Ask various parties about the recent circumstances in the game with respect to E3 and the ESA. Chances are you'll get different responses about Activision's departure from the ESA and the decision of certain publishers not to attend this year's show.

On one hand, director Robert Khoo of Penny Arcade said that E3 had turned from an industry boon into a "sort of pissing contest" where one-upmanship seems to be the goal. Furthermore, the uncertainty that now plagues E3 has affected publisher's opinions of the ESA as well.

On the other hand, companies like Capcom, Take-Two and Electronic Arts and are still very much supportive of both the ESA and E3. Jeff Brown of EA believes that the event will have no problem drawing a crowd this year. Ben Feder of Take-Two thinks that ESA President Mike Gallagher "has done an outstanding job." Capcom mentioned that it has "No plans to drop out, no issue with Mike [Gallagher], no comment."

For its part, NCsoft stated that it opted to not attend the event because of timing issues, and not because of conflict with E3. Finally, Atlus commented on how "the nature of the show changed when they changed it from a consumer show to an invite-only press show." It also said, however, that that wasn't the reason for it's decision not to exhibit this year - it just chose not to.