The Electronic Entertainment Expo — aka E3 — is open to the public this year for the first time, and now attending fans will have more to do than simply wait in long lines.

The just-announced E3 Coliseum is an off-site gathering that will host two full days of talks and panels on June 13 and 14, the first two days of the show. It’s all happening down the block from E3, at The Novo at L.A. Live.

The schedule of events hasn’t been announced yet, but a Medium post from Geoff Keighley — chairman of the Game Critics Awards, the group behind official “Best of E3” awards — offers some hints of what to expect.

“Alongside presentations from game developers, we will also welcome some very special guests from the broader entertainment world. They’ll join us to speak about the cultural significance of gaming and how this incredible medium has influenced their work.”

E3 is often a popular stop for celebrities from various walks of entertainment. I’ve played games in the same room as The Wire and Destiny star Lance Reddick, sat down for awkward interviews with personalities like Zach Braff, and gawked as Kanye West and his entourage stalked across the crowded show floor.

This E3 Coliseum potentially gives some of those visiting celebs a way to connect with the show’s audience on a larger, literal stage. Whether or not they will remains to be seen, but Keighley’s post hints at contributions from personalities outside the gaming world.

This is a worthwhile move for a newly public-facing E3 to take. A lot of new attendees are going to learn something very quickly: E3 is a lot of lines. Long ones.

The press side of E3 is typically a behind-closed-doors experience, but most attendees hoping to see first looks at the games of the show have to queue up and wait their turn. If you’re just attending to check out the most popular games, you might see no more than three or four in a single day.

The same thing happens at open-to-everyone shows like PAX, but those events also offer other diversions — like panels and talks! That’s why E3 Coliseum is a great idea, especially falling as it does during the first two days of the main show. Head-turning talks will help thin out the crowds at Los Angeles Convention Center and hopefully make it easier for attendees to see everything they want.

E3 2017 kicks off on June 13 and we’ll be there to cover it all. Stay tuned for more on E3 Coliseum as the schedule of events is revealed.