The Entertainment Software Association, who organizes E3 annually, has released an official statement on Sony's recent announcement that it would not be attending the trade show this year. However, the ESA's response had a critical omission, lacking any mention of Sony itself, and therefore not entirely addressing the subject at hand.

This is now the second year in a row that Sony won't be at E3, seemingly confirming that this would be the company's pattern going forward, in line with much of the speculation which circled after Sony's 2019 absence. With one of E3's largest conference holders pulling out from the show, many have started to cast doubts over what this means for the future of what has long been a ubiquitous name in the gaming industry.

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Sony has multiple reasons for not hosting a conference at E3. The continued popularization and influence of the internet has helped to make large announcements outside of trade shows like E3 a more viable option than it's been in the past. For example, Sony now has the option to issue announcements via its own internal methods, like the State of Play broadcasts. Add this accessibility to the multi-million dollar price tag of making a large showing at E3, and Sony's reasoning becomes apparent.

“E3 is a signature event celebrating the video game industry and showcasing the people, brands and innovations redefining entertainment loved by billions of people around the world. E3 2020 will be an exciting, high-energy show featuring new experiences, partners, exhibitor spaces, activations, and programming that will entertain new and veteran attendees alike. Exhibitor interest in our new activations is gaining the attention of brands that view E3 as a key opportunity to connect with video game fans worldwide.”

The ESA's statement, on the other hand, doesn't give a lot of information on the subject. Rather than tackling the issue of Sony's potential departure head-on, the paragraph the ESA released speaks of E3's success in showcasing the best of the industry, before assuring its readers that "E3 2020 will be an exciting, high-energy show" with plenty of new partners and activities present.

What this means for the future of E3, especially considering its own host's vague response, is unknown, and could largely depend on the subsequent actions of other large conference holders, like Microsoft and Nintendo. These giants of the industry have now been given the potential opportunity to fill the vacuum void left by Sony's disappearance, thereby dominating the heavily watched event.

Ultimately, however, the real effects of Sony's absence will likely be long-term, and therefore, uncertain for the time being. And based off of the ESA's own response, it doesn't sound too certain itself.

MORE: 12 Big Games Missing From E3 2019

Source: theesa.com