【Privacy policy】

That thumping sound you hear is Privacy policyan industry of writers and editors smacking their heads into desks simultaneously.

The Electronic Entertainment Expo -- or E3, as it is commonly known -- is opening its doors to the public for the first time. Technically, there are physically larger trade shows devoted to video games -- such as Gamescom or Tokyo Game Show -- but those are also semi-public events.

E3 has traditionally been an industry-only show. It's also the first big gathering in the calendar year that focuses on news and reveals for unreleased games; that's why it's such a high-profile event.

It's also, as you might imagine, a Mecca of sorts for video game superfans. Attendees get in-person looks at the biggest upcoming games -- think Call of Dutyor Madden-- and, frequently, hands-on time as well.

The newly public E3 won't be a total free-for-all. The Entertainment Software Association -- the show's organizer -- will limit public attendance to 15,000 tickets. They'll go on sale starting Feb. 13; regular price is $250, but first-day buyers get an early bird price of $150.

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The move toward letting the public in has been a long time coming. While E3 is technically a trade-only show, some publishers -- such as Electronic Arts with EA Play -- have added more fan-facing events that occur outside the Los Angeles Convention Center that houses the show.

There's also an increasing number of kiosks set up outside the LACC each year where anyone can walk up and check out upcoming games. For E3 2016, EA had tents set up where people could play Star Wars: Battlefrontjust steps away from the show floor.

The "trade-only" designation is also fairly loose. Students have a way in, as do retail employees working for interests like GameStop. This has led to a situation where large numbers of attendees wander the floor with little real workto do beyond checking out unreleased games.

As a result, the show's two main exhibition floors are filled with booths that seem designed to cater to a more public audience. It's not uncommon to see huge movie screens and multi-story statues hyping one game or another.

Opening things to the public in a more obvious way, then, feels like an organic shift for the show to take. It was the logical next step after 2016, when the ESA hosted a separate E3 Live event situated across the street from the LACC.

This year's E3 is set for June 13-15, with publisher press conferences -- Microsoft, Sony, Ubisoft, and EA host one every year and Bethesda Softworks joined that group two years ago -- happening on June 11 and 12. Tickets for the show (not the press conferences) will likely move fast, so be ready to buy on Feb. 13 if you want to attend.