By Yoonsang David Yu, Marketing Manager
Here is some additional E3 tidbits I thought I would share with you that I didn’t include in the previous blog entry:
Food and Drinks
It is important keep yourself hydrated and fed during E3, as it can be quite grueling, especially if you’re planning on hitting up after parties at night. Things are going to be expensive, especially if you’re going to be trying to purchase things in or around the Los Angeles Convention Center. I recommend carrying bottled water with you at all times, and avoid energy drinks, soda, and even coffee, as the latter will make you pee more often than you should (or maybe, that’s just me). Likewise, bring a small snack, like a protein/power bar with you, just in case you’re stuck in line longer than you anticipated. Buy these things before you get to the Convention Center.
I don’t recommend eating at the LA Convention Center food court, as you will see airport level pricing on cafeteria quality food. There are several food trucks that you can find on the service corridor (the outside walkway that connects the South Hall to the West Hall) that will probably be better quality for similar price. On some days, there are food trucks also along the entrance of the West Hall as well. You’ll also discover that most places to eat that are adjacent from the Convention Center will be packed and filled with lines during lunch time. There have been times where I’ve had to skip lunch because the lines were so long, that I wouldn’t have been able to make my next appointment. So for those three days, I shifted my eating schedule to where I could go to said restaurants either before or after the peak times. I also looked on Yelp ahead of time to see all the adjacent restaurants that are within walking distance to find out their operating hours, and planned out which restaurants I wanted to hit up each day.
Swag Hunter
I’m feeling a bit conflicted writing this part, but feel that it needs to be mentioned. Each year at E3, there is exclusive swag that is given out by most of the companies, which can fetch a pretty penny on eBay. These thing can include physical items, like apparel, toys, or little trinkets, as well as digital, in-game items, that are exclusive to the show. If you read my previous post on E3 tips, I mentioned that Nintendo has always been one of the most popular booths at E3; one of the contributing reasons behind that are that they give out some really cool stuff. There are sites and even Facebook groups that monitor and track the swag that can be acquired, so if you’re planning on trying to get some cool stuff, make sure to take the time to study the locations of all of the booths, and plan accordingly.
The reason why I feel conflicted writing this part is because I’m not a fan of people who sell off things from E3. I feel that people who sell stuff online are preventing real fans who are present at the show from obtaining these items. I don’t fault people for doing so, as these conventions tend to get pricey, and I’ve heard of instances where people were able to pay for their entire trip to E3 by selling all their swag on eBay. If this is something you’d be interested in doing, then prepare to play “Line Simulator 2K18,” as pretty much your entire day will be standing in multiple lines. I would think, however, that it would be kind of sad to come all the way to E3, just to stand in line to get stuff to pay for E3.
Got Any More Tips?
If you have any additional tips that I haven’t covered, feel free to reply back with your tips on Facebook or Twitter, and we’ll be sure to include them in future blog entries pertaining to E3. You can also come check us out at the Indiecade booth in the West Hall at the Los Angeles Convention Center on June 12-14, 2018, where we will be showcasing Desert Child.
