The world-renowned Games conference, Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), has been cancelled for 2023. The event company and publisher, ReedPop, confirmed the news after the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) sent an email to its members to break the news.
Almost a year ago, the ESA and ReedPop announced that they would be working together for the 2023 iteration of E3, following the cancellation of the 2022 event. However, according to the email (via IGN), the upcoming E3 did not receive enough attention to “execute it in a way that would showcase the size, strength, and impact of our industry,” despite it being a beloved event and brand.
In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz (owned by ReedPop), ESA’s president and CEO, Stanley Pierre-Louis, shed some light on why the event was cancelled. While there was initial interest from exhibitors, industry players, media, and fans, several challenges proved to be too significant to overcome. These included changes in development timelines, economic instability, and the fact that many companies are exploring various formats for delivering game announcements to players.
Over the past week, various reports have surfaced of Ubisoft, Sega, and even Tencent pulling out of the event. Pierre-Louis provided more insight into the future of E3, stating that they are committed to providing an industry platform for marketing and convening but with a balance that meets the industry’s needs. ESA will be listening intently and ensuring that whatever they plan to offer meets those requirements, and they will have more news to share in the future.
E3 2023 was scheduled to be held from June 13-16 at the Los Angeles Convention Center and would have been the first in-person event since 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, E3 was held as a digital-only event in 2021.
