Once the biggest draw in gaming, E3 is officially over after struggling to find its footing in a post-pandemic world.
“After more than two decades of E3, each one bigger than the last, the time has come to say goodbye,” the event's organiser, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), said in a statement. “Thanks for the memories.”
Since its inaugural expo in 1995, E3 reflected the rise of video games as they pushed further into the mainstream. Every year, gaming giants, reporters and, more recently, fans would convene at the Los Angeles Convention Centre to see upcoming games before their release.
As most of us predicted, E3 is now permanently canceled. It was the pioneer of game industry events and for 20+ years it was THE main event you had to go to. Apogee was there from the first one in 1995. RIP E3. pic.twitter.com/LxHebWAoiW
— Scott Miller - Apogee/3DR Founder☢️ (@ScottApogee) December 12, 2023
Indeed, E3 was where gamers got their first looks at epochal consoles like the Nintendo Wii, and live demos for influential titles like Half-Life.
However, in recent years, the expo fell on hard times. A mix of cancellations following the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, a slew of rival gaming events, and online showcases from gaming companies ultimately led to its demise.
Nintendo press event at E3 in 2000 pic.twitter.com/CjY5Lvyw6x
— Nintendeal (@Nintendeal) December 12, 2023
The trouble started in 2020, when ESA was forced to cancel the event for the first time as the world ground to a halt because of Covid. A virtual event held in 2021 got a muted reception, while the 2022 expo was also scrapped altogether. E3 was planning a comeback with an in-person event this year but that was axed after all the major publishers pulled out.
Rip E3. This will always be one of the best E3 moments https://t.co/LwmEDoXVYx pic.twitter.com/EzQPow5amy
— Will (@FMarryWill) December 12, 2023
Along the way, the expo lost one of its leading lights in presenter Geoff Keighley, who went on to launch the online-only Summer Games Fest in August 2020. Console makers also switched to virtual offerings, most notably Nintendo with its popular Direct showcase.
A revelação de God Of War na E3 2016 pic.twitter.com/QiQnItKpKA
— Enquanto a EA existir eu não serei feliz (@SucumbaEA) December 12, 2023
In September, ESA announced it was cancelling the 2024 event to evaluate plans for 2025 but that too was not meant to be.
After news broke of E3’s death, gamers took to social media to mourn its passing. Fans and former attendees shared their fave moments from past events, including when Xbox chief Phil Spencer announced backwards compatibility for the Xbox One, when Nintendo showed off the N64 console, and when Sony revealed the God of War trailer in 2016.
