Update: E3’s event this year has indeed been cancelled.
News on #E32023 from the source. pic.twitter.com/BK7TUlb8mZ
— E3 (@E3) March 30, 2023
The ESA said in its statement:
“This was a difficult decision because of all the effort we and our partners put toward making this event happen, but we had to do what’s right for the industry and what’s right for E3. We appreciate and understand that interested companies wouldn’t have playable demos ready and that resourcing challenges made being at E3 this summer an obstacle they couldn’t overcome. For those who did commit to E3 2023, we’re sorry we can’t put on the showcase you deserve and that you’ve come to expect from ReedPop’s event experiences.”
Following both Microsoft and Nintendo confirming they won’t be attending E3’s first year back as a physical event since 2019, and Ubisoft changing its plans and pulling out, IGN has reported that both SEGA and Tencent have also decline to attend this year.
The outlet also reports that, upon speaking to individuals close to the matter, there’s a growing doubt within publishing and PR circles that E3 can continue as planned, citing a lack of communication from the ESA and new organisers ReedPop as well as no word on any confirmed attendees.
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As for the publishers that have recently confirmed they’re out, SEGA told IGN in a statement that, “After careful consideration, we have decided not to participate in E3 2023 as an exhibitor. We look forward to sharing more information on announced and unannounced projects in the future.”
Likewise, Tencent told the outlet that it doesn’t plan to attend but expressed some positivity towards Geoff Keighley’s media-only Play Days event that typically happens around Summer Game Fest in that same June period. Bandai Namco told IGN that it plans on attending Play Days but was unclear on E3.
Both SEGA and Tencent have had pretty big presences at recent trade shows like Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show.
Sega and Tencent will be skipping E3 2023, and rumors swirl that the return of gaming’s biggest event may not happen after all. This follows PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and Ubisoft all backing out of the show. https://t.co/539rEaa9cH pic.twitter.com/hhz2lqMUMd
— IGN (@IGN) March 28, 2023
Even Devolver Digital, which had been known to run some kind of kooky counter-event in a nearby Hooters parking lot as part of a long-standing conflict with E3, said they’re not doing that this year (the parking lot is seemingly gone now, anyway) but would consider other LA Convention Centre-based events in future. The publisher has a digital Devolver Direct scheduled in for June:
No Devolver E3 Parking Lot this year but we will have a fresh, new Devolver Direct presentation during @SummerGameFest.
Should be gooooooood.
— Devolver Digital (@devolverdigital) March 29, 2023
“While we always root for the success of any industry gathering that promotes great games, we have never officially attended E3 and do not plan to do so this year unfortunately. We will also confirm we will not be hosting satellite events this year in Los Angeles, but look forward to returning to our beloved parking lot to do so if the opportunity arises for a future LACC-based event. We are happy to report that we are well underway in the production of our annual Devolver Direct scheduled for June which we will share news about soon.”
