By all unofficial accounts, ASI 2008 saw a downturn in exhibitors, attendees and energy from previous years. Nevertheless, manufacturers unveiled impressive new product by most standards, including the buzz-worthy Big Buck Hunter Safari from Betson/Raw Thrills and Global VR’s WWII-drama driver, Blazing Angels.
Operators on the show floor who spoke to RePlay voiced opinions ranging from enthusiasm about purchases made for jumpstarting the summer months, to deep concerns about the amusement industry riding today’s downhill economy, to calling for a springtime one-show solution to ameliorate the industry’s ills. Meanwhile, exhibiting suppliers were divided between those making fair sales on the first two days and others who did less writing overall than they had hoped.
What was your impression of the event and the product on hand? What role does ASI continue to play in your business year? What factors may have contributed to this year being slower overall?
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3 comments:
The floor was pathetically slow with little to no sales. As a manufacturer, it is really hard to fork over money hand-over-fist to do these shows and see little return. The hard part is, if next year we opt not to participate, the rumors will start flying that we are going out of business. I think it's time they consolidate the AMOA and ASI shows.....it's got to be tough on Operators both financially and time wise to attend two shows with the same players in the same city twice a year.
The mixing was great - the business was difficult, and the event is tired! Merge AMOA with Nightclub and Bar and ASI/Funexpo with IAAPA - save having to have a 'association booth' at either.
But the real issue is time to look at what the reality is with our industry and who is promoting it!
I did not attend, and hearing the reports I feel I made the right choice.
Business had been picking up for us, and the timing wasn't good.
I think that MANY operators, especially FEC people would have found it conflicing with the Easter/Spring Break season traffic.
There also wasn't much talk of new products before hand, and often the buzz starts before the shows do anyway. That suggested either some really big secret releases, or surpise, no huge new announcements.
On my new blog, I already mentioned how the tradeshows seem to have bad timing in general relative to our industry.
And the price points are going up?
The last several years the makers have saved money by making more games PC based, but the savings have not usually been passed along.
A huge part of my decision though was that there wasn't anything really new or intersting listed on the lecture cicuit.
My biggest justification for the expenses and scheduling hassles of the trips to the shows is the information I can bring back from the classes.
So for me it was:
Leave the store in someone elses hands, with bigger crowds to deal with, in order to see a few new games I can't afford and to hear the same lectures again.
Pass.
FWIW the fall show looks promising as far as classes go, and the timing is in line with the back to school slump. I might even be able to bring a staff member with me to that one.
-eric
Memories Games Inc.
St. Joseph, MO
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