Summer Games: Match Day takes place from Saturday, June 7 to Monday, June 9 at a venue in the Fashion District of Downtown Los Angeles. Although the announcements and trailers displayed during the demo are expected Youtube Theater, when the ice raids only two blocks away, the mood changes from excitement to worry. The reasons for the changes that took place from Saturday to Monday last year’s game day, which took place Friday to Sunday, are unknown. However, the timing shifts facilitate the use of business staff, journalists and content creators while they are busy attending events, leaving organizers, employees and suppliers in an unstable position. With the National Guard emerging from Saturday, and the ongoing sound of hovering helicopters, everyone is aware of the incident just 10 minutes away from Los Angeles City Hall.
Media and creators-centric video game activities were blocked because it was protected by private security and other security precautions to allow only invited and relevant attendees, which has little change compared to previous years. Although business owners and shoppers in nearby fashion and flower districts will wander during play days, the area is largely isolated from any pedestrian traffic. Events and appointments end at 6pm on Saturday and 8pm on Sunday, probably due to the safety of guests before sunset.
LAPD officials were present, and although they refused to comment when I asked about the protests in Ice and downtown Los Angeles, they refused to comment, but we could see smoke and helicopters wandering through the sky where we stood. Summer Game Festival host and host Geoff Keighley as well as C-Suite merchants and well-known game developers (e.g. hideo kojima and Monster Hunter Producer Ryozo Tsujimoto– Play leisurely on the spot every day or play a test game, discuss important things or take photos. Although I can’t talk to people at the height of the location, I have had a leisurely conversation with anyone who can have a conversation about what happened on Friday and ongoing protests.
Externally, most of the responses from marketers, community managers, journalists, content creators, security, vendors and employees were shown to me as usual, but once our conversation expanded, the basic uneasiness started to bubble quickly. No names are mentioned and the dialogue has been explained. I asked the staff and suppliers present on Friday how they felt the day.
Some are from foreign, international and domestic, and some are Los Angeles locals who work in locations during the game. A gaming community manager shared his fear of seeing the news helicopters fly so close as they were caught off guard by raiding on ice in their atmosphere costumes less than half a mile away. He mentioned that suppliers are always warned not to leave the play day area, a view that was responded by content creators and journalists who flew to Los Angeles and marketers flying around from Seattle also expressed fear as their cities were on the Department of Homeland Security’s sanctuary city list. They are worried that it is “a preview of what the government will do later this year”.
A barista set up a cafe with colleagues on Friday and told me they were staying inside because they could hear the commotion nearby. When the helicopters began to retreat, they decided to top the ground around and said the ice media and protesters never came to the match day position.
Interestingly, with Saturday’s hands-on event in full swing, we didn’t ask for a valid ID to be displayed to hang our badges off our necks. However, on Sunday, we were suddenly told to show the ID to match the badge at the entrance. Most attendees had to scramble to find one in the car or go back to their hotel to provide their passport. I asked a security guard why he changed the policy, but they couldn’t give me an answer except “what must have happened”. Initially, the security staff felt about the protests seemed deadlocked, but they quickly opened up to tell me about their concern for their parents, as both were “residents” without further details. “The attack will continue, maybe it will get worse. We are all human.”
At first glance, match-day attendance rates are sparse than those in 2024. This may be due to many factors, such as the low number of publishers and developers, due to financial constraints related to economic uncertainty, reduced profits and political factors. Among the two international gaming journalists I spoke with, they expressed concerns about their return to the hotel in DTLA and intended to move further away when they were worried that the protests would go in that direction. A selection stream Death Stranding 2The live competition premiered at the Orpheum Theater instead of going in person because they don’t want to “get into trouble.”
As for me, I feel privileged at a protected trade show, while ice raids and state violence against vulnerable groups are taking place within walking distance. For personal reasons, I had to go home after completing the appointment, but due to provocations from federal agents and law enforcement, I would leave. There is no doubt that no one has not been shaken or affected by the presence of the National Guard and the large police. With the serious start of summer meeting season, i.e. Animation Expo In 2025, it may be the company, and ordinary people are preparing for further civil unrest.
