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E3 organizer announces new event, "iicon," with support from Nintendo, EA, and more

by Danny Craig · 2/7/25, 3:20 PM
E3 organizer announces new event, "iicon," with support from Nintendo, EA, and more
Entertainment Software Association

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA), which previously organized the ill-fated E3, has announced its new event, Interactive Innovation Conference (iicon). It’s stated that the event's purpose is to "connect visionaries, thought leaders and innovators from across industries to harness the power of interactive entertainment."

The details:

  • The "first-of-its-kind" event will be held at the Fountainebleau Resort in Las Vegas from April 27 to April 30, next year. So far, the ESA has confirmed that many well-known companies, including Nintendo, EA, Ubisoft, Sony, Microsoft, Disney, Epic Games, Take-Two, and Amazon, will be in attendance.

  • The ESA states that the event will give attendees “exclusive access to visionary keynotes, engaging discussions and workshops, and elite networking opportunities with executives shaping the future of entertainment, business and technology.” iicon will also feature appearances from companies outside of the gaming industry, such as those in film, television, music, sports, and even finance, in an effort to "unlock the limitless potential of interactive entertainment."

  • Unlike E3, which was canceled in 2023, iicon will be an invite-only event that appears to focus on companies and their executives networking with one another rather than announcing new projects to the general public. "For decades, video games have been at the forefront of technological and cultural innovation," ESA president and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis said. "With iicon, we are creating a space for visionaries across industries to come together, connect and reimagine what's possible through interactive entertainment."

  • Similarly, Geoff Keighley's E3 successor, Summer Game Fest, will feature an event focusing on the business side of gaming and entertainment. The invite-only business-to-business event will be organized by former GamesIndustry.biz head Christopher Dring, while the public SGF livestream will still take place to show new announcements and trailers.

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