The organiser of E3, The Entertainment Software Association, has confirmed that the in-person event has been cancelled for the third year in a row.
The ESA released a statement regarding the news, saying the decision was made due to “ongoing health risks surrounding Covid-19 and its potential impact on the safety of exhibitors and attendees. We remain incredibly excited about the future of E3 and look forward to announcing more details soon.”
A digital event was not confirmed as a replacement for the event. In 2021, a physical event was meant to take place but was cancelled last minute. This led to a strained online event, with many journalists struggling to use the online portal.
what’s going on?
The event had been completely cancelled in 2020, the first time the event had not been held since its launch in 1995. E3 has struggled to maintain what it once was in previous years. Sony no longer holds a press conference for PlayStation at E3 any more. And EA and Activision also no longer attend the event. All of which was prior to the pandemic in 2020.
In 2019, there was also a data leak, containing private information of over 2000 individuals. Most of them were press and influencers. This information included phone numbers and addresses, leading numerous individuals to receive harassment. This of course led to a sense of distrust of the ESA.
E3 having its in-person event cancelled for the third year in a row could spell the end of the event. With all of the issues it has faced in recent years, and more and more publishers pulling out, the need for the event is becoming less clear. We’ll have to wait until the ESA announces their plans to see what’s next for the event.
Featured Image Credit: The ESA