'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
E3 has been the holy grail of video game announcements and more for a long time. Unfortunately, the show is missing this year as it was canceled. This has led to the iconic video game spectacle being surrounded by a cloud of uncertainty. However, there's some great news for fans as parent company ESA has given some positive updates.
There's no shortage of shows in the absence of E3 this year. First, there's the Summer Game Fest, which Geoff Keighley is organizing. Individual showcases are also on the horizon, including major ones from Xbox and Capcom.
However, the place where it all began is set to return very soon, and ESA has some bold plans.
Parent company ESA hints at the return of E3 now that the pandemic is subsiding
There's no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the show. As a result, 2022 is the second time that the show has been canceled in three years. However, the cancelations seem like mere temporary measures for ESA president and CEO Stan-Pierre Louis. Speaking to The Washington Post, Louis divulged when the next E3 would occur:
"We're excited about coming back in 2023 with a digital and an in-person event."
Louis also added that the next event, planned for 2023, will return to the old-school style of offline spectacles:
"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."
The CEO of ESA also made it clear to state the reasons for the previous two cancelations:
"What I can tell you is that covid has been a driving factor for anyone who conducts physical events for the past three years."
While recent shows like the Summer Games Fest will be virtual, Louis stated that there's still room for physical events:
"And I think there is a space for a physical show; I think there's an importance of having digital reach. Combining those two, I think there is a critical element of what we think E3 can provide."
It will be exciting to see how the event returns next year and what kind of arrangements ESA will make. For fans in general, June will be a busy month. There's the Summer Game Fest and Xbox-Bethesda Showcase, among others. Publishers like Capcom and Devolver Digital will also be taking the opportunity to showcase the kind of projects they are working on.
