E3 cancelled, offically and forever

Well, unless the ESA has a change of heart and sells the brand...

E3 has been cancelled, officially and (for now) forever, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has today announced.

“After more than two decades of E3, each one bigger than the last, the time has come to say goodbye,” the ESA said in a simple message on the E3 website. “Thanks for the memories. [Good game, well played.]”

In follow-up statements, the ESA furthered that it has no plans to do anything with the E3 brand.

“The only news today is that ESA has decided to end E3. 2019 was the last in-person show, and the 2021 virtual E3 was the final E3,” said ESA senior vice president communications & public affairs Aubrey Quin. “There are no future plans for the E3 brand.”

“After more than two decades of serving as a central showcase for the U.S. and global video game industry, ESA has decided to end E3,” added ESA President and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis. “ESA’s focus and priority remain advocating for ESA member companies and the industry workforce who fuel positive cultural and economic impact every day.”

Finally, an email statement from an ESA rep confirmed that “ESA has not had any conversations about giving away or selling E3,” and that “ESA remains the sole owner of the E3 event and brand.”

E3 2023 was meant to be a revitalisation of the brand; an event run by PAX’s ReedPop was announced, and then cancelled due to lack of interest from publishers before it took place. E3 2022 was also cancelled after it was announced.

Are you sad to see E3 go? Ben and I reminisced about the event on the whole back in previous episodes of the Friendly Fire Show podcast. They’re embedded above and below.