Brits lose holidays as E3 clashes with 2012 Jubilee

Thousands of UK games execs will miss out on June 2012’s double Bank Holiday. Because that’s E3 week.

June 4th and 5th 2012 have been earmarked for the Queen’s 60-year Jubilee.As street parties besiege the UK, publishers, developers, retailers and more will have to man stands and host meetings on the other side of the Atlantic.

E3 2012 runs June 5th to 7th, with press conferences taking place June 4th.

MCV quizzed top publishers, format holders, developers, media outlets and distributors, but the clash took most by surprise.

HR bosses said they are now working out whether or not they will offer time in lieu.

Others said the UK media impact for showcases from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony could be diminished.

Retail support staff left in the UK will also have to tear themselves away from festivities to update online listings for new games.

Yet some said they’d prefer to be at E3, anyway.

Not ideal but there’s nothing we can do. A Bank Holiday in sunny LA beats a rainy day at work,” said one retailer, while a marketing boss added: It’s not going to make everyone happy. But I love E3. It is fantastic. I’ll expect some repayment.”

E3 organiser and trade association the ESA told MCV it was happy to help Brits in LA celebrate the monarch’s milestone: We apologise for the inconvenience of scheduling E3 during the Queen’s Jubilee.

"To compensate for the oversight, we’re happy to buy a pint for any British journalist who approaches us in a bar with a hearty ‘God Save the Queen!’”