Episode 160: Founding E3

2026-07-22

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Phil Salvador hosts a special episode of the Video Game History Hour featuring Carolyn Rauch and Doug Lowenstein to discuss the origins and evolution of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).As the former senior vice president of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), Carolyn managed E3 for roughly two decades. Doug, the ESA's founder and former president, joins her to recount the organization’s 1994 founding. Together, they explain how the industry responded to the video game violence panic along with its l...

Phil Salvador hosts a special episode of the Video Game History Hour featuring Carolyn Rauch and Doug Lowenstein to discuss the origins and evolution of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).

As the former senior vice president of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), Carolyn managed E3 for roughly two decades. Doug, the ESA's founder and former president, joins her to recount the organization’s 1994 founding. Together, they explain how the industry responded to the video game violence panic along with its legislative threats and how poor placement at the annual CES tradeshow led to the creation of E3.

We discuss the massive challenges of organizing the inaugural 1995 expo, including the critical task of securing industry giants like Nintendo and Sega; E3's eventual shift toward a consumer-focused format; its massive economic impact on Los Angeles; and the unexpected legal challenges surrounding the iconic E3 logo.

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