Of course you can! Whoever has the biggest booth carries the most interesting new. It's all very logical when you think about it.

You don't neccessarily dominate the show by having a bigger booth, you are more noticed by people however. Being more noticed tends to bring domination unless the stuff you show sucks. If M$ shows a bunch of good stuff then they will "dominate". A lot of people will probably go to Nintendo and Sony's booths though.

1.  The huge booths you see for MS and Epic are actually meeting places.  Normal booths range from small booths to larger booths that have a closed room (typically for interviews).  As far as where things are located, that's just how it's organized.  They have a specific number of booths and anyone can reserve an open booth.
2. There aren't really any announcements, it's just HR people, leads, and every now and then random employee's taking resumes.  GDC is a job fair and a place to hold round tables and the likes, that's why outside people and press aren't normally invited in the same way they are to things like E3.

^^^Ah ok, thanks.

Given what happened to E3 last year, and the fact that they are replicating it again this year. Can we safely assume that its going to get the lion share of game announcements this year? The landscape is changing, and more importantly the competition is rather fierce. So there is incentive for any of the big three to shift the dynamic of the upcoming shows.

I too have heard the rumors about a lot of major Microsoft announcements, and to be honest it would be well overdue. More importantly it would be well timed. The most notable rumor is they are going to announce the HD-DVD 360. Which should be cheaper then the PS3. Were that the case all of their consoles would be seeing a price cut.

Now if that were the case it would only be logical to back that announcement up with a slew of game announcements. That would make the entire development that much more exciting. A new technological development might very well encourage the delivery of new game announcements.

Anyway we have hardly heard anything from Microsoft in quite some time. Are they really going to wait till E3 to make all their big announcements. Nintendo and Sony had the Tokyo game show so perhaps Microsoft would use the GDC as a big show. With little competition they might own the show.

 I know, I was trying a spoof of American marketing philosophy...

"""Given what happened to E3 last year, and the fact that they are replicating it again this year. Can we safely assume that its going to get the lion share of game announcements this year? The landscape is changing, and more importantly the competition is rather fierce. So there is incentive for any of the big three to shift the dynamic of the upcoming shows.

I too have heard the rumors about a lot of major Microsoft announcements, and to be honest it would be well overdue. More importantly it would be well timed. The most notable rumor is they are going to announce the HD-DVD 360. Which should be cheaper then the PS3. Were that the case all of their consoles would be seeing a price cut.

Now if that were the case it would only be logical to back that announcement up with a slew of game announcements. That would make the entire development that much more exciting. A new technological development might very well encourage the delivery of new game announcements.

Anyway we have hardly heard anything from Microsoft in quite some time. Are they really going to wait till E3 to make all their big announcements. Nintendo and Sony had the Tokyo game show so perhaps Microsoft would use the GDC as a big show. With little competition they might own the show. """

==> you are right, MS need to do something
GDC may be very interesting

MS will announce more of the same, as will the other two. Difference is; for the other two, the news might actually make a difference. What MS have been doing thus far has not worked (obviously), so unless they come up with something brand new and different (like a new console different), it's no use.