E3 canceled, organizers fail to confirm a 2024 return
techradar.comThe Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has formally announced that E3 2023 is canceled.
E3 is a staple games industry showcase which has traditionally played host to previews for upcoming games as well as a celebration of the industry as a whole. The ESA, the owner of E3, issued a statement with producers Reedpop confirming the cancellation of E2 2023. (via Eurogamer(opens in new tab)).
«This was a difficult decision because of all the effort we and our partners put toward making this event happen, but we had to do what's right for the industry and what's right for E3,» said Kyle Marsden-Kish, Reedpop's Global Vice President of Gaming.
The cancellation comes in the aftermath of a string of publishers pulling out of the event. In addition to the absence of Nintendo, Microsoft, and PlayStation, Ubisoft, Sega, and Tencent also withdrew their support for the event. Even Devolver Digital, who traditionally set up their own expo in a parking lot opposite E3’s main building, decided not to go ahead this year.
In an interview with gamesindustry.biz(opens in new tab), ESA president and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis shed some light on the organization’s decision to cancel the event.
Pierre-Louis acknowledged three reasons for the cancellation, saying: “First, several companies have reported that the timeline for game development has been altered since the start of the COVID pandemic. Second, economic headwinds have caused several companies to reassess how they invest in large marketing events. And third, companies are starting to experiment with how to find the right balance between in-person events and digital marketing opportunities.”
When asked whether or not the event would return in 2024, Pierre-Louis made no commitments,
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