Prepare for E3 with our Alternative Guide to the LA trade show in this week’s issue of MCV

In this week’s MCV, we ask experts from around the industry for their tips for surviving the LA trade show.

We also pick out the best indie and mobile games on show at E3.

And following its purchase of ThinkGeek parent company GeekNet, we speak to GameStop about the firm’s plans to grow its merchandise business to $500m within three years.

Also, why does everybody hate free-to-play? We speak to the experts to find out why one of the most popular means of paying for a game is under constant attack

We also speak to Sega’s John Clark about the firm’s decision to not have a booth at E3, the PC market and the difficulties in launching new IPs.

The digital edition of MCV can be read here. The full contents of this week’s issue are below:

• COVER: The Alternative Guide to E3 – over six pages, we show you the best games to check out at the LA trade show, the industry offers its top secret tips for the games to check out, the bars to visit and other advice for surviving E3
• NEWS: Halo 5 will be Xbox’s ‘biggest game launch’
• NEWS: Rock Band 4 going ‘back to basics’ in the battle for retail shelf space
• NEWS: GameStop – Metacritic to blame for game pre-order problems
• NEWS: Tesco prepares week-long E3 promotion
• INTERVIEW: We speak to GameStop’s internaional boss Mike Mauler to find out more about how the retail giant is going to achieve its $500m merchandise dream
• INTERVIEW: Console showstopper to PC powerhouse – Sega Europe’s SVP of publishing John Clark on the firm not having a booth at E3, the PC market and the difficulties in launching new IP
• INSIGHT: 505 Games’ Tim Woodley on his experience with the rapidly changing landscape of games promotion
• FEATURE: Everybody hates free-to-play – we ask the experts why one of the most popular ways of paying for games is under constant scrutiny
• INTERVIEW: After achieving its first ever publisher No.1, Bandai Namco’s PR and marketing director Lee Kirton tells us how the firm plans to stay on top
• INTERVIEW: The world according to Strauss Zelnick – Take-Two’s boss on the challenges and developments affecting the global games market
• INDIE INTERVIEW: Team Lumo was once a group of developers within work-for-hire firm Blitz Game Studios, but now it has gone indie and is making mobile games. We speak to director Steve Stopps
• APPOINTMENTS: Distribution vet Jon Atherton joins Exertis
• SHELF LIFE: Steve Doyle of Game Dojo on the success of Mortal Kombat X and the support he has received from Warner Bros for Batman: Arkham Knight
• MARGIN MAKERS: The best console-themed merchandise on the market
• INTERNATIONAL: As E3 approaches, we take a look at the US games market