E3 has been the industry’s leading gaming event for over two decades
The ESA has announced that E3 has officially ended after more than two decades as the industry’s leading gaming event.
The Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, was once the biggest event on the calendar for the industry and gaming fans, but the rise of new competitors such as Summer Game Fest, the loss of partners, and the disruptions caused by the pandemic appears to have caught up with it. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has announced that it will no longer attempt to resurrect E3.
“After more than two decades of hosting an event that has served as a central showcase for the US and global video game industries,” the ESA’s CEO and president, Stanley Pierre-Louis, announced (via The Washington Post). “We know the entire industry, players and creators alike have a lot of passion for E3. We share that passion,” said Pierre-Louis. “We know it’s difficult to say goodbye to such a beloved event, but it’s the right thing to do given the new opportunities our industry has to reach fans and partners.”
E3 is not what it used to be:
While E3 was once a huge event, with the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii consoles all being unveiled at the same time in 2005, it has been on a downward spiral in recent years. With the rise of online showcases such as Nintendo Direct beginning to change how consumers learn about upcoming games, partners such as Sony pulling out of the event, and more, E3 was already struggling to stay relevant in a rapidly changing industry.
Things took a turn for the worse when E3 was canceled in 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but it was revived as a digital-only event in 2021. While its show in 2021 was adequate, E3 lagged behind Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest, and as a result, E3 was canceled again in 2022. The ESA stated that the show would “return in 2023 with a revitalized showcase that celebrates new and exciting videogames and industry innovations,” but it was canceled once again.
That appears to be the final nail in the coffin for E3, which will now make way for events such as Summer Game Fest and The Game Awards. It marks the end of an era…