E3's digital event now officially ditched following cancellation of in-person show

eurogamer.net:

E3 has officially ditched its digital-only event this year, which, following the cancellation of its in-person show back in January, means there'll be no E3 at all in 2022.

E3's 2022 started to look shaky in January, when organiser the ESA confirmed it wouldn't be holding a physical show in 2022 due to potential risks from covid — though several journalists subsequently suggested the event had actually been scrapped before Christmas — marking the third year in a row E3's in-person event has been cancelled.

Instead, there were reports the ESA was once again planning a digital offering in place of this year's live show — in a similar manner to last year's virtual event — but the organisation has now confirmed E3 will be skipping 2022 entirely.

«We will devote all our energy and resources to delivering a revitalised physical and digital E3 experience next summer,» the ESA said in a statement given to IGN. «Whether enjoyed from the show floor or your favourite devices, the 2023 showcase will bring the community, media, and industry back together in an all-new format and interactive experience. We look forward to presenting E3 to fans around the world live from Los Angeles in 2023.»

E3 appeared to be struggling to remain relevant even before the pandemic hit, of course, with publishers including such as Sony, EA, Activision all having abandoned the live show. And its troubles have only become more pronounced during the pandemic — its own digital event proved entirely lacklustre last year, with a wider number of publishers enjoying success with their own digital showcases throughout the year.

And while E3 has continued to flounder in a world of online-only events, the likes of Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest have stepped in