For the last few years, E3 has been in a bad place. With its 2020 and 2022 events cancelled due to Covid, its 2019 one lacking Sony and its 2021 event being mediocre all round, the event has been struggling to adapt to the changing gaming landscape.
And it seems like this year was the last straw. Why? Because just a few days ago, the ESA announced that E3 was being discontinued forever.
Yep, the event is now dead, and its history of stage shows, media presentations and wacky gimmicks is finally over for good. Here’s the original announcement from the E3 website:
After more than two decades of E3, each one bigger than the last, the time has come to say goodbye.
Thanks for the memories.
GGWP
Yeah, it’s a pretty subdued message isn’t it? No flashy summary of the years so far, no fancy trailers or history lessons.
Nope, just a single three sentence message stating the event is now over, and that they’re thankful for the memories it gave the gaming community. It’s depressing to see really, and based on reactions by industry folks like Hideo Kojima and Doug Bowser, it’s clear that’s affected many other influential people too:
The end of E3 is sad news; we exhibited “MGS” for the first time in Atlanta in 1997. I have participated every year since then. Especially, the presentation of “MGS2” in 2000 is a precious memory. It was 23 years ago. Without E3, Japanese creators and titles would not have made… pic.twitter.com/Lz3RkuQgSY
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) December 13, 2023
For over two decades E3 has had an incredible impact on the gaming industry. It’s hard to overstate the number of unforgettable moments it gave all of us. What a run! https://t.co/BhG2RHybDx
— Doug Bowser (@thetruebowser) December 12, 2023
But alas, the writing was on the wall. Indeed, with companies like Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft hosting their own presentations throughout the year, the increasingly large role social media has to play in providing news updates and competition from events like Summer Games Fest and the Game Awards, it’s clear that E3’s role was becoming less and less necessary well before this point. It was something for a magazine dominated era, and hence one that didn’t fill the roles needed for a gaming convention in 2023.
Still, it’s official. E3 is dead after all these years of failing to adapt to the changing media landscape. So, what do you think about it? Are you disappointed to see the end of the event? What are some of your favourite reveals and goings on at E3 throughout the years anyway?
Leave your thoughts in the comments below, on social media, or on our Discord server today!
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