E3, the video games industry's biggest showcase, cancelled for third time in four years

The last E3 event to take place in-person was held in Los Angeles, in 2019. (Reuters: Mike Blake, file)

Video games industry exhibition E3 has been cancelled for the third time in four years, with the ongoing future of the event uncertain as companies choose to hold their own showcases and product announcements.

E3 organiser ReedPop announced on Thursday that both digital and in-person events planned for E3 2023 would no longer take place in June this year. 

The announcement follows the cancellation of E3 events in 2020 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The E3 2021 event was held online, but without industry titans Sony and Electronic Arts, which instead held their own digital events. 

IGN reported in January that Xbox, Nintendo and Sony would not take part in the event this year, with companies such as Xbox and Ubisoft electing to hold their own showcases.

Even before the event's first cancellation in 2020, the video game industry's largest players were experimenting with regular video updates to announce their upcoming projects, like Nintendo's Direct or Sony's State of Play presentations, rather than spending large sums of money to attend the annual conference in Los Angeles.

The pandemic cemented the trend, with millions tuning in online to the presentations that were once delivered in flashy stage productions in front of industry figures.

E3 developed a reputation as a must-watch event for video game lovers over the years.  (Reuters: Mike Blake)

At the same time, E3 faced stiff competition from The Game Awards, a new event that aimed to blend the best parts of E3 with a prestigious awards show like the Oscars.

E3's absence during the pandemic, and The Game Awards willingness to embrace the community's switch to streaming, accelerated the once iconic event's decline.

Short for Electronic Entertainment Expo, E3 began as a video games trade show in Atlanta in 1995.

In the years afterwards it evolved into a must-watch smorgasbord of events for video games consumers, as the biggest game companies in the world gathered annually in Los Angeles to unveil the major projects they planned to release for the next year and beyond.

Industry heavyweights such as Nintendo announced earlier this year they wouldn't take part in this year's event. (Reuters: Mike Blake)

In the statement announcing E3 2023's cancellation, ReedPop said it and the Entertainment Software Association would re-evaluate the future of E3.

This year's event was due to be held from June 13 to 16 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. 

ABC