For the second time in history, there will be no E3 taking place this year. Organizer ESA previously had announced that E3 2022 would once again be held as a digital-only event, but then ESA recently confirmed that the event will be canceled in full. Thankfully, however, ESA has plans for E3 to return in 2023 in a brand new, hybrid format.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, E3 had never skipped a year, taking place annually at the Los Angeles Convention Center in June. It was canceled in its entirety in 2020, but then made its return as a digital-only event in 2021. Expectations for E3 to make a comeback this year was high. However, the ESA has decided that it would be better for the organizing team to focus on next year instead.
The news was first reported on Twitter by Axios' journalist Stephen Totilo. He said that E3 2023 will be delivered both as physical and digital events. While so far there hasn't been any official confirmation by the organizer regarding this new development, Stephen corroborated the news by showing an excerpt of a statement from the ESA.
In the statement, it is said that the ESA will be devoting its energy and resources to "delivering a revitalized physical and digital E3 experience next summer." It is also said that the 2023 showcase will be held in an "all-new format and interactive experience." Unfortunately, neither the statement nor the report explained further as to how the new hybrid format will take place next year. Previously, E3 had always been an in-person event, with the exception for E3 2021.
The intention to give E3 a major revamp sounds reasonable since other gaming events have slowly gained more traction lately. Even events such as The Game Awards have been recognized more as a showcase event than an awards show. The cancellation of E3 2020 also gave birth to another annual gaming event taking place at summertime, Summer Game Fest, which has planns to make its third appearance this year.
Whether E3 will return to its glory next year remains to be seen. For now, fans can only hope for other gaming events to help fill the void left by E3 this year. Hopefully, this year's Summer Game Fest will be bigger than ever, especially since it won't need to compete with E3.