E3 is dead! That is in short the message that the ESA (Entertainment Software Association) had sent out into the world last year. Publishers didn't want to go anymore, nor did they have the budget for the mega show of three days in May. The LA Convention Center had to clear the way for a small hangar on Santa Monica Beach and some hotels in the neighbourhood. There journalists would be able to get to know the latest games better, conduct interviews and of course try demos in a more pleasantly way than before.

Now, about one year later, me and DoubleD are in Las Vegas, making ourselves ready to leave for Los Angeles. We are just as curious as you all to find out what has changed and what has not. Our agenda is full with all kinds of items: a lot of appointments and press conferences like those of Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony are waiting for us. At first sight there do not seem to have been that many changes, at least less than we expected. Big publishers will once more spend a great deal of money and plan on giving more information than than any other moment of the year. However, there are less media from Europe invited than before because the organisations wants to concentrate on the North-American market, so that local events like the Tokyo Game Show and the Games Convention in Leipzig get more room to breathe.

Striking is that Microsoft anounced hardware problems a couple of days ago, not really something you want to do before an event like this one. Sony is also preparing us for great news (or maybe they have only played their trumph) since they have already anounced the PS3 will drop a bit, at least in the U.S. Most veiled at this moment is Nintendo, it was only announced that Smash Bros. won't be playable. It stays quiet concerning their great first party games and doesn't have many other projects, for hardcore gamers. Or is this just appearance?

What you of course can expect of us are the usual impressions, previews and reports of new games, hands-on sessions and us getting better acquainted with games like Halo Wars, Halo 3 and much more. We already saw a great many babes, but subtle and mannered as we are (Zwan and Speed didn't come along this year) we do not annoy these people with our cameras for now. In other words, E3 is not dead at all and in a couple of days we, just as you, will know if this version will have been succesful or not. We keep our fingers crossed!

We do not want to deny you an account of our adventures up until now. After a day of flying, with a change in Washington DC, we are already two days making (better known as Sin City) unsafe. The temperatures here are unbearable high, with a dry desert wind making the gel in my hair melt very precisely and because of that we have to hop from one casino hotel or mall to the other!

Double ‘lucky bastard’ D won his first dollars with the slot machines (but the sissy didn't dare to bet his newly earned 29 dollars again) while yours truly was especially good in giving away money to those money machines. It went better at the roulette's table, because after a while gaming for money I could leave the table proudly with my originally bet ammount. Also nice were the scarcely clothed ladies of Crazy Horse Paris who gave us a fun night, but unfortunately were not available for a photo shoot, nor did they want to come to Belgium for our crew meeting.

In the afternoon we wanted to test if our 1337 FPS skills were as good in real life and so we went to the Gun Store, somewhat further than the Strip where our hotel is (be sure to check the fountains when you're there). The Gun Store is in some way the walhalla for each amateur of war weapons, machine guns and hand guns. All sorts of stuff can be found there, from books, holsters and munition to more in our land illegal stuff. Exciting is that after a simple signature and some cash you can choose your favourite weapons to test them in the local shooting range!

Minimi’s, Colts, RPG’s and bazooka’s, an MP40 or a Sten MKII: this is America! I chose some mag's for the M16 and an AK47 and 3 minutes later bullets pierced through my target, Bin Laden. This rocks! Be careful though: the security-dudes don't know bunny-hopping and their own beretta on their belt makes clear they're not into respawning.

That concludes the first two days of our trip! I'm looking forwarding to driving some six hours to LA tomorrow and of course the pressconference from Microsoft, followed by the party. You'll hear from us and be sure to visit Fragland to get the latest E3-news!

(BTW: KrispyKreme donuts rule!!!)