Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2023 has been canceled
Owing to the pervasive ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, myriad exhibitions over the past three years have been unable to proceed at their customary pace, with the gaming industry’s paramount event, E3, inevitably succumbing to the crisis. E3 2020 was canceled amidst the rampant contagion, bereft of time to arrange a digital showcase; E3 2021 underwent alterations in modality and timing, culminating in a virtual exhibition; E3 2022, initially intended to persevere online, was regrettably called off.
In September of the previous year, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and event organizer ReedPop declared that E3 2023 would transpire from June 13th to 16th, with the Los Angeles Convention Center serving as the venue—marking E3’s long-awaited return to in-person format after a four-year hiatus. Alas, this seemingly anticipated revival appears to be marred, as the world has since transformed.
According to an IGN report, the Entertainment Software Association has disseminated an email to its members, confirming the abandonment of E3 festivities this year, stating, while E3 “remains a beloved event and brand” that the 2023 version “simply did not garner the sustained interest necessary to execute it in a way that would showcase the size, strength, and impact of our industry.”
Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony, the three preeminent gaming console manufacturers, successively announced their withdrawal from this year’s E3 exhibition. Subsequently, industry heavyweights such as Ubisoft, Sega, and Tencent followed suit, depriving the organizers of the impetus to host E3 2023. Perhaps many enthusiasts never anticipated that an event laden with commemorative significance would ultimately meet a desolate conclusion, further underscoring the waning allure of E3.
Kyle Marsden-Kish, ReedPop’s Vice President of Global Gaming, candidly admitted that canceling E3 2023 was an arduous decision, acknowledging the tremendous efforts exerted by collaborative partners. He expressed regret for the exhibitors who had pledged their participation, asserting that ReedPop will maintain its alliance with the Entertainment Software Association to orchestrate future E3 events.
