The E3 2023 gaming expo has been cancelled, the organisers have confirmed.
In news that potentially means a permanent end for the summer showcase, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) says the challenges were too big for interested parties to overcome.
Save 11% on the Apple AirPods 3
Amazon is currently offering the third generation Apple AirPods for just £159, which is a £20 saving on the RRP.
- Amazon
- Save 11%
- Now £159
The organiser said developers wouldn’t have been able to get playable demos to the show floor, while “resourcing challenges” made attending different.
“This was a difficult decision because of all the effort we and our partners put toward making this event happen, but we had to do what’s right for the industry and what’s right for E3,” an ESA statement from Kyle Marsden-Kish, Global VP of Gaming, ReedPop, which is the event company who was promoting the show.
“We appreciate and understand that interested companies wouldn’t have playable demos ready and that resourcing challenges made being at E3 this summer an obstacle they couldn’t overcome. For those who did commit to E3 2023, we’re sorry we can’t put on the showcase you deserve and that you’ve come to expect from ReedPop’s event experiences.”
However, IGN has seen an email purportedly sent to members admitting the proposed E3 2023 “simply did not garner the sustained interest necessary to execute it in a way that would showcase the size, strength, and impact of our industry.”
Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and Ubisoft had all confirmed they would not have a presence at the event, which was due to kick off at its traditional home – the Los Angeles Convention Center – on June 13.
It was supposed to be the first in-person E3 event since the 2020 edition had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Now it appears unlikely E3 will ever happen again in its current form. The ESA and ReedPop still plan to work together on future E3 events, but whether they will be able to garner support from significant industry players appears a tough prospect at this stage.
You might like…
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
