E3 Video Game Expo Discontinued
Alex Gherzo | Dec 13, 2023 |
E3 is no more. The Entertainment Software Association has officially announced that it will no longer hold the annual video game expo, with its concise statement emblazoned on the E3 website. E3 has had some trouble over the past few years; the showcase was canceled in 2020 amid COVID restrictions and returned in 2021 with an online-only event. The 2022 and 2023 events were also canceled, and now, the whole shebang is shutting down for good. This also comes in the wake of individual video game companies hosting their own showcases, like the Nintendo Directs and Sony’s State of Play shows.
Well, that’s that, I suppose. But considering all the more focused video game showcases, does it really matter? I guess if you looked forward to E3 and have fond memories of it, it does, but if you just want to see what games are coming out, the various game studios have you covered. And I get it; why would the Entertainment Software Association want to put together an elaborate event when Nintendo, Sony, EA, et al. are doing their own shows throughout the year? And why would the various companies bother with it if they’re making their own shows, which probably cost them less and get them exclusive media attention for the week? Interestingly, JoBlo points out that the final three in-person E3 shows – 2017, 2018, and 2019 – had “near-record numbers;” following that up with four years of no live show is sad and, as we can see, catastrophic to the enterprise. I wonder what the reaction will be; certainly, some will miss it, but will more people simply not care?
