This week, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) roars through Los Angeles. Game companies from North America, Europe and Japan flock to the Convention Center downtown to show off their latest wares. E3 is the world's leading video-game show, populated with multimillion-dollar games, big-name game developers, and Hollywood celebrities.
What makes E3 such a big show isn't necessarily the number of attendees, which are lower than similar events in Europe and Japan, but rather, the news that is announced at the show. Last year, Sony finally revealed the name of the PS Vita (it was previously codenamed "NGP"), and Nintendo unveiled its upcoming home console, the Wii U. This is the venue where game companies — Japanese or Western — announce new hardware and new games. Out of all the gaming shows, E3 is the crown jewel.
The first E3 was held in 1995, and right off the bat, the show was a success. It was so successful that an E3 was planned for Tokyo the following year.