End of an Era: E3 Is Officially Canceled Forever
After over two decades of serving as the central showcase for the U.S. and global video game industry, E3 is officially canceled forever.
Key Takeaways:
- After over two decades, E3 is officially and permanently canceled.
- Reasons:
- Major partners like Sony, EA, Nintendo, and more, withdrew from the convention, opting for personalized events. The emergence of alternatives such as Geoff Keighley’s Summer Games Fest.
- COVID-19 led to financial losses in 2021 and event cancellations in 2022 and 2023, contributing to E3’s struggles.
- Insufficient interest.
Rumors about the permanent end of E3 have been circulating across online platforms in recent years. Once the premier convention for the gaming industry, E3’s popularity has waned terribly for many reasons.
E3’s decline began as significant partners such as Sony, EA, and Nintendo withdrew from the convention. These major companies decided to host their own events instead. Nintendo’s Direct, Sony’s State of Play, Microsoft’s Xbox Showcase, and more, are all tailored to the companies’ audiences. This approach is more direct to gamers and brings a lot more focused benefits for both the players and the game developers. However, it’s also one of the main reasons that E3’s appeal is diminished. Adding to the challenge, other alternatives, like Geoff Keighley’s Summer Games Fest, have arisen. And many developers now prefer The Game Awards as the premier platform for unveiling significant announcements.
The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated E3’s struggles. In 2021, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) had to organize an all-digital convention, resulting in financial losses. In 2022, the event was once again scrapped because of COVID-19. A year later, E3 was called off in 2023 due to insufficient interest. And as the gaming community was halfway into 2023, news emerged that E3 would be shelved for both 2024 and 2025. During the whole ordeal, there were, of course, efforts to resurrect E3. However, they all proved unsuccessful. And now, at the moment of writing, ESA has officially and permanently canceled E3 for good.
In an interview with the Washington Post, ESA CEO and president Stanley Pierre-Louis said:
“After more than two decades of hosting an event that has served as a central showcase for the U.S. and global video game industry, the Entertainment Software Association has decided to bring E3 to a close. We know the entire industry, players and creators alike have a lot of passion for E3. We share that passion. 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.”
— Stanley Pierre-Louis
E3 has reached the end of its journey, which started out in 1995. It was a celebrated and eagerly awaited event for gamers worldwide with exciting revelations. The convention will forever be etched in the memories of gamers and the history of gaming. Yet, it’s now time for E3 to step back and make way for new events that promise more opportunities for the entire gaming industry.
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