E3 2012 attracts 45,700 visitors, a drop in attendance

Estimates from organizers show a decrease of more than 1,000 visitors compared to last year.

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA, for short) estimates that this year’s E3 had an attendance a total of 45,700 visitors, all of them members of the press and industry professionals.

This number represents a decrease of 1,100 visitors compared to the edition of 2011, when 46,800 people walked through the halls of the Convention Center in Los Angeles. While attendance drop is not significant, it means a decrease of 2.4%, breaking the upward trend of recent years.

The 2009 edition brought together 40,000 visitors and the year after 45,000. E3 2008 was held in Santa Monica and only a few thousand were able to enter. The reason for moving the event outside the Convention Center in 2005 that was attended by 70,000 people and in 2006, about 60,000, according to the ESA. This growth did increase the costs to the exhibitors, who also complained about the noise and the crowds that it created.

The E3 is organized since 1995 and in 1999 it was settled in Los Angeles. The E3 2012 of has left a striking presentation of the new console from Nintendo, Wii U, and the announcement of a new franchise for Ubisoft, known as Watch Dogs.

The ESA has not yet confirmed the dates of the conference next year. Some voices call for a move to another city like a Las Vegas hotel with more capacity and better prepared to host major events.