E3 is now officially dead, ESA confirms

by Danny Craig · 12/12/23, 4:18 PM
E3 is now officially dead, ESA confirms
Entertainment Software Association

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has officially announced that E3 is no more after canceling its 2023 event.

The details:

  • The iconic gaming expo's demise was announced in a post to its official X account and website. "After more than two decades of E3, each one bigger than the last, the time has come to say goodbye," reads the post. "Thanks for the memories."

  • Stanley Pierre-Louis, president and CEO of the ESA, confirmed the news in an interview with The Washington Post, citing the change in how companies share information. “We know the entire industry, players and creators alike have a lot of passion for E3. We share that passion,” he said. “We know it’s difficult to say goodbye to such a beloved event, but it’s the right thing to do given the new opportunities our industry has to reach fans and partners.”

  • E3 was founded in 1995 and quickly drew most major publishers and developers together for a few days every year, attracting extensive media coverage for new and upcoming games. Its popularity has dwindled in recent years due to the shift to making digital announcements, which is far less expensive than acquiring a space on the event's floor. Following the pandemic, the 2023 show was canceled after the biggest companies withdrew, leaving its future uncertain.

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