Despite initial statements suggesting another year of an online-only edition of their gaming expo, the Electronic Software Association has opted to cancel E3 2022 altogether. The news came via a tweet from PC gaming tech company Razer's PR lead Will Powers, who had received an email regarding the digital event. Soon after, the association confirmed that the showcase was indeed dead.
It's been a long fall from grace for the vaunted gaming convention over the past few years. Thanks to the pandemic, E3 has had struggles staying afloat, forgoing an event altogether in 2020 before running their first digital convention the following year. It didn't go according to plan, with many companies pulling out in favor of hosting their own events. 2022 looked to be a return to form initially, with the ESA hoping to return to the physical, community-centric conventional hall setting complete with live showcases from all the largest companies and developers, but the Omicron variant shut down those plans before they got off the ground.
The ESA is now turning its gaze towards 2023 in an official statement:
E3 will return in 2023 with a reinvigorated showcase that celebrates new and exciting video games and industry innovations. We previously announced that E3 would not be held in person in 2022 due to the ongoing health risks surrounding COVID-19. Today, we announce that there will also be no digital E3 showcase in 2022. We will devote all our energy and resources to delivering a revitalized physical and digital E3 experience next summer. Whether enjoyed from the show floor or your favorite devices, the 2023 showcase will bring the community, media, and industry back together in an all-new format and interactive experience. We look forward to presenting E3 to fans around the world live from Los Angeles in 2023. Look for more news and announcements soon.
News of E3 2022's death isn't entirely shocking. Although the ESA had previously committed to doing a digital event, rumors and further statements increasingly threw cold water on the proposition. With the longstanding game convention out of the way, the door is now wide open for Geoff Keighley and his Summer Game Fest to swoop in and take the mantle of this summer's biggest gaming event. As soon as the announcement was made official, Keighley took to Twitter with a wink just moments before the official page of the Fest confirmed its return in June, complete with a wide array of announcements and guests from around the industry.
While Summer Game Fest will look to fill the void with a wide-ranging showcase, many individual companies will still hold their own virtual live streams for their own titles. Between Sony's State of Play events, Nintendo's Directs, and far more, many developers have shown they're willing and able to show off what they have in store without a third party. Even if E3 makes its return in 2023, studios have already gotten used to the convenience and practicality of hosting their own events, meaning the struggle to get those companies back in the convention's hallowed halls will be greater than ever.