The Entertainment Software Association will open the doors to its E3 trade show for the first time in the event's history this year, giving video game developers the opportunity to interact directly with consumers.

ESA will sell 15,000 tickets to the event to the public, starting today. E3 had previously been open to only to industry professionals and the media. Last year the association experimented with the concept by holding a public side event to the main trade show.

"The feedback we heard was clear—(attendees at the public event) wanted to play the games inside the convention center," Rich Taylor, ESA's senior vice president of communications, told the video game news site Gamespot. "In addition, exhibitors inside the convention center wanted to have access to the fans. So this year we're bringing the two together."

E3 is one of the most influential video game industry events in the world, being the place where many games are debuted. However, the trade show's popularity has waned in recent years as rival events have given game developers the chance to interact with the public. Game companies also have turned more to social media and even YouTube video personalities to create the kind of buzz for their products that E3 once generated.

Public access to E3 is priced at $250 a ticket with an early price of $150. The event will be held June 14-16 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. http://bit.ly/2koSEo7

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