E3 is officially dead and won't return in 2024
The legendary gaming event finally admits defeat after a long battle
After the abrupt cancellation of E3 2023, many were hoping that the expo would return in good health for 2024. However, that won’t be the case.
The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has announced that E3 is officially over, marking the end of what was once the biggest gaming event in the world.
In a statement on X, the ESA said: “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”.
Speaking to The Washington Post, Stanley Pierre-Louis, the president and CEO of the ESA, said: “We know that the entire industry, including players and creators, has a lot of passion for E3. We share that passion.
“We know it’s difficult to say goodbye to such a beloved event, but it’s the right thing to do given the new opportunities our industry has to reach fans and partners.”
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: E3 is dead
😥 The ESA has announced that E3 will not return in 2024
💀 It’s now confirmed that the once great expo is over for good
🏆 E3 used to be where all the biggest gaming announcements took place
🤷♂️ However, publishers have moved to host their own announcements and shows
Publishers and developers have gradually shifted from the traditional format offered by E3, choosing to host online digital announcements instead.
Nintendo was the first company to embrace this new format, holding the first Nintendo Direct in 2011. Others eventually followed. Sony regularly holds State of Play presentations and Microsoft has started to experiment with its own Developer Direct showcase.
Not only can Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft control their messaging and marketing better internally, but they can also save significantly on travel and expenses. It's this combination that slowly made E3 feel more and more redundant.
We've also seen some pseudo-E3 replacements. Gamescom Opening Night Live, Summer Game Fest and The Game Awards have all stepped in to fill the void left by E3, though only Gamescom lets fans go hands-on with the latest games themselves.
E3 was often seen as the Christmas Day of gaming by many, with exclusive announcements, world premieres and new hardware being shown. All good things must come to end, it seems, and we’ll all keep our favorite E3 moments close to our hearts. I can still remember when Phil Spencer announced Xbox One backward compatibility in 2015 like it was yesterday.
Thanks for the memories, E3. You will be missed.