With so many publishers dropping out of the show, one was wondering if the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2023 event would even happen this year. Alas, it is not.
Per a report from IGN, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has officially pulled the plug on the event, just months after it confirmed it would partner with the team at ReedPop (the Penny Arcade Expo guys) to bring it back.
The group notified its members via email that the “beloved event and brand” would not see a new show this year, as it "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."
It did note, however, it would continue to work with ReedPop on “future E3 events.” Kyle Marsden-Kish, Global VP of Gaming at ReedPop, had this to say: “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. 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.”
If this indeed the end of the road for E3, the ESA would only have themselves to blame. Leaking information from attendees, making it public, and making harsh decisions on cost and treatment of publishers certainly didn’t help its case.
Farewell, E3, we barely knew ye. Oh, and hi, Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest!
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