The Video Game History Foundation (VGHF) has published new collections documenting the history of E3, the industry trade show that ran from 1995 to 2021.
The Video Game History Foundation (VGHF) has released significant new archive collections shedding light on the history of E3, the renowned industry trade show that spanned from 1995 to 2021. One of the key additions is the Carolyn Rauch event ephemera collection, comprising over 1000 pages of various materials such as flyers, brochures, press kits, guest passes, photographs, and industry reports from 1996 to 2011. This collection also includes content from E for All and the Game Marketing Summit.
Moreover, VGHF unveiled close to 12 hours of video footage contributed by Anthony Parisi, who recorded the first four E3s using a camcorder. This footage encompasses press conferences, gameplay captures, and early previews of iconic games like Super Mario 64 and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
Additional highlights consist of a complete set of digitized E3 directory books spanning from 1995 to 2006, fresh scans of E3 Show Daily from 1995 and 1997, footage from now-defunct entities like Subspace Publishers and Tronix Multimedia, and a Nintendo B-roll tape from 1997 containing unreleased footage of the cancelled Rare game, Conker's Quest.
Furthermore, VGHF conducted interviews with Carolyn Rauch and IDSA founder Doug Lowenstein on its podcast, delving into the origins of E3. The foundation also gathered written reflections from Mary Dolaher, E3's longstanding event director, with plans for additional content releases in the near future.
E3 faced uncertainty following the cancellation of the 2020 show due to the pandemic. Although a digital event took place in 2021, it incurred significant expenses and marked the final edition of E3.
