E3 2014 in Pictures: Gamer Stampede

Our brains are too fried from E3 2014 to remember what happened. Luckily, someone brought a camera.

After spending the week taking pictures at E3, I think I finally know what it’s like to work as a wildlife photographer: the growling, the stampeding herds, and the smell–good god the smell.

It’s all very National Geographic.

Every year, the convention has it’s own personality and subtext. Last year, thanks to the impending kickoff of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, there was a weird kind of tension between Sony and Microsoft. Sony continuously took subtle jabs at the competition, and Microsoft refused to acknowledge that Sony even existed.

Microsoft fights like a passive-aggressive Midwestern housewife.

Third-party publishers like Ubisoft, EA, and Activision were also doing an awkward little tap dance during last year’s convention. They were desperately trying to show off the potential of their next-generation titles, while simultaneously downplaying the transition so that any in-development games for the 360 and PS3 wouldn’t seem undesirable. It was all very confusing.

This year, however, things were a little more relaxed. Very few shots were fired between Sony and Microsoft, and the third-party pubs are obviously gung-ho about the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

In fact, the only truly awkward part about this year’s convention was the Electronic Arts booth. It screamed, “Please don’t look at us. All of our games are coming out in 2015.”

Now that you understand the subtext, the gallery awaits.
Enjoy.

One of the coolest displays on the show floor was this life-sized replica of the Batmobile. Part of me is hoping that Warner Bros. will announced a special edition of Arkham Knight that will include this instead of a stupid strategy guide.

They did it with Modern Warfare 3.

Pick your poison.

Drive Club, The Crew, and Forza 2 will all hit the market in 2014. If you’re a fan of racing sims, this year is shaping up nicely.

Every single day, these trucks would leisurely cruise around downtown Los Angeles with a couple of police escorts. I have no idea why the cops always needed to be involved.

I don’t buy it. She clearly has a cellphone in her pocket. Steampunk cowgirls can’t have cellphones-unless they’re steam powered.

One of the convention center entrances was dedicated to Destiny-themed photo ops. This dude will cut you.

Buildings are better with Batman.

Sony’s booth is always solid. This year, they showed off their newly announced albino PS4, the Vita TV, and Project Morpheus.

Hey, look. They didn’t starve.

Evolve was one of the coolest games on the show floor. Plus, they had a gigantic monster.

There was a surprising number of farming-themed booths.

Well, there were only two farming-themed booths, so I threw in a Raving Rabbid.

Microsoft’s booth was green. Very, very green. I’ve never seen so much green.

Here’s everything you need to know about Far Cry 4: Weaponized elephants.

Handsome Jack gives the best hugs.

Ogling Lamborghinis is an E3 tradition, especially now that Forza has apparently become a yearly franchise.

E3 is the only place on earth where cows and Octodads can live in perfect harmony.

Seriously. Check out the Disney Infinity versions of Iron Man, Thor, and Black Widow. They’re adorable.

This booth was prepared for any Hello Kitty-related emergency.

The Hyperion Corporation had a very respectable presence at E3.

I know that this Batman wasn’t the real Batman, but I couldn’t help but feel a little frightened in his presence. He’s the hero that we deserve, people.

Sometimes I would wander around Nintendo’s booth trying to hug Miyamoto.

There was a distinct lack of booth babes at this year’s convention. Maybe the industry is finally starting to dial back the chauvinism.

Green. Green. Green. Green. Green. Green. Green. Green. Green.

Nine out of ten psychiatrists agree: LittleBigPlanet 3 is the cure for postpartum depression and Stockholm syndrome.

Why did Nintendo forget about you, R.O.B? You look so sad. You should come to the Nintendo booth with me, and we’ll hug Miyamoto.

Sonic and his pals prepare for a rumble.

Nearly every member of the Escapist staff now has a creepy infatuation with Splatoon.

Apparently, stormtroopers and Boba Fett officially support Turtle Beach headphones.

If you want to play Street Fighter, Capcom forces you to sit in the most uncomfortable chairs on earth.

Teddie from Persona was kind enough to take pictures with his entire fanclub.

Turtle Beach hosted a pro-level tournament during the expo. Those dudes are super intense.

People have been insisting that virtual reality is the future of the industry for a very long time, but this was the first year that it actually felt tangible. A lot of developers are working on some very cool VR projects.

This tank is busting through a wall, because tanks are badass and Wargaming.net doesn’t want you to forget it.

This 30-foot titan was hanging around in the parking lot, presumably because he was too embarrassed to be seen in the EA booth.