I think it is a big deal, and I love Nintendo and have a Wii U. But their whole strategy for the console has been a mess so far. The apologies for lack of games, and now swapping E3 for a couple of Nintendo Directs? That is just a bad idea, I mean their last one has been out for a week and has 206,000 views, but a Sony video on the DualShock 4 out yesterday? 230,000 views already. They are taking an online strategy that is doing worse than the competition, and deciding to rely on it in place of the biggest presentation of the year.

no,no, you're getting confused with the wording. Console offerings is the games.

When we have an e3 thread, saying Sony won, or ps3 won is pretty much interchangeable. Even though it was games we were looking at, it's reasonable to say that the 'consoles were pitted against each other', so to speak.

That's what I mean.  Trade show is the key phrase.  Back in the 90's where you had to see for yourself the video evidence of a game.  The only ones that will benefit from a trade show like E3 are your smaller companies that don't have this mainstream presence.  The ones that need the real boost in noteriety are Cloud consoles like the now defunct Onlive or OUYA.  They're the ones that truly need E3.  Sure, Sony and Microsoft will get a boost during this year's E3, but that's because they chose E3 to be the venue to show their wares.  Mind you, it's will be a watered down boost, since both machines will again duel for most badass.  I would have easily taken Sony's last conference ps4 unveiling than wait another 2 months before we get the E3 version. 

bolded: they're not swapping anything and considering the last two wii u focused directs (earlier this year and last september) were better than many e3, i wouldn't complain about it.

This, are people serious? Are they trying to compare NDs to damn E3?! NDs are for Ninty fans, those are the ones watching it. E3 reaches, press and a much wider audience. It doesnt even compare. Even if, NDs were more popular why not do both the show and NDs like they have been doing for years? 

OT the whole thing is laughable, so Ninty is going to have a much lower presence and all of a sudden E3 is unneccesary? Please, i wonder if some would feel that way if Sony or MS didnt show. 

Those view counts are misleading.  I watched most of it from gametrailers.  Others watch from IGN or other gaming sites.  So it doesn't really tally the real amount of views it's had.  Youtube numbers are never a good estimate of how popular something is when that something is popular enough to have many different posts. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzYIFEjuEc4

The link is for a full PS3 conference for 2012, posted 10 months ago, by GAMESPOT.  Only 478,166 views.  So E3 viewership isn't represented. 

As for their online strategy, who knows. 

I could have sworn years ago there was an attempt to subdue E3 and it was a smaller event for a spell. Then everyone came back and it is as big or bigger than ever.

Personally I get more excited about PAX and that is the show I dream of attending as it is a gamers first feel from all I've read and seen.

I honestly think people spend more time watching those clips of the games after the direct is over. I only watch the full direct the 1st time. The rest I spend on clips of games. Plenty of clips that have more views than the direct.

Big information blowouts and generating media excitement is extremely important for any company. E3 is supposed to be the biggest example of such in our industry. In that way, it is important.

However the industry isn't "the big 3" anymore. The industry is evolving and E3 has maintained its rather stagnant approach for years and years. In that sense, it's declining in relevancy.

Nintendo is changing the gaming world again, so it`s normal for the Microsoft and Sony fans to be mad.
in a few years e3 will be no more.