ONCE at the centre of the video game universe and industry, E3 – a trade event for the video game industry - was known for dropping showcases of the next big games and gaming developments annually at the Los Angeles Convention Centre.
Since the last convention in 2019, the four years since did not see a single E3 physical convention due to the industry setbacks and global pandemic that stalled everything.
Its return later this year in June is expected to come with great fanfare and a return to how it was years ago.
Unfortunately, a new exclusive report by IGN claims that: “All three of gaming’s first-party console manufacturers appear poised to skip E3’s big return.”
These three are Xbox, Nintendo and Sony. If true, the absence of the “Big Three” will mark the death knell for E3.
Nintendo reportedly stopped having big press conferences at E3 ten years ago, while Microsoft and Bethesda chose to hold their own showcases alongside – and not with – E3 festivities; the same applies to Sony.
Xbox CEO Phil Spencer apparently told IGN that the platform holder is “timing its showcase with E3 at a moment”. This is presumably so that those who are in town for E3 will also be able to attend their individual showcase.
This information arrives following Xbox’s announcement last week that it would be returning to Los Angeles for its annual summer showcase while declining to confirm whether it would be part of the show itself.
As for Nintendo and Sony, IGN claims that sources have said neither will be at E3 2023, with the PlayStation originally dropping out in 2019 over reported disagreements with the Entertainment Software Association (ESA).
The news has the potential to be a big blow for E3, which is attempting to reestablish itself with the help of events company ReedPop.
As a whole, events have been trying to recover from the hammer blow of the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw major ones canceled across the games industry and beyond.
E3 sought to join Gamescom, PAX, and other consumer events in returning in 2022, but was ultimately canceled and with the alleged no-show by the three major companies, it will be some time before E3 returns to its former glory.
