The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), once the largest annual gaming convention in the US, is shutting down after 28 years (1995-2023).
In the wake of competition from direct digital distribution of news and updates regarding games, demos, and more, as seen with Nintendo Direct, PlayStation State of Play, and Xbox Games Showcase, E3 has been struggling over the last few years.
E3 used to be an industry-exclusive event, allowing only developers and press to enter the show while the presentations and coverage were produced online for fans. This changed for the first time in 2017.
After yet another failure to bring it back in 2023, the parent company confirmed it is ending the showcase for good.
Entertainment Software Association (ESA) President and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis made an official statement in an interview with The Washington Post, saying “After more than two decades of hosting an event that has served as a central showcase for the U.S. and global video game industry, the Entertainment Software Association has decided to bring E3 to a close…We know the entire industry, players and creators alike have a lot of passion for E3. We share that passion. We know it’s difficult to say goodbye to such a beloved event, but it’s the right thing to do given the new opportunities our industry has to reach fans and partners.”
The decline of E3 began several years ago. In addition to individual shows from major developers, studios, and publications, challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and Geoff Keighley’s Summer Games Fest resulted in the death of the show.
In 2021, the ESA held an all-digital E3 but ended up losing money in comparison to what was earned. What’s more, the 2022 and 2023 shows were flat-out canceled.
At a certain point, ReedPop, the convention organizer, was tasked with resurrecting E3, but this year’s event was canceled following a lack of interest from developers and publishers. This led to ESA and ReedPop parting ways.