Why E3 2023's Cancellation is a Sign of Change in the Video Game Industry
What's going on in the gaming industry?!
E3, one of the largest video game events, was scheduled to make its return on June 13th, 2023. Less than two days ago, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) made the difficult decision of cancelling E3 2023.
Unlike recent years, where E3 has been cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions, in 2023, E3 has been axed due to loss of interest. Even with nearly all Covid-19 restrictions lifted in 2023 and E3’s ability to be run virtually, like in 2021, the ESA could not garner enough excitement from the gaming community to be worth reviving the event.
So, what caused the lack of anticipation for E3’s return? IGN cites Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, and Ubisoft’s decisions to not be attending E3 2023 as a reason for this lack of anticipation. It’s no secret that these four companies put the gaming industry on their backs. There is not much left when it comes to game development once we remove these four. The decision for these companies to not attend E3 2023 is a result of most video game companies deciding to host their own events showcasing the future of gaming. In E3’s absence during the Covid-19 pandemic, Xbox acquired Bethesda and began hosting its own digital showcase event, the Xbox and Bethesda Game Showcase. On the other side of the coin, PlayStation began marketing its own digital showcase event, The State of Play. Let’s not forget Nintendo though, who announced many new games and The Super Mario Bros Movie at their own event, Nintendo Direct. All these independent events garnered heavy support. The success of these independent events made it clear to Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo that they did not need E3 to hold their hand when announcing future releases. With their own events scheduled to return in 2023, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo viewed attending E3 2023 as nothing but a waste of money.
After the devastating news of these powerful companies not attending E3, the ESA had no choice but to cancel. Ubisoft’s recent announcement to not be attending seemed to be the final nail in the coffin for E3 2023. Despite this, the ESA and event hosting company, Reedpop, did not rule out a return for the video game expo. GamesIndustry.biz asked ESA president, Stanley Pierre-Louis, about the decision to cancel. Pierre-Louis cited that the video game industry has been evolving, even before the Covid-19 pandemic. To close out the interview, Pierre-Louis mentioned that there is no timetable for E3’s return, if ever.
Other than the proliferation of independent video game digital showcase events, what else has changed? Video game developers have become more independent. Xbox’s acquisition of Bethesda has caused a massive increase in Xbox exclusive games. On the other hand, PlayStation has been making strides towards releasing their games on numerous platforms. For example, Sony’s MLB The Show series recently made its way to Xbox and the Nintendo Switch. For the first time in a decade, Xbox and Nintendo players had the ability to play officially licensed MLB games. Without an event to put the entire industry under an umbrella, the companies are able to do whatever they believe is best for their product. The freedom to announce future releases at any time has also helped these companies.
Surprisingly, most consumers are indifferent to this change. While the companies are growing apart, gamers have begun to overlap. Gone are the days of Xbox and PlayStation users arguing over which console is superior. The introduction of cross-platform multiplayer games like Fortnite, Rocket League, Apex Legends, and Among Us has made it an embarrassment for gamers to disagree with each other based on the gaming platform they use. As someone who recently made the switch from Xbox One to PlayStation 5, I was neither disappointed nor thrilled by the change. Both consoles offer their users great games. As we progress through new generations of consoles, Xbox and PlayStation’s differences begin to be few and far between.
Despite the tradition that E3 holds, the time is right for change in the industry. While the ESA and Reedpop have not ruled out an E3 return in 2024, I fear it is too late to turn the ship around. The gaming industry reached a new era in 2020 with the release of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. I believe the pandemic was a distraction from this change, while some believe the pandemic was what caused this change. Regardless, the future for E3 is bleak.