E3 2023 is no longer doing a virtual or IRL event and the gaming community is torn on the sudden news.
Earlier today I opened my email and saw something in my inbox from E3 and thought they were telling me I got my media pass. Turns out, E3 has been canceled.
"Thank you for applying to attend E3 2023. We are writing to let you know that E3 2023 will not be taking place as scheduled," the email read. "The ESA and ReedPop recognize you may have made plans around the event, thank you for your support, and apologize for any inconvenience."
What!?
After digging around online, I saw that IGN received some emails that stated that E3 “simply did not garner the sustained interest necessary to execute it in a way that would showcase the size, strength, and impact of our industry.”
Then E3 also tweeted out the news:
Why was E3 2023 canceled?
E3 was canceled this year due to many of the companies involved pulling out of the event, including Sony, Xbox, and Nintendo. During the health crisis the past few years, a lot of publishers have realized that they can do their own virtual showcases that get massive viewership, meaning it may have not felt necessary to be a part of E3's event.
The gaming community reacted with sadness over the news. Many were disappointed to hear that they wouldn't be attending the event as originally planned. It was only a few months away. E3 has become a staple of the gaming industry, with all of the most popular publishers and companies gathering for a variety of showcases.
Some felt, however, that E3 was growing "irrelevant."
Despite some people feeling like E3 wasn't necessary at this point, others were still excited about attending even if some of the bigger names weren't going to be present.
While this was unfortunately not the comeback year that E3 had planned, fans are still hopeful that the event will come back bigger and better than ever in upcoming years. While the gaming industry landscape continues to change, E3 is still a special event that had become a big part of gaming culture.