UK retail banks on 'important' E3

Retail turmoil will give way to excitement at E3 this June, an expectant games trade hopes.
Leading games retail bosses expect to see a blockbuster line-up from Nintendo plus launch details of brand new games consoles from Sony and Microsoft – announcements that will hopefully generate more confidence in the marketplace.
It follows a disappointing 2012 and a depressing start to 2013, which has already seen retail giants HMV and Blockbuster call in the administrators.
“We are really looking forward to seeing what comes out of E3 this summer,” Game Retail category director Charlotte Knight said.
“What’s clear is that 2013 is going to be a very exciting year for the industry. Not only is there an incredible release schedule, we’re also waiting with bated breath for news on the new consoles from Microsoft and Sony and the other exciting hardware developments. Needless to say, GAME will have teams on the ground out in LA to make sure we are up to the minute with all the E3 news and will share the excitement with our community.”
Tesco’s games buying manager Jon Hayes added: “We hope that E3 will once again prove how important it is to the industry. We should have more details of next gen consoles from Microsoft and Sony and the first full Christmas of Wii U.
“And it will be interesting to see what news and information that comes out from the digital sector. With the announcements from CES this year regarding digital gaming machines, it will be interesting to see if there is more information in this area.
“There should be lots for the industry to shout about. The industry needs a boost to its self-confidence and E3 can provide it this year.”
New consoles top the list for retailers looking for a market boost, but games stores are also craving some original IP to get customers spending again.
“E3 is always an important showcase and barometer,” said ShopTo boss Igor Cipolletta. “Our expectations for the somewhat overdue next gen are huge. We have seen little to no new IP announced thus far.”
GameStop Europe VP Niall Lawlor added: “We are definitely looking forward to potential new system launches in 2013 specifically from Microsoft and Sony as our customer’s appetite for innovation is extremely high.
“Although E3 is several months away, we anticipate state-of-the-art console technology with accompanying software could create meaningful enthusiasm for our industry and the video game consumer.”
E3 2013 will take place in Los Angeles from June 11th to June 13th.

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