However, this event has faced multiple challenges since the global pandemic. In 2020, E3 got cancelled due to the pandemic. Whereas, in 2021, it was turned into an online-only event. E3 also got cancelled in 2022. E3 2023 which was scheduled to run between June 13 and June 16 would have been the first in-person event since 2019. But, this year’s event will have to face a similar fate. According to IGN, the ESA has sent an email to employees to notify them that E3 2023 will also be canned.
As per the report, ESA’s mail to employees mentions that the show “remains a beloved event and brand”. However, the plans for E3 2023 “simply did not garner the sustained interest necessary to execute it in a way that would showcase the size, strength and impact our industry.” the company also took to Twitter to confirm the event’s cancellation.
Apart from this, major players in the gaming industry including — Microsoft, Nintendo, Ubisoft and others have also confirmed that they won’t be participating in E3 2023.
What organisers have to say about cancelling E3
ReedPop along with ESA is responsible for organising this annual gaming event. In a public statement issued by the global VP of gaming at ReedPop, Kyle Marsden-Kish wrote: “This was a difficult decision because of all the effort we and our partners put toward making this event happen, but we had to do what’s right for the industry and what’s right for E3. We appreciate and understand that interested companies wouldn’t have playable demos ready and that resourcing challenges made being at E3 this summer an obstacle they couldn’t overcome. For those who did commit to E3 2023, we’re sorry we can’t put on the showcase you deserve and that you’ve come to expect from ReedPop’s event experiences.”
At the end of the email, Marsden-Kish also stated that ReedPop and the ESA will join forces for the upcoming E3 events. This suggests that the gaming show may return in the coming years.
Why ESA is cancelling E3 2023
In an interview with GamesIndustry, ESA president and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis further explained that the pandemic has changed the “timeline for game development” for several companies in the industry. This explained why Marsden-Kish regretted the shortage of playable demos that will be ready in time for the show.
Pierre-Louis also described the changes in marketing plans from game companies. He also mentioned the eagerness of brands to experiment with more digital events, in favour of in-person ones.
However, the ESA’s president didn’t confirm if E3 will return in 2024. He said, “We’re committed to providing an industry platform for marketing and convening but we want to make sure we find that right balance that meets the needs of the industry. E3 will iterate to ensure it’s meeting the needs of companies that want to market on this global platform. That means it will iterate in how people engage with E3. We want to meet the needs of players who view this as an important platform and that’s going to evolve over time.”
