That’s a wrap on 10 years of #E3stuff. All those things I shared over the past month had been in storage bins for quite a while, so it was fun to go through again.
Whether I was physically there or working remotely, E3 was like an annual checkpoint for me for so long. Will always miss it.
E3 1997 - June 19-21
I didn't have a camera for my first E3, but the PlayStation Underground team recorded my friend Christopher and I all day.
Here's the Giant Bomb guys watching the E3 video of us that appears in Issue #3. #E3stuff
youtu.be/PtT2cQQ8Jt4?...
E3 1997 - June 19-21
I still have no idea what Heavy Gear is, but my friend Christopher and I did all the photo ops. #E3stuff
E3 1997 - June 19-21
PlayStation Underground CD Magazine had just launched in April. They were showing Issue #2 here and I got some diesel Threadz™.
It's hard to convey how revolutionary it was at the time to have pre-release demos and video content delivered to your home. #E3stuff
E3 1997 - June 19-21
PlayStation newspaper featuring FF7, Crash 2, Blasto, GameDay, PlayStation Underground, and Net Yaroze. #E3stuff
E3 1997 - June 19-21
More from EGM's E3 Guide.
They seem to think MGS is a remake? I assume these one-sentence previews were written extremely hastily to get it printed on time.
Also, Saturn was already presumed dead. EGM was disappointed that "Dural" (Dreamcast) was a no-show.
#E3stuff
E3 1997 - June 19-21
EGM's Guide to E3, which was published on the last day of the show. A recap of the best booths, parties, and yeah...booth babes.
Notice how they thought Metal Gear Solid would come to N64. Weird. #E3stuff
E3 1997 - June 19-21
A preview issue of PSM. The first real issue debuted in September, so this is effectively Issue #0.
Midway license plate frame and lanyard.
Red Orb demo disc. #E3stuff
E3 1997 - June 19-21
Nintendo catalog including Nintendo Sports magnet and stickers.
Check out that early Ocarina of Time logo, which is just a reused A Link to the Past logo.
Also, Twelve Tales Conker 64 touting co-op gameplay.
#E3stuff
E3 1997 - June 19-21
The third E3 decided to move to Atlanta...in late June. The true swamp-ass experience. To make matters worse, half of the show was in the GA Dome, which required a walk outside.
Still, an incredible lineup including FF7, MGS, Ocarina, SotN, GoldenEye, & StarCraft. #E3stuff
E3 1998 - May 28-30
Ending 1998 with #E3stuff from Sony's E3 party. I was def too young to be there, but I remember:
-Being that kid beating everyone in Tekken 3 under the stage.
-Drunk Kaz Hirai.
-Playing Gran Turismo on a projector from across the street.
-Becoming a lifelong fan of Foo Fighters.
E3 1998 - May 28-30
Registration brochures and... WWF tag team The Headbangers. They did a signing at the Acclaim booth. #E3stuff
E3 1998 - May 28-30
This is a preview issue of PC Accelerator. The actual first issue came out in September. #E3stuff
E3 1998 - May 28-30
Easily one of the strangest free items I've ever received at a convention. A full sized bottle of hot sauce for NASCAR Heat, which was developed by DICE. #E3stuff
E3 1998 - May 28-30
Before we all had the internet in our pockets, @gamespot.com printed news on actual paper to hand out to attendees.
If you played all the games in Sony's booth, you could win a cruise. #E3stuff
E3 1998 - May 28-30
Bottle openers, yo-yos, sweatbands, stickers, pins, buttons, and golf tees? The free stuff back then was wild.
The PlayStation baseball and megaphone were from a MLB '98 home run derby contest.
Ignore the Oddworld demo disc. That's actually from 1997. #E3stuff
E3 1998 - May 28-30
Electronic Arts catalog. Knockout Kings was originally just called "Knockout". #E3stuff
E3 1998 - May 28-30
Nintendo's 1998 catalog. Still pushing the SNES.
Also, check out "Conker's Quest" featuring the adventures of Conker and Berry. Whatever happened to that game? #E3stuff
E3 1998 - May 28-30
From Acclaim's booth. Forsaken calendar signed by Donna DeCianni. This ad campaign was inescapable in 1998. #E3stuff
E3 1998 - May 28-30
Eidos Interactive's 1998 product catalog featuring everyone's favorite Eidos game... Final Fantasy VII. #E3stuff
E3 1998 - May 28-30
The second (and last) sweaty year in Atlanta. At least it was all in one building instead of having to go outside to walk between the convention center and the GA Dome.
Ocarina, Metal Gear, Half-Life, and something called... Pokémon? 1998 was a big year. #E3stuff
