Despite multiple cancellations leading to widespread speculation that the E3 games conference may be gone for good, the Entertainment Software Association, which has traditionally organized the event, begs to differ. According to the association behind the event, nothing is set in stone, and there may be hope for E3’s future. Notes from a recent Los Angeles City Tourism Board tell a different story, listing convention cancellations for both E3 2024 and 2025–though it doesn’t outright say the entire expo is canceled.
When reached for comment regarding the cancellations, an ESA spokesperson said, “ESA is currently having conversations about E3 2024 and beyond, and no final decisions about the event have been made at this time.”
Once a staple of the gaming industry, E3 was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was canceled in 2021 for the same reason, then again in 2022, but hopes for E3 2023 were high until it, too, was canceled last March. Some have pointed the finger at other gaming showcases, like Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest (though Keighly places the blame for E3’s “death” squarely on the ESA’s shoulders). Additionally, other industry titans like Sony and Microsoft have taken a page out of Nintendo’s book, opting to create their own exclusive showcases similar to the Nintendo Direct showcase, which first debuted in 2011.
The future of E3 still seems to be on shaky ground, though the ESA’s comments do hint that the showcase may not be gone forever. Ultimately, only time will tell whether the once-popular gaming event ever makes a comeback. The canceled events were scheduled for June 11, 2024 and June 3, 2025 respectively.
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