E3 has been completely canceled this year, IGN reports with further confirmation by VentureBeat.
In a statement to VentureBeat, the Entertainment Software Association, which organizes E3, said the following:
“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.”
The ESA announced in January that a physical convention would not take place but an online-only version was still a possibility. Today’s news broke when IGN’s Rebekah Valentine confirmed the contents of an email sent to Razor PR lead Will Powers, who tweeted that it stated a digital E3 was no longer happening as well. It appears these emails were sent to all of the ESA’s partners prior to the announcement.
There has not been an in-person E3 since 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 show was also canceled and the 2021 iteration was an online event consisting of trailers and digital booths for media. However, many publishers either declined to participate or appeared in Geoff Keighley’s Summer Games Fest, making E3 2021 a shallow disappointment to fans and the press.
It’s likely due to the 2021 show’s reception that the ESA also tells VentureBeat that it plans to “revitalize” E3 in 2023 as “a reinvigorated showcase that celebrates new and exciting video games and industry innovations.”
[Source: IGN, VentureBeat]