Source: ReedPop

This summer was meant to mark the in-person return of E3, the video-game-centered convention that was cancelled in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Originally scheduled for June 13-16 in Los Angeles, this year’s E3 would have been the first managed by ReedPop, the company behind fan events such as New York Comic Con and Star Wars Celebration. It was also slated to be a hybrid event, blending an in-person convention with a lineup of virtual content.

Yesterday, however, the E3 website was updated with the following message:

“Show organizer ReedPop announces E3 2023 will not take place as scheduled this June, with both physical and digital events cancelled. Alongside the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), both parties will re-evaluate the future of E3.”

A similar message also appeared on the official E3 social media accounts, sharing that both the in-person and virtual elements of this year’s show have been cancelled.

This announcement comes on the heels of seemingly regular updates about the show. Earlier this month, Future Games Show announced a partnership with E3 for the show’s Digital Week component, DoorDash Gaming announced plans to attend, and industry registration even opened for the show.

According to a statement obtained and published by IGN, the show cancellation was, at least in part, because “interested companies wouldn’t have playable demos ready and that resourcing challenges made being at E3 this summer an obstacle they couldn’t overcome.”

At this time, there is not an update about E3 2024. However, according to IGN, ReedPop and IGN plan to work together on “future E3 events.” Yet the sentiment among many fans and industry players on social media is that this marks the end for E3, which first launched in 1995.

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In the past few years, in the absence of E3, many companies have started hosting their own virtual showcases. The mostly-virtual Summer Game Fest has also become a major platform for game companies to share summer announcements and updates. Summer Game Fest still plans to return this summer, kicking off with a livestream presentation at noon PT on June 8.

While E3 registration is no longer available, the newsletter sign-up portal is still active at e3expo.com. According to the site, this is the best way to get updates about the future of E3.

About the author

Madeleine Buckley

Madeleine Buckley

Madeleine Buckley was a Senior Editor at The Pop Insider, The Toy Insider, and The Toy Book. She covered all things toys and fandom, and has appeared on Cheddar and a variety of regional news networks to talk about the latest trends in both. She is a movie score enthusiast, mediocre knitter, proud Syracuse alumna, and Marvel lover. You can usually find her at the movies or hanging out at home with her super-pup, Parker.

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