E3 Enters a New World
A long time ago, in a world before the pandemic, E3 reigned supreme as the go-to event for new info about your favorite games. It was just a press conference and advertising space, sure. But its constant presence and consistent avalanche of new info made it so much more. E3 was a celebration of gaming, something you’d book time off work for or prepare snacks to watch incredible news streams.
Gaming companies big and small would be eager to show off everything they have. From Sony to Square Enix, Ubisoft to Bethesda…but that list recently got a lot shorter.
Nintendo, Microsoft, and EA have left the building. E3’s absence during the pandemic has forced a good deal of innovation in terms of gaming news outreach. Nintendo was, apparently, already on the fence about this, having set up the Nintendo Direct format a good while before the pandemic hit. Microsoft and EA look to be following suit.
This information comes to us from IGN, who also suspects that Sony may soon join this list. Considering that 2023 was supposed to be a big return to form for E3, the absence of these major studios is sure to be a heavy blow. Many companies favored E3 specifically because it held huge prominence in the tech and gaming scene – and with major stars seeking different skies, E3’s reputation is in danger.
How do you think E3 will respond to this news? Will the upcoming event retain enough prominence to sustain itself? Will some studios, indie or otherwise, be willing to fill the void left by these major groups? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments down below!