After months of speculation about its fate, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) for 2023 has been officially cancelled. The decision to scrap the largest annual gaming industry conference was reportedly based on the dwindling interest of the biggest gaming companies including Nintendo, Microsoft, and Ubisoft, who opted out of the event altogether. This led to the event managers, ReedPop and the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), to abandon plans for the conference due to a lack of sustained interest in what would have been the first physical exhibition since 2019.
E3 is known for its mix of industry-focused days and public-facing showcases, providing an ideal platform for companies and developers to unveil upcoming games, hardware, and services to industry insiders and gamers alike. However, the challenges of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as well as the uncertainties it presents for travel and logistics have been significant impediments for companies intending to participate in E3 2023.
According to an email sent by ReedPop to its employees, E3 2023 cancellation “did not garner the sustained interest necessary to execute it in a way that would showcase the size, strength, and impact of our industry.”
A statement from Kyle Marsden-Kish, Global VP of Gaming at ReedPop, offers an explanation for E3’s cancellation based on what is “right for the industry and what’s right for E3.” Reports suggest that companies struggled to find the necessary resources for attending the event, including playable demos, which would have made them prioritize other marketing channels.
Despite the cancellation of E3 2023, Marsden-Kish’s statement suggested that ReedPop and ESA plan to work together on future events, raising the possibility of the convention making a comeback in the coming years.
While E3 has had a long history of shaping the industry, it faced raising competition from other gaming-focused events that have gained popularity in recent years. This includes independent events like the annual Game Awards along with more developer-centric events such as GDC (Game Developers Conference). Until recent years, E3 was the epicenter of the gaming industry and a showcase opportunity for large gaming companies, but with the cancellation of the most recent physical event, the gaming industry is entering a new era that will demand new forms of marketing and promotional channels.
