The Electronic Entertainment Expo, better known as E3, the long-running annual gaming show that brought together the world’s game publishers, retailers and press to Los Angeles, is dead.
“After more than two decades of serving as a central showcase for the US and global video game industry, ESA has decided to end E3,” the Electronic Software Association said in a statement on Tuesday. “ESA’s focus and priority remain advocating for ESA member companies and the industry workforce who fuel positive cultural and economic impact every day.”
Analysts who spoke with CNET cited withdrawals from major publishing partners, along with increased competition from other events, as reasons for the event’s demise.
The end of E3 comes after publishers began slowly pulling back from the show over the past decade. Nintendo stopped doing press conferences at E3 in 2013, instead opting to upload prerecorded videos online. Both Microsoft and EA chose to have off-site events during E3, moving people away from the Los Angeles Convention Center. A major gut punch came in 2019 when Sony decided to pull out of E3 altogether.
With more companies hosting showcases outside of E3, the event’s relevance slowly diminished. Starting in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, E3 canceled or postponed in-person shows, though it did hold an online-only event in 2021. In 2022, ESA said that E3 would return the following year, but ultimately canceled this year’s show due to a lack of interest.
E3’s decline coincided with the rise of Summer Game Fest, a series of game reveal events hosted by veteran industry insider Geoff Keighley. Summer Game Fest started online, and in 2022, hosted its first in-person event in Los Angeles, conspicuously occurring during E3’s usual event window.
Read more: Game Industry Insider Geoff Keighley Lays Out His Vision for Showcase Events
A world without E3 could lead to more canned remarks
While later E3 events would open their doors to let fans experience the displays…
Read the full article here