Not all the battles being waged in the current console wars rely on big, hard-selling game titles. In a recent survey conducted by IDC and IDG Entertainment, revenues from online console downloads are fast becoming the standard ammunition that Internet capable consoles are using to draw in gamers to the fold.

Billy Pidgeon, IDC's program manager for games research, put out some numbers analyzing the booming popularity of online capable video game consoles. He estimated that by 2008 over 37 million console units will be installed in North America with online capability.

Currently, the online gaming industry has jumped up from US$ 133 million in 2006 to a whopping US$ 583 million this year. Downloadable content from Xbox Live, the PlayStation Network, and the Virtual Console has boomed over the past year. While sales from software titles are still very positive, Pidgeon sees the potential of downloadable content as the "the industry’s most exciting growth opportunity in this hardware cycle".

Also, IDGE separated the gamers into five interesting categories based on their attitudes towards gaming, as well as their social characteristics, and purchasing habits:

• Core Gamers: Core Gamers choose gaming as their main form of entertainment and want to maximize their time gaming. They prefer gaming over going to the movies or out to dinner.
• Status Gamers: Status Gamers are proud of their gaming skills and enjoy being the first to try the newest and hottest titles. They also like to discuss their gaming experiences at school or work.
• Social Gamers: Social Gamers view gaming as a communal experience. They prefer to play games with people they care about, forming a social link, and coordinate social functions around gaming.
• Active Gamers: Active Gamers prefer games where movements are reflected in the game and allow gamers to get out of their chairs. They use gaming as a physical release.
• Casual Gamers: Casual Gamers use gaming as an emotional release and as a way to play different roles. Casual gamers view gaming as a secondary form of entertainment and don't feel the necessity to be the first to try a new game.

Which, poses another interesting question - which gamer are you?

FiringSquad reports that Sony along with other major video game publishers will not be gracing the inaugural E For All Expo. Earlier reports had Sony pegged for at least some booth presence at the event.

Aside from Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), FiringSquad reports that Sony Online Entertainment (SOE), NCSoft, Sega and Capcom have also declined to take part in the event. Microsoft, meanwhile, has apparently not decided whether or not it will grace the event.

Back in March, Nintendo of America signed on as an anchor exhibitor for the event. Electronic Arts was also confirmed as an exhibitor earlier this week. FiringSquad also notes that the IDG World Expo website lists THQ, Konami and Namco as event exhibitor along with hardware companies Intel and NVidia.

The E For All Expo, which is being promoted by IDG World Expo as a replacement for the old E3 format, will take place in Los Angeles on October 18 to 21.

We know about our last report about E For All Expo">IDG Entertainment's E For All ticket prices, but this report from Next-Generation has a different price listing. But that's probably because Next-Gen says these prices are for "advanced registration." Probably the "advanced ticket sales" they have yet to announce (well, it's announced NOW).

Anyway, here's what next-Gen says the price is for the early bird to catch the worm:

• 1-day pass, Thursday/Friday: US$ 45.00
• 1-day pass, Saturday/Sunday: US$ 60.00
• Full four-day pass: US$ 90.00

Compared to US$ 110.00 for four days when purchased at the gate, being an early worm does cut those costs down. A penny saved... more games to buy later on.

We recently talked about E For All and their quest to "take over" Hollywood. Now, going over GameSpot, Mary Dolaher of IDG World Expo divulged more about E For All - details such as ticket prices, what gamers could expect, and what are the plans they have in store for the said event.

As for ticket prices, single day passes for Thursday and Friday will cost gamers $ 50 each, admission for the weekends would be a bit higher though ($ 75). Then if you want to hang out for all four days, you'd have to shell out $ 110. Of course, final price could change. General admission tickets are expected to go on sale in June while advance ticket sales have not been announced.

Gamers would get a chance to try out games in their finished state that are due for release on the holidays. No specific titles were mentioned though. Dolaher said that contracts are now underway with some Entertainment Software Association members so when they are all signed, we'll know what games we could try out. But if you're into the press conferences, keynotes, and big announcements, then you're not in luck as those won't be present in E For All.

Dolaher also said that a lot of folks are showing interest in E For All that they are limiting the amount of space that exhibitors could purchase so as they could accommodate more participants. The event will run on October 18-21 at the L.A. Convention Center. Keep checking QJ for more E For All updates.

 

A statement from IDG via its GamePro website, reveals several other plans IDG Entertainment has in store for their E for All expo.

Most notable is the fact that when they deem that the time is ripe, E for All will take over Hollywood. We're not kidding. Apparently, they'll rent the Hollywood sign and replace the "Y" with the "E" of the E for All "E" logo. They'll also be filling subways with posters, shrink wrapping buses, and lighting up adjacent downtown buildings.

Moreover, aside from the events/details already mentioned by QJ Blogger Chris L, there will also be Gaming Tournaments, a concert at the Nokia Theater courtesy of folks from Video Games Live, and a separate area in Kentia Hall reserved for companies that plan to sell products during the expo.

General Admission tickets for the event will go on sale on June 1st and advanced pre-sale tickets should be available one month before that. Advance pre-sale ticket holders will be allowed access to event grounds at the Los Angeles Convention Center one hour before general Admission.

Oh, and if you're parent's are a bit cautious about bringing the rest of the family to the event - to spare your little sibling's eyes from all the ehbil violence - They note that there will be ESRB ratings at each station so parents will know what array of games will be seen at a particular area. That said, don't go looking for skimpy booth babes at the "decent for kiddies" area.

 

Gamasutra received details on IDG Entertainment's E For All (can we get to calling it E4 sooner or later? Saves on the keystrokes) that shows how the post-E3 is shaping up to the legacy of its predecessor. Never did the phrase "Meet the new boss; same as the old boss" ring any more true: heading up E For All for IDG is Mary Dolaher, previously operations head for E3.

And to that, as so far as Gamasutra had received updated info from IDG (as of March 6), E For All shall feature (subject to change):

• Currently, Sony's and Nintendo's booth presences in E For All, while considerable, will actually be a tad or two smaller than their E3 presence, because the main show floor is limited to the LA Convention Center's South Hall (nothing mentioned for Microsoft; we assume that IDG is still receiving details from Redmond about that)
  
• Other booths include Future Publishing, G4, DirecTV, and the World Series of Video Games Tournament.
• Noise caps are being enforced: nothing above 85 decibels, just like in previous E3.
• Also like in previous E3s: "family friendly fare" that prohibits full or partial nudity, "including live models" and "bathing suit bottoms." No booty calls here either.

 

This is one of the weirder news we've seen today. NGCFrance reports in flowing French prose that "In spite of the rumours on its cancellation, the organizers of Tokyo Game Show announced that the edition 2007 will take place well." They were even able to cite dates - September 21 to 23. And that this report is meant to reassure Japanese and foreign journalists.

Okay, first of all, what rumors?! Were we lost in some underground Locust tunnel when this rumor reared its ugly head? (Seemed to have been reported in JeuxFrance). Second, how could a rumor like this even come about in the first place? TGS is an institution. Yeah, E3 had to scale back, but it wasn't meant to be a consumer show in the first place. TGS is, and they're proud of it. (Speaking of institutions, whoever brought this rumor to life has to be in one.)

More importantly, we need institutions like TGS for stuff like potential Final Fantasy XIII playable demos open to the public. You can't tear that away from us! Oh well, being "reassured" is nice, even for silly rumors.

(Postscript: a little outside digging has revealed that this rumor began as a sort of post-E3-is-dead ripple. Oh well. Long live E3 - er, now E4All. See? Why would TGS get cancelled if IDG Entertainment would raise the dead?)

They finally settled on a name. If you recall, International Data Group (IDG, parent company of GamePro.com and GamePro mag) held a contest to see what the new name of their E3 replacement would be. The previously-proposed title was GamePro Expo, but then again, that sounded a bit like a plug for the publication, doesn't it? Well, the contest is over, IDG has a winner, and the new name shall now be:

E FOR ALL (Entertainment for All) EXPO

Why the name? While E3 now only caters to the industry, this "E" caters to everyone (as the E3 of yore did): the hardcore gamers, the casual gamers, the odd tourist, and so on. The fact that they held a contest among the community to get to this name in the first place kind of demonstrates that.

Okay, so it isn't as catchy as we thought it could be, but it is the name they have settled on, and given the rationale behind it, it's quite appropriate. We'd likely bet that someone's going to acronymize "E for All" further, which would probably result to E4A, E4All, 3411, or whatever catchy acronym or 1337-speak someone might think up.

And the lucky winner of a trip to Los Angeles, California, to see and experience the event he has named in all its full glory this October 18-20, 2007? California resident Dante Padre.

IDG Entertainment announced the launch of its new online video reality series Creating Kaos.

Shattered Reality Interactive, a 40-person volunteer game development company is attempting to create the world's largest MMO game. John Romero, creator of Doom and Quake, is the on-camera commentator for the series, scheduled to air in 3-5 segments on the IDG Entertainment site. The first episode is online today, with five more episodes in the can. 15 additional episodes are currently in production.

"There's humor, real drama, and some amount of insanity," says Wendy Chan, IDG Entertainment video producer and director of the series. "But throughout it all, you can't help being touched by Damon's commitment and unwavering optimism."

Creating Kaos is one of several video productions IDG announced last February. These are created by gamers for gamers who visit the IDG Online Network. Other titles include "i-5s," consisting of memorable game moments, "Attack of the Factoids," which features running commentary in pop-up windows, and a documentary on game development entitled "Behind the Screens."