E3 2021 is a virtual event specifically for electronic entertainment (hence the name... ). So, it is nice to hear that the Independent Game Developers Association (IGDA) and E3 organizers ESA are bringing indie devs to the fore.
ESA and IGDA Announce Partnership for E3 2021
In an IGDA.org news post, the indie game development association has revealed a partnership with ESA (the Entertainment Software Association), organizers of the expo, to "highlight indie developers at E3 2021."
The purpose of the partnership, according to the announcement, is to:
... elevate indie developers and provide a new opportunity for all IGDA members to showcase their work at E3 2021 and beyond.
This is the first time that independent game developers will receive such a platform at E3. According to Renee Gittins, the IDGA's Executive Director:
Indies provide heartfelt stories and groundbreaking creativity that lead progress of our industry. It is an honor to help indies onto this grand stage for the first time so they can share their efforts and inspiration worldwide.
Quite the noble effort on both the ESA and IDGA's part, then. Both associations recognize the importance of indie devs and also the importance of giving those devs a platform in an industry that is becoming more and more monopolized by massive corporations.
What Is the IDGA/ESA Partnership Bringing to E3?
According to Stanley Pierre-Louis, the President and CEO of the ESA:
We are reimaging [sic] E3 in a variety of ways, and part of that is engaging with indie developers by offering opportunities to help highlight them and their work on a global stage. Indie developers are a critical part of the video game industry, and we’re thrilled to expand our offerings to create opportunities to showcase their work worldwide.
So what exactly benefits independent game developers, here? Well, according to the news from the IDGA, the partnership will allow it to offer its members special packages and opportunities to facilitate inclusion in E3 2021.
Aside from that, who knows? The details are fairly thin on the ground, so what exactly these special packages are is anyone's guess. Hopefully, further details will come to the surface soon enough.
Using the phrase "special packages" causes some consternation. This implies that devs need to pay for this exposure, so it would encourage us if we knew exactly how affordable these packages are. Too expensive and you alienate a massive swathe of the indie dev industry simply by pricing them out of the opportunity.
A Good Move on Behalf of Indie Developers?
If the packages are expensive, and this prices developers out of the event and the exposure that brings, are you really benefiting the whole indie game development landscape?
Or are you just benefitting the already established, successful indie devs who can afford it? In this case, perhaps drawing brand names at random from a pool of applicants might be a fairer way to do things. It would at least present the opportunity to exceptional talent who can't quite afford to get their name out there.
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