The future of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), a major event in the video game industry, remains shrouded in uncertainty as reports emerge suggesting that the 2024 and 2025 editions of the event may have been canceled. This news comes after E3 2023, originally set to be the first in-person iteration of the event since 2022, was canceled earlier this year in March.
According to a slide featured during a Los Angeles City Tourism Board meeting, the events for 2024 and 2025 have also been axed. This information, however, was not announced by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) but was a footnote in the meeting notes from the City Tourism Commission. Despite these claims, the ESA has stated that no final decisions have been made regarding the future of E3. It has been reported that the association is “having conversations” about E3 2024 and beyond at this stage.
The cancellation of E3, which has been a flagship event for video game announcements for over two decades, could mark a significant shift in the video game industry. The event has faced challenges in recent years, including a rough digital-only show in 2021 and major game companies such as Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, and Ubisoft pulling out of the 2023 expo.
The cancellation of E3 2023 was stated to be due to concerns that game publishers wouldn’t have game demos or reels ready in time. The apparent cancellation of the 2024 and 2025 events may suggest broader issues facing E3’s return, or it might indicate that the organizers are considering relocating the event from Los Angeles.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding E3, the video game industry has adapted to the event’s absence. Developers and publishers are now holding numerous digital game showcases. Geoff Keighley’s ‘Summer Game Fest 2023’ event was a notable stand-in for E3, having initially launched in 2020 when Keighley “saw the wheels falling off the wagon of E3”. Fans of in-person events can also look forward to the return of Summer Game Fest and its associated Play Days event next June.
E3 is currently run by ReedPop, a company known for running large fan conventions like New York Comic-Con and Penny Arcade Expo. Earlier this year, ReedPop mentioned that E3 2023 “simply did not garner sustained interest necessary to execute it in a way that would showcase the size, strength, and impact” of the video game industry. Despite the cancellation of E3 2023, the ESA and ReedPop hinted at working on future E3 events.
