The Future of E3 in Jeopardy
The LA Convention Center continues to darken between June 13 and 16, and doubts are spreading about the celebration of E3 2023. The future of the fair promised to return reinvented, but just over two months, few get wet in its viability.
After confirming the withdrawal of Ubisoft yesterday, doubts continue to grow with the absences of Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, Sega, and Tencent. Today, IGN reports that two big companies will not be attending the event.
Many publishing and public relations professionals interviewed by IGN describe a strange situation: everyone is waiting for someone to make the first step by confirming their attendance at E3, but no one is willing. They do not know if it is worth spending time and budget to attend an event that may not be well attended.
After the pandemic, many companies cut back on their live event departments, and many have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. In addition, there is very little communication with the video game association ESA and the organizer ReedPop, which has been quiet for now, but is probably in “crisis mode” after all this pessimistic news.
Companies that have not spoken include EA, Square Enix, Embracer Group, Activision Blizzard, Epic Games, Take-Two, Warner Bros. Games, and Konami. The latter is expected to make important announcements, but it could be at its own event or even at the Summer Game Fest, which is the week before.
The Summer Game Fest will also have some “Play Days,” days of tests and face-to-face hands-on demos in Los Angeles, only for press and professionals. With so much uncertainty surrounding E3, companies may be more likely to attend the Summer Game Fest instead.
In conclusion, the future of E3 is looking bleak. Without confirmed attendance from major players in the industry, it is uncertain whether the event will even take place in 2023. The lack of communication from organizers has only added to the uncertainty, leaving many professionals unsure whether to invest their time and budget in attending an event with a high probability of being bleak.