Back in the day (at least in 2019 and before), the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) was the Mecca for the games industry: the 4-day game expo at Los Angeles Convention Centre featured a ton of playable games available as preview builds months/years before they are out, exclusive presentations for upcoming products, indie spaces, a ton of meeting spots for business ventures & industry networking, and a whole lot of booths, attendants, and spectacles worth photographing and gawking over.

One pandemic later, and after a ton of reshuffling and an eventual cancellation, we have a new video game expo in the US of A: The Summer Game Fest Play Days. While there is the annual Summer Game Fest livestream that previews a ton of world premiere game trailers and presentations, the organizers also host a follow-up event for invited media and content creators in the sphere of gaming.

Kakuchopurei got an invite for the event in Los Angeles. After a single day of witnessing the Summer Game Fest presentation live and attending all three days of the Play Days event, I can safely say that this is indeed the true successor to E3, albeit in a more compact and structured size & scope.

Breaking It Down

In a nutshell, Summer Game Fest Play Days is a three-day event where only invited media and content creators attend in downtown Los Angeles. During the three whole days, attendees get to play games, talk to developers, and mingle with industry peers and content creators while relaxing in the chill-as-heck environment they’re in.

Prior to the dates, media and content creators have about 2 months or so to book appointments with publishers and game devs, as well as sort out their times. You can join some of these presentations last minute, but it’s a 50/50 crapshoot that they have last-minute cancellations.

Security is tight, but not completely restrictive like the TSA. You get your badge and credentials in one area opposite the Play Days area, and then go through the sole front door with security and ID verification. Once that’s sorted, you’re good to go.

As a lot of these game presentations and hands-on demos are still embargoed, I can only show off so many photos of the event. But needless to say, the location and placements are packed and well-organized, as well as aesthetically pleasing. All the booths and spaces from publishers like PM Studios, Bandai Namco, Capcom, and Day of the Devs (at the Cabana area) are all laid out orderly and spacious, with little to no issues of areas being tight and the play area per game being compromised.

If you wanted to stretch your legs out on the couch, no one is stopping you. You can bring your drink to the area, but I would advise against that as the walkabout areas can get packed once in a while. Speaking of drinks, there is a water cooler area in the Cabana section that serves thirstquencers and alcohol (after 4pm). So once you’re done with all your work at the play area in the Cabana section

Bandai Namco has their space along with their cool setup of Ace Combat 8 ready for play for media, while there was a whole row dedicated to Star Wars Galactic Racer. Remedy has not only a cozy spot for Control: Resonant, but also an open bar that serves all sorts of energy drinks and coffee. Alcohol is there too, but only after 4pm.

Location, Location, Location

The map layout and booths are close to each other without being too cramped and are easy to get to once you spend an hour or so walking around. I got through my appointments, play sessions, and last-minute entries to presentations just fine and dandy. I did not get lost at all and somehow managed to slot in some time to get a free drink in-between meetings and play sessions.

If you’re worried about breakfast and lunch, fret not; free food is also provided. There’s a media room with breakfast and drinks, along with tables and free wi-fi. Each invited person gets 3 meal tickets for the food trucks at the outside food area. That spot only gets crowded during lunch and the end of the day, so there are seats and space in-between. You get your choice of either Chinese, Greek, or All-American food. The drinks and soft serve are free, so if you plan on killing time without feeling bloated, the space is for you to have it out. I know I certainly did.

Full disclosure: as I walked from my hotel to SGF Play Days I came across a few hot dog food stalls near the LA Fashion District (the city’s Pasar Malam but from morning to evening), but I was glad I had some discipline staving off my hunger until the afternoon. I have affinity towards street food, but given that I was working and that half the time you can get food poisoning from these, I passed on the notion.

I should also add that despite the SGF handbook recommending me to take a rideshare from my hotel to the Play Days area, I opted to spend 30 minutes walking to the event every single day. I got my share of lovely LA weather and downtown LA city smell that you won’t find anywhere else. Except New Orleans in the morning after a Mardi Gras night. Or Paris in the daytime. Regardless, the SGF handbook and dos-and-donts are clear as day and dish out good protips for first-timers who never been to game expos like E3 and Tokyo Game Show.

For all the things people say about Geoff Keighley and The Game Awards (and there’s a lot of comments out there throughout the years), the man can indeed succeed E3 where the ESA has failed post-pandemic. Summer Game Fest Play Days is a smaller space, but it’s essentially the same press and content creator-focused game-heavy event that is the gold standard for events other than Tokyo Game Show. Just a lot more exclusive, of course.

While TGS is closer to my country, there’s a lot more exclusivity, personal space, and order to the Summer Game Fest Play Days event. The fact that there are more than four of these sessions prior to 2026’s proves that it has been improving more and more as time goes by, with more prominent game partners previewing their games to media they can trust. Geoff & co. truly listen to feedback and act on it with whatever resources they have available.

All in all, good job! Check out parts of my Summer Game Fest 2026 presentation and Play Days coverage here (among many others).