With the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and repeated failures in bringing back the marquee event of gaming in the month of June for the past few years, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has thrown in the towel. 28 years after it first appeared, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) has ended for good.
This comes via a statement shared on Twitter/X, which, while predictable, is still something to mull over for the many who have had the chance to experience the unique magic of the convention in the past years.
“After more than two decades of serving as a central showcase for the video game industry, ESA has decided to end E3,” the statement reads. “ESA remains focused on advocating for ESA member companies and the industry workforce who fuel positive cultural and economic impact every day.”
It was only in June 2022 that the ESA announced that E3 would be returning for 2023, but in March of this year, it became clear that interest was no longer as fervent as before, while logistical and financial challenges made it even more impossible to stage the show. This would have been the first physical show since 2019, with the 2020 show cancelled due to COVID-19, while 2021 saw a digital version of the convention.
E3 has had a long history, kicking things off in 1995 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, and was a key event for all the big players in the gaming industry, as well as for media and the general public. There were big reveals and announcements, press conferences were often something to look forward to, and it was truly a celebration of the medium we all love.
However, as companies became more focused on their own products and started having their own showcases, the end of E3 was on the cards. That, as well as the emergence of The Game Awards and the much bigger Gamescom shows, meant that it was hard for E3 to recover. Now, it’ll only live long in the memories.
Jake is a full-time trophy hunter and achievement gatherer on consoles, and part-time Steam Sale victim. He has a thing for Batman and awesome statues, and running out of space for both. Send help.
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