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2023 could well be the first year ever where E3 was without an appearance from Xbox, Sony or Nintendo. This marks an important moment in a gradual shift in the games industry that has been years in the making.
At the E3 convention in June, we often hear about all the upcoming games for Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PS5. Whether it’s updates on already announced games or big reveals of new titles, the show has traditionally been a fixture on the games industry calendar.
However, IGN (opens in new tab) says it has “understood from multiple expert sources that Xbox, Sony, and Nintendo will not be part of E3 2023 or present on the show floor at the Los Angeles Convention Center.”
We may hear from the three major platform holders in showcases surrounding the event, but according to the report, they will not be attending the show to make their games playable for the press or consumers.
In January, Microsoft confirmed plans (opens in new tab) for its “annual showcase this summer”, but it hasn’t confirmed it will be present at E3. Oddly enough, Xbox sits on the board of the Entertainment Software Association – the body that organizes E3, but IGN remains adamant that “[it] will not have a booth on the trading floor”.
Sony has a track record of Skip E3, so his absence would hardly be a surprise. However, Nintendo has traditionally had a significant presence at E3, and skipping the proceedings would mean a sudden departure for the Nintendo Switch-peddling tech giant.
Triple threat
“We spent much of 2022 fine-tuning how E3 2023 would take shape, reflecting the feedback we requested, we didn’t send any contract to any exhibitor until the beginning of this month,” said E3 organizer ReedPop in a statement to IGN. “We have received tremendous interest and verbal commitments from many of the largest companies in the industry, and when we are ready to announce the exhibitors, we are confident it will be a lineup that will make the trip to Los Angeles will definitely make it worth it. for both industry and consumers.”
Like Xbox, Sony, and Nintendo, ReedPop has given very little away about what to expect at E3 this year. While event organizers have been quiet about the potential absence of the big three, the implications are loud.
In its heyday, E3 was a world-renowned celebration of the video game industry, part marketing tool, part press conference, and part fan convention. To this day, I remember exactly where I was when BioWare went down Star Wars The Old Republic’s cinema trailer (opens in new tab) way back in 2011, and E3 was a big part of that.
The 2023 E3 no longer seems to have the ubiquitous cultural stopping power it once had. That said, even without Xbox, Sony and Nintendo on the show floor, there’s probably plenty to offer. What their absence does mean, though, is that E3 is unlikely to reclaim its spot as the one-stop shop for announcements and hype. For better or for worse, it looks like we’re going to have to get our news from a series of competing Showcases and streams.