Nintendo will still be at E3, as far as I understand it, and they are just not doing the traditional money wasting thing...like having Usher perform  o_O

So they will still get the media coverage. I assume this means they spend far less money on settign up stage, hiring people, etc, and can focus more on their own structured event for the media.

I think it's a good move. Let MS and Sony battle it out for the glitz and the glamour, Nintendo will worry about the games.

Why do people keep talking about missed media coverage? They said they are having a special event FOR the media.

I think, at least this year, it´s a good move.You bet they´d be almost completely overshadowed by the PS4 and NextXbox.

It´s good they´re forging their own path.

is there anyone covering E3 this year? i mean yeah sure the internet always does it... but i dont think G4 would do it anymore... so who would cover e3 on our television? nobody? they can bash g4, but at least they are the only one who cover e3 every year

Could it? Of course it could. Will it? Probably not.

Coverage is important, but the kind of coverage is also important. And there are some strong advantages that a big press conference gives them in terms of coverage.

Why does everyone assume this? Of course not that many people actually watch the stream itself, but after a Nintendo Direct you can visit any gaming related website and you will see the ND completely covered. I visit quite a lot of gaming websites and every.single.one.of.them. had at least a link to the youtube video of the stream and a summary of the announcements.

To be honest I think it doesn't make a big difference this year.
Microsoft and Sony are unveiling their next gen consoles on this year's E3 probably with first hands on demos, new games etc., that's where the mass mindshare and media coverage will be, Nintendo has nothing big enough to compete with that. They would most probably be overshadowed by the flood of new next gen consoles info, so why bother with such a conference.
Nintendo fans and those interested in Nintendo will find their share of info either way.

I don't like it. They'll still show all the big games and everything will be on the show floor...so why not have a big press conference as usual? I don't buy that they're scared of new hardware, or at least they shouldn't be. They have a ton of games to show, it's their first post-launch E3 for their new console and they can focus purely on games. Not rushed first-wave games that need to meet launch window (lol..so much for that) but the second wave of big hitters for the holidays that have had more time in dev.

Seperate NDirects will have less viewers and less outreach than a big conference. I don't see any appreciable benefit to not having that huge conference. And of course the media (and us) will have a field day with them 'backing out' from going up against the other two on the big stage, in what is essentially the superbowl of the gaming calendar. I think they'll be back to the traditional conference next year; I think this will be a failed experiment. 

its lazy and pathetic on nintendos part, they need to get the name out as much as possible. now e3 is assured to be a M$/Sony production. not even going to try to steal some of the thunder from them from an event that will be talked about until launch day. this is as annoying as vita memory card prices.

What you don't understand is that Nintendo WILL be at E3. They just won't have a big press conference. They're not holding their own separate event from E3 like you think they are.

Nintendo Directs are successful, but who watches them? 60-70% watch them through the eShop so they already have these consoles they're trying to sell. An E3 press conference provides mass coverage, skipping it is no way a good idea.