The E3 Media & Business Summit, reeling from criticism across the industry following its poor show for 2008, is looking to fix the problem.

The Board of Directors of the Electronic Software Association has officially proposed and is discussing the possibility of opening the show to the public, effectively reversing a 2006 decision to scale down the show and only open to the press, according to a rumor on Kotaku.

The show technically has always been an invite-only affair, but prior to 2006 the show was an extravagant frenzy of publicity and parties from companies all around the gaming industry. When the atmosphere was calmed into a more networking-friendly convention, the quality of games shown--and gamer enthusiasm--has steadily declined, leading Spore designer Will Wright to call E3 2008 "the walking dead."

Meanwhile, public enthusiasm for a convention has proven a valuable tool for organizers. Last weekend's Penny Arcade Expo, a fan favorite, drew over 58,000 attendees and announced an expansion in the business. The Games Convention, also open to the public, is also on the move.

Amidst criticism from publishers, developers and media alike, the Entertainment Software Association revealed that it plans to carry on with the E3 Media and Business Summit next year.

"As we do every year, we're beginning the process of surveying exhibitors and attendees to determine potential changes to the summit," an ESA representative told GameSpot. "Once this is completed and shared with the ESA's Board of Directors, we will make an announcement about the specifics of the [E3 2009], which will occur."

Following last week's E3 2008, several industry figures have since spoken out on the relevance of the exhibition. Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello plainly stated he hated the conference, which has seen drastic revisions over the last few years... Read more