESA, the trade association that represents U.S. computer and video game publishers and owns the E3 Expo.

Companies involved in console, PC, online, and mobile game publishing and developing, qualified business partners, as well as makers of video game hardware and peripherals can exhibit. Produced by IDG World Expo, companies interested in participating at E3 Expo should contact the team at (877) 216-6264.

The ESA also announced that hotel and travel accommodations are now available on the E3 Expo Web site at www.e3expo.com.

Members of the press interested in covering E3 Expo 2009 should contact media@e3expo.com with any additional questions.

To stay current on E3 Expo 2009 news, follow its official Facebook presence at http://tinyurl.com/btx835 and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/e3expo.

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