E3 Has Been Cancelled Permanently

gamingbolt.com:

Though E3 was once the biggest stage of the games industry, recent years have seen its popularity eroding at an alarming rate. The last couple of years have seen its organizing body, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), trying and failing to get the show off the ground, and it turns out those failures have had a lasting impact.

In a report published by The Washington Post, the ESA has confirmed that it is permanently closing down the E3 event, which means it is no longer planning E3 shows for the coming years.

“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,” said Stanley Pierre-Louis, the ESA’s president and CEO.

Pierre-Louis added that new methods for companies to reach their audiences – i.e. through direct, pre-recorded presentations or livestreams – has contributed to the diminishing importance and necessity of E3 as an event.

“We know the entire industry, players and creators alike have a lot of passion for E3,” he said. “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.”

He added: “Companies now have access to consumers and to business relations through a variety of means, including their own individual showcases.”

He went on to add that though E3’s popularity has steadily declined in recent years, its absence has benefited the industry in other ways.

“Any one of these major companies can create an individual showcase, [and]also partner with other industry events to showcase the breadth of games,” he said. “That’s