The future has never looked as unsure for E3 as it has in the last couple of years, and as it does right now. 2022 is the second time in three years that there’s not going to be an E3 (though its absence in 2020 is obviously attributed to COVID), and with Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest rushing in to fill that void, there are many who are left wondering whether the time for E3 is past.
However, the ESA, the governing body that runs and organizes E3, seems confident that the show is very much going to comeback strong than ever next year. In a recent interview with The Washington Post, ESA president Stan Pierre-Louis reiterated that E3 will be back next year, adding that it’ll be a hybrid digital and in-person event, and that the ESA is “excited” about putting on the show.
“We’re excited about coming back in 2023 with both a digital and an in-person event,” Pierre-Louis said. “As much as we love these digital events, and as much as they reach people and we want that global reach, we also know that there’s a really strong desire for people to convene — to be able to connect in person and see each other and talk about what makes games great.”
Of course, it’s worth noting that E3 2022 was very much in the pipeline as well, and had been since June last year. It was only in April earlier this year that the show was officially cancelled. Whether E3 2023 will be able to avoid a similar fate remains to be seen.
For what it’s worth, even in the absence of E3, June 2022 is looking packed. In addition to tomorrow’s Summer Game Fest Kickoff Live, various other events have been announced, including the likes of the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, Capcom Showcase, PC Gaming Show, Future Games Show, Devolver Direct, and more.