So, let’s lay the stage. I’m a carpenter. I build kitchens for a living, so at best I dabble at writing about video games. However, I love playing games; I grew up playing games dating back to the Odyssey 2 and most systems until now.

Now, back in the first week of may, on a break from my paying job, my email popped up and I had a message bouncing there from Xbox LIVE Rewards, “First 100 to respond ‘win’ a pass to E3 2011 and the Microsoft media briefing.” Awesome, right? I have really bad luck with things like this that call for speed to win, so I figured, “I won’t win but I’ll feel like such an ass if I don’t even try.” So, I emailed away and about 15 minutes later I got an auto reply saying, “You might have won.”… DUDE WHAT?!?

A few days later I found out I had in fact won one of the hundred passes that Microsoft gave away. After waking up from the shock, I talked to my boss and got the time off. My long-suffering wife was awesome and helped me set aside money in our budget to pay for the hotel and flight. I got a few emails confirming name and info so that Microsoft could give my info to the ESA for affiliate registration and briefing whatnot. Awesome.

Wait.

What the hell do I do when the show floor is closed or before it even opens?

Is Microsoft going to say, “Hi” and take this opportunity to make all the winners social marketing tools? Will they take this group of “fans” and with a hair of glad-handing and maybe a t-shirt turn us into “super fans”, might they slide us aside at the briefing and just say, “Hey, glad you guys won and could come to see us.” Well, at the briefing we did get floor seating, which was awesome, but the people who gave me the most attention work at some random sites that I am a member of and they just happened to be sitting behind and beside me…

So three days down and at best I’ve had the masterful Major Nelson shine me on, and when I asked about XBL Reward winners, I was told, “I’ve never heard of such a thing.” And “Please call your contact.” HEY, I NEVER GOT A CONTACT.

In a chat with a vendor in line for coffee, I was told that companies like Microsoft & Sony don’t even pay for each ticket, that they just give the ESA a list and done…

Wait one second, so they really didn’t do anything but put my name on a list and pay postage for my briefing badge?

I mean I dug the show and all, but come on, they couldn’t even have Larry or DMzilla track me down and say “Hi? Or something?

I just don’t understand how Microsoft cannot see how much of a miss that was for them. Around 100 people paid their own way to come out to LA and stay, 100 people who have Xbox LIVE gold, have enrolled in the XBL Rewards program and were fast on the draw for the email contest entry, so 100 loyal paying customers just spent loads of money to come out after winning a contest and NO ONE knew