As reported by IGN, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has communicated to its members that theE3 2023 was deleted. The event would have taken place from June 13 to 16 at the Los Angeles Convention Center and should have been the first edition open to the public since 2019.
Again according to IGN, the email sent to ESA members explains that E3 will remain a “renowned event and brand” but that the 2023 edition “did not get the necessary interest to represent the size, strength and impact” of the gaming industry.
Update: ESA and ReedPop have published an official press release, which we have reproduced below:
“This was a tough decision due to all the efforts we and our partners have put into making this event happen, but we had to do what’s right for the industry and what’s right for E3. We appreciate and understand that affected companies wouldn’t have playable demos ready, and that resource challenges made attending this summer’s E3 a hurdle they couldn’t overcome.For those who committed to E3 2023, we’re sorry not to be able to stage the showcase you deserve and expect from the experiences of ReedPop events.”
The news probably won’t surprise many. We have known for some time that Sony and Nintendo would not have taken part in the event, as well as Microsoft which, however, had plans to organize a showcase in conjunction with the event. While a few days ago the important defections of Ubisoft, Sega, Tencent and Devolver Digital arrived. In short, the cancellation was in the air and now, unfortunately, the confirmation has arrived.
E3 2023 had the task of bringing the event back into fashion after three years that were decidedly to be forgotten. In fact, we remind you that the 2020 and 2022 editions were canceled due to Covid-19, while that of 2021 took place only digitally, with little success. At this point it is not clear what the future of the event will be, but certainly the prospects do not seem the best.