The return of the physical E3 showcase will not have publishers Xbox, Sony or Nintendo in attendance for 2023 according to a recent report.
Big Three Xbox, Sony and Nintendo Reportedly to Skip E3 2023
The first physical event in four years is returning in 2023, however E3 will be a little different as major industry giants Xbox, Sony and now Nintendo have all bowed out of the event. The first-party console manufacturers are deciding not to be a part of the event according to reports from IGN. Multiple sources in the report state that “all three gaming’s first-party console manufacturers appear poised to skip E3’s big return”. This would be the first time in the offline event’s history to not have either of them in attendance.
In the past, Nintendo has stopped having its press conferences at E3, but still had a physical representation at the event through its booth on the showroom floor. The last event they attended was in 2019, which was when the last E3 took place in person. Microsoft and Bethesda have also in recent years decided to host their own showcases, alongside E3 happenings.
Microsoft recently held an online showcase theDeveloper_Directwhich featured games such as theElder Scrolls OnlineandRedfall, with Starfield set to have its own spotlight showcase at a later date. According to Xbox CEO Phil Spencer who spoke with IGN as recently as last week, they set to have a showcase during the same time as E3 as this is more “convenient for press and even consumers”. Spencer also went on to express Microsoft’s continued support of E3 but it looks like there won’t be a booth at the conference this year.
There’s a New Show in Town
So while these major companies won’t be showcasing anything physically at the event, there still seem to be alternative press conferences held alongside. Nor will there be booths this time around on the show floor.
In previous years we’ve had alternative online showcases with Summer Game Fest taking the limelight in 2022 which took place around the same time E3 would have been. It had major reveals such asMarvel’s Midnight Suns,Starfieldgameplay as well asSilksong. This year it will happening on June 8th, being both an online and in-person event.
ESA who organises E3 has also in the past have shown interest inrevamping E3as a whole. But with major companies pulling out of attendance in favour of their own showcases, it is a wonder what E3 will look like this year. ReedPop has already confirmed to bepartnering with ESA this year, a production company which is responsible for shows such as PAX, New York Comic Con, Star Wars Celebration and more. Reedpop have said that to be “reshaping” what worked in the past but E3 will be “recognisably epic” enhancing the experience. Only time will tell exactly what that means.
E3 2023will be taking place June 13th unil June 16th at the Los Angeles Convention Center. June 15th and 16th are “E3 Gamer Days” open to the public.
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