E3 2023, which was set to take place from June 13 to June 16, has been officially cancelled, it was announced recently by the ESA and ReedPop, this year’s official event organizers.

In a statement to IGN, the ESA and ReedPop said, “This was a difficult decision because of all the effort we and our partners put toward making this event happen, but we had to do what’s right for the industry and what’s right for E3. We appreciate and understand that interested companies wouldn’t have playable demos ready and that resourcing challenges made being at E3 this summer an obstacle they couldn’t overcome. For those who did commit to E3 2023, we’re sorry we can’t put on the showcase you deserve and that you’ve come to expect from ReedPop’s event experiences.”

E3 has been struggling to varying degrees for a number of years, with E3 2018 having been the last fully-featured event to be put on. E3 2019 saw Sony backing out from the show for the first time since its inception, while E3 2020 was cancelled altogether due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The show returned in 2021, but in very limited capacity and as a digital-only event, while in 2022, it was cancelled again.

The month of June still has a number of major gaming events and showcases scheduled, however, including Summer Game Fest, the Xbox Games Showcase (which will be followed immediately by the Starfield Direct), and Ubisoft Forward. Reportedly, Sony also has a PlayStation Showcase planned for around that time. Meanwhile, leaks have claimed that Konami, too, had big plans for E3 2023, with announcements lined up for a Metal Gear Solid 3 remake and a new Castlevania game, though it remains to be seen how the company will shift plans now that the event has been cancelled.

News on #E32023 from the source. pic.twitter.com/BK7TUlb8mZ

— E3 (@E3) March 30, 2023

Tencent’s global game publishing initiative Level Infinite is also not attending. Instead, it will attend Play Days 2023, organized by Geoff Keighley. Bandai Namco will be at Play Days but didn’t confirm or deny its E3 presence. Devolver Digital continues its streak of not officially attending E3, but confirmed it’s “well underway in the production of our annual Devolver Direct scheduled for June, which we will share news about soon.”

Though other publishers haven’t confirmed their withdrawal, IGN understood that others were planning the same. Several individuals in publishing and PR with knowledge of events also expressed concern for the event. Some felt there was a lack of communication between the Entertainment Software Association and ReedPop about the show. Neither has provided an official comment till now.

The situation was described as everyone “waiting for someone else to be the first to jump, but no one was willing to take the leap – and time was running out.” Before Ubisoft’s withdrawal, one source said there was “no possible way this show can happen.”

As always, time will tell, so stay tuned for more details.

“It’s often tough to separate the facts from the conjecture on E3, but unsurprisingly I’m really not hearing good things. Would not be surprised at all if it’s called off this week – but I hope it isn’t. I feel so sorry for those behind it who did everything asked of them,” Robinson said on Twitter.

Hollie Bennett, who heads influences and engagement at Frontier Developments, said it’s a “pity because this is easily the cheapest show floor prices have ever been like it’s WILD how much they’ve dropped. They have some good plans too. This year really feels like a great shot at E3 coming back too.”

Though Robinson hopes it still goes ahead and was initially “super positive” about it, there’s currently “too much noise right now for me to be confident.”

This year’s show is organized by ReedPop, known for events like C2E2, EGX, New York Comic Con, PAX East, and much more, instead of the Entertainment Software Association. It hasn’t responded to Ubisoft pulling out of the show or offered any indication of its cancellation.

June will still be busy when it comes to gaming events. The Summer Game Fest returns on June 9th, while the Xbox Games Showcase and Starfield Direct are scheduled for June 11th. Ubisoft Forward Live will also occur on June 12th, while Sony is rumored to host a new PlayStation Showcase in the same month.

It's often tough to separate the facts from the conjecture on E3, but unsurprisingly I'm really not hearing good things. Would not be surprised at all if it's called off this week – but I hope it isn't. I feel so sorry for those behind it who did everything asked of them

— Andy Robinson (@Andy_VGC) March 28, 2023

That's a pity because this is easily the cheapest show floor prices have ever been, like it's WILD how much they've dropped. They have some good plans too, this year really feels like a great shot at E3 coming back too 🙁

— Hollie Bennett (@HollieB) March 28, 2023

I was feeling super positive about it. I hope it still goes ahead, but there's too much noise right now for me to be confident

— Andy Robinson (@Andy_VGC) March 28, 2023

“E3 has fostered unforgettable moments across the industry throughout the years. While we initially intended to have an official E3 presence, we’ve made the subsequent decision to move in a different direction and will be holding a Ubisoft Forward Live event on June 12th in Los Angeles. We look forward to sharing more details with our players very soon.”

Organizer ReedPop, which is in charge of organizing the show this year over the Entertainment Software Associated, has yet to comment on this turn of events.

Ubisoft previously promised a “strong lineup” for E3 2023, but following rumors of delays for Assassin’s Creed Mirage and The Crew: Motorfest, it remains to be seen if plans changed. As such, Mirage should get a gameplay reveal along with Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (which may also get a release window). Who knows? Skull and Bones could also appear to announce another release date before its next inevitable delay. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

“Since this year’s E3 show didn’t fit into our plans, we have decided to not participate. However, we have been and continue to be a strong supporter of the ESA and E3.”

The news probably isn’t too surprising for avid followers of Nintendo, especially given its reliance on digital-only Direct presentations over the years. It’s worth noting that E3 2023 is organized by ReedPop, which has worked “diligently” with the Entertainment Software Software association to create a “new type” of show that “supports their goals and needs.”

Even without Nintendo, this year’s show should be worth keeping an eye on. Ubisoft has a “strong lineup” planned, and we could likely get release dates for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Skull and Bones (before its umpteenth delay). Konami is also rumored to be attending the show to reveal Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake and a new Castlevania game. As always, stay tuned for more details and updates in the coming months.

The same has been claimed by VGC on the first episode of its new podcast. Allegedly, Konami has “big” plans in place for E3 2023, which is scheduled for June 13-16, where the Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater remake and a new mainline Castlevania game will both be unveiled.

It’s also claimed that Konami is still unsure about how to proceed with the previously rumoured remasters of older Metal Gear Solid games. Allegedly, Metal Gear Solid 3’s remake and how well it is received will be used as a “testbed” to make further decisions on what to do with older Metal Gear titles.

Earlier this year, veteran Konami producer Noriaki Okamura said that the company is planning to make announcements for “long awaited” games in 2023.

Clarifying its earlier statements that Ubisoft will be at E3 “if it happens”, a Ubisoft spokesperson said in a statement that the company will indeed be there, and will be bringing a “strong lineup” of games- though precise details on that front, as you might expect, haven’t yet been nailed down.

“E3 is a special moment for our industry and we are excited to showcase our strong line-up in Los Angeles in June,” the spokesperson said. “We are still finalising the details of our plans and look forward to sharing more soon.”

Ubisoft has a number of major games primed for launch in the near future, including the likes of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Skull and Bones, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and The Crew Motorfest, all of which would presumably have a presence at E3. Whether Ubisoft also plans on bringing some of its other games that are farther out from launch, like Massive Entertainment’s Star Wars title or upcoming Assassin’s Creed games like Codenamed RED and Codename HEXE, remains to be seen.

During the company’s recent quarterly earnings call (via VGC), when asked about plans for E3, CEO Yves Guillemot said, “If E3 happens, we will be there and we will have a lot of things to show.”

Given that there have been multiple official confirmations that E3 is indeed going to happen this year, the fact that Guillemot has attached a qualifier to Ubisoft’s presence at the show has confused some. The event is set to happen from June 13 to June 16, and though plenty of major companies will not be in attendance, its organizers have said there has been “tremendous” interest from various major publishers and developers.

As for what Ubisoft will have to show at E3, that remains to be seen, though the company does already have a number of major titles confirmed to be in development. Ubisoft expects to release multiple games before April next year, including the likes of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, The Crew Motorfest, and Skull and Bones.

While it is a lot more likely that Sony will be skipping the event—owing to its lack of interest in attending E3 since 2019—Microsoft is still said to be in negotiations to attend E3 2023.

Microsoft, while unlikely to have a presence on the E3 2023 show floor, might rather end up partnering with the event as a business and media presence.

There is still slated to be a Microsoft event around the same time as E3 2023, keeping up the company’s tradition from the last couple of years.

“Since ReedPop took on the contract to run E3 six months ago, we’ve worked diligently with ESA members, using their feedback to create a new type of E3 that supports their goals and needs,” said a spokesperson for ReedPop—the new organiser for E3.

“This process takes time and we are working to balance getting it right, and being inclusive, with getting it done quickly. E3 is a deeply significant event for the game industry and being entrusted with an important cultural touchstone is not a responsibility ReedPop takes lightly.

“We continue to work tirelessly to create a show that brings together the global gaming industry. We believe we’ve created a new format for the event that serves the needs of both the industry and its fans, and are committed to building and growing it in the coming years.

“We have received a tremendous amount of interest from many of the biggest 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 well worth it for the industry and consumers alike.”

E3 2023 is slated to take place on June 13, and will go on until June 16.

E3 2023 will mark the show’s return to the physical, in-person format. It has been set for June 13-June 16, and will take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center over the course of those four days. That period, interestingly, will also be divided with separated business and consumer days and areas, which should hopefully mean better organization, and just less chaos in general (which has been a major issue with E3 in recent years).

The first two days of E3 2023 (June 13-14) will be business days only, where the entire convention center will be exclusively for business people to meet, arrange meetings and interviews, and more. June 15, meanwhile, will be a hybrid business and consumer day, where half of the convention center will be opened up to the general public. The final day, June 16, will be exclusively for consumers.

Meanwhile, E3 will also partner with other events and showcases happening around the time in different ways as well.

“E3 will officially partner with as many of these other events as will have it, and for free,” GamesIndustry’s Christopher Dring writes. “And even those who aren’t joining officially, it will still support the games and companies within those shows, too.

“E3 will do this through the editorial we mentioned earlier. The features, articles, insights and reports will cover everything going on that week, including before the show and afterwards. You could be showcasing at the PC Gamer Show or Summer Games Fest, and E3 and GI still want to hear from you and talk about what you’re doing. Attendees to these events can access this editorial for free, too.”

As per Dring, E3 2023 is being designed around three core objectives- to “make a better business event where it’s easier to connect, meet, and conduct interviews”; to “make a better consumer experience where there are things for fans to actually do”; and to “partner, support, and be friends with everyone announcing games in and around E3, irrespective of whether they’re actually in the convention center.”

Stay tuned for more details on E3 2023 and what to expect from it in the coming weeks and months.

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