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Rumors Swirl Around E3’s Future as Sega, Even More Publishers Back Out - IGN

With Nintendo, Xbox, Sony, Ubisoft, and now Sega and Tencent all skipping E3 2023, a growing number of developers and publishers are expressing concern that the promised triumphant return of gaming’s biggest event may not happen after all.

ign.com

IGN reporters have spoken with numerous individuals in publishing and PR who typically have knowledge of event strategies, all of whom expressed concern about the status of this summer’s event. Many told us that they hadn’t heard of anyone else who was planning to attend for sure, and some said they felt there had been a significant lack of communication from the ESA and organizer ReedPop as to what exactly they should expect from the show. Several described the situation as one where everyone was waiting for someone else to be the first to jump, but no one was willing to take the leap – and time was running out.

As one knowledgeable source put it ahead of the Monday news of Ubisoft’s departure from the show, “There’s no possible way this show can happen.”

Neither ESA nor ReedPop responded to IGN's request for comment in time for publication.

 

[Jinzo Prime]

Just cancel he damn thing already! You can't have a party if no-one shows up!

I will miss E3 since it's been a thing since my childhood, but if the companies and publishers don't want to do it, it's not going to happen.

 

[AJUMP23]

E3 died a few years ago.

 

[CatLady]

It makes me sad to say but it's dead. Who is left to attend?

Maybe next year if ABK goes through Microsoft should team up with EA plus maybe a few others and do a mini-Industry live event.

 

[Robb]

 

[01011001]

the issue is simple, why pay to be on a show that has no demonstrable value anymore?

 

[Kev Kev]

the issue is simple, why pay to be on a show that has no demonstrable value anymore?

 

[gothmog]

Just cancel it and cite economic reasons. Nobody is travelling right now in order to save money and if these companies are not cutting costs they are cutting staff.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Just like with 2022, it's on cancellation watch. We all know it's gonna happen.

Xbox's Showcase, Nintendo Direct, Sony SOP, Ubisoft Forward, EA Play, and Summer Games Fest to fill out the week and all the stuff that's not in one of the big shows, and we basically have E3, just minus the in-person trade show and booths. The first two weeks of June are still "videogame Christmas", essentially. Just a bummer to have it stretched over 2 weeks instead of a Sunday-Wednesday sprint, and a major bummer to not have the interviews and excitement that come from in-person booths. But, yeah I think it's safe to say E3 is finally dead.

 

[nowhat]

So E3 is dead, fine by me.

But I do hope Devolver Digital has their annual "press conference". (last year wasn't that great, but I have faith that they're able to come up with a new twist)

 

[Varteras]

 

[DeepEnigma]

in 15-20 years, revisionists will blame Sony for killing E3 as they do for Sega and almost the death of Nintendo.

 

[MarkMe2525]

While a selfish thought, I am happy I got to experience E3 in person before its nosedive. My only regret is that I didn't take advantage of the ability to go for multiple days to see more.

in 15-20 years, revisionists will blame Sony for killing E3 as they do for Sega and almost the death of Nintendo.

Well... They contributed for sure, but so did EA and Nintendo.

 

[GreatnessRD]

Corporate greed sure knows how to ruin the cool stuff. It's been real, E3.

 

[DeepEnigma]

the issue is simple, why pay to be on a show that has no demonstrable value anymore?

Jim Ryan was right.

Well... They contributed for sure, but so did EA and Nintendo.

Everyone else could have stuck to it. They realized in the social media and influencer age, it's a waste of time and money.

 

[BoxFresh123]

 

[Varteras]

Jim Ryan was right.

 

[Max_Po]

E3 died a few years ago.

It died when booth babes were given the boot. Horney and Gaming go hand in hand ... gotta keep both hands busy.



Jokes on these woke moron publishers... those babes are making a killing on OnlyFans

 

[Represent.]

I don’t mind publishers cancelling if they’re going to replace it with their own showcases.

They’re not.

Everything is a damn blog post now.

 

[phil_t98]

in 15-20 years, revisionists will blame Sony for killing E3 as they do for Sega and almost the death of Nintendo.

It’s a shame if E3 dies it’s our version of comic con. The one time a year we can all look forward to

 

[DeepEnigma]

This in VR, game changing bliss!

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

the issue is simple, why pay to be on a show that has no demonstrable value anymore?

Especially when that show would cost Xbox around $30 million per year

 

[DeepEnigma]

It’s a shame if E3 dies it’s our version of comic con. The one time a year we can all look forward to

Agreed. It was always an exciting time of year. Almost like our gaming Super Bowl as well.

 

[CamHostage]

Corporate greed sure knows how to ruin the cool stuff. It's been real, E3.

Right, it's not that they're not interested in staging a marketing damburst of content and announcements or that the mid-summer timeline no longer works for gaming companies. (I had thought that was going to be an issue with game development pushing much longer than in the past, but the known streaming events from Ubisoft and Microsoft are still right in the same June-week-2 time period that E3 was supposed to happen.) They still want the hype pop of E3, they just want to control it (no live demonstrations, no press hands-on, no competitors in the room next door,) and not pay for it.

Strategically, I get it. E3 is a product of an outdated way of selling product. But as a sign of the health of the industry, saving some bucks to not throw parties is a bad trend. (I'd at least be in favor of E3 dying if there were more events like Blizzcon for fans, but then could SEGA or Ubisoft really have a public event that people would come out for?) And for me as a gamer, I just am struggling so hard to summon any at all fucks for any video streaming event. E3 could get boring (it was usually over before the day it official even started, thanks to all the pre-showcases before opening the show floor,) but at least it was live in the moment and at a given time that I could set aside some enthusiasm.

 

[MiguelItUp]

I wonder who's even gonna show up at this point? Lmao.

 

[Fake]

IGN working with rumors? They hate E3 or something?

 

[phil_t98]

Agreed. It was always an exciting time of year. Almost like our gaming Super Bowl as well.

We finally agree! Lol

Yeah in all seriousness it will be a massive shame if it stops completely. But with social media now they can just put out their own presentation videos online

 

[jaysius]

IGN working with rumors? They hate E3 or something?

E3 is really the only time I bother that place.

 

[DeepEnigma]

We finally agree! Lol

Yeah in all seriousness it will be a massive shame if it stops completely. But with social media now they can just put out their own presentation videos online

I agree with how boring and anticlimactic it feels now, but I also get the business side of things since engagement is higher than it's ever been for products now.

 

[phil_t98]

I agree with how boring and anticlimactic it feels now, but I also get the business side of things since engagement is higher than it's ever been for products now.

The gaming industry is bigger than its ever been, I just don’t get how company’s don’t embrace the gamers and why is there not more tv programs and stuff about our hobby. Things like E3 should be the pinnacle for us games to see future games

 

[Codes 208]

Just kill it already, they havent been relevant since like 2018(7?)

 

[Elder Legend]

I can confirm this. As a industry person who's been to every E3 since 2013 in the media space. I've attended previous press conferences of the big 2. I have yet to receive any kind of communication on what's happening in regards to our website registration for E3.

We were sent an email out back in December and asked to register for E3. Ever since then, I haven't heard back from my contact in regards to our status. Normally, we would have heard by sometime in March. But we are now very close to April. Either A) I'll wait a bit longer or B) I'll get in touch with them myself.

With the publishers starting to pull out I am starting to think it won't even be worth it for me to go there. As i do pay my own expenses for the food and travel etc.

I primary visit E3 every year for the sake of developer interviews and tech demos. And of course the press conferences.

 

[Skifi28]

You can't have a party if no-one shows up!

Says who?

 

[Captain Toad]

IGN working with rumors? They hate E3 or something?

Sony won't be there.
Microsoft won't be there.
Nintendo won't be there.
Ubisoft won't be there.

That's all official.

And I really doubt IGN is pulling the rumors about Sega and Tencent out of thin air or from some random guy online.

E3 is in trouble.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Sony won't be there.
Microsoft won't be there.
Nintendo won't be there.
Ubisoft won't be there.

That's all official.

And I really doubt IGN is pulling the rumors about Sega and Tencent put of thin air or from some random guy online.

E3 is in trouble.

EA has been doing their own thing as well.

 

[Markio128]

 

[YeulEmeralda]

Ah E3

 

[Wulfer]

Technically Microsoft will be there, they just moved the location for the show across the street. Physically they won't be on ESA rented property.

 

[nush]

IGN working with rumors? They hate E3 or something?

Salty they are never going to get their all expenses paid, VIP, publishers kissing their ass, annual road trip ever again. Good.

 

[bitbydeath]

Technically Microsoft will be there, they just moved the location for the show across the street. Physically they won't be on ESA rented property.

You can say that about all of them.
Technically doesn’t pay E3 though.

 

[CamHostage]

Salty they are never going to get their all expenses paid, VIP, publishers kissing their ass, annual road trip ever again. Good.

Game press sites and freelance journalists pay a shitton to be a part of industry events. Streaming services and bandwidth, travel and transport, board, IT and support staff, sometimes floor space... its a massive operating cost, E3 was probably the biggest section of the annual budget for sites like ign, ideally with traffic and subs that would pay it off.

But yes, it's every journalist's dream come true to get an all-expenses-paid trip to the Staples Center...

 

[Danjin44]

 

[Elder Legend]

Salty they are never going to get their all expenses paid, VIP, publishers kissing their ass, annual road trip ever again. Good.

You do realize... everyone has to pay for their own stuff right? Regardless if your IGN or not lol.

 

[nush]

You do realize... everyone has to pay for their own stuff right? Regardless if your IGN or not lol.

You do, but you're a wannabe start-up games journo.

 

[Elder Legend]

You do, but you're a wannabe start-up games journo.

Wanna be start up games journo? I own a website have a couple employees and I've been in this industry for 7 years What the hell are you talking about Billy Bob?

You have no idea how anything works. The only time no one pays for their stuff, is if the PR company invites you out to a private showing, which I have attended to plenty off. Didn't had to pay for hotel or travel, they all paid for it after I showed provided them with my receipts.

E3 is a giant venue, just because ESA invited you to E3 doesn't mean they'll be paying for it. The media tickets are the only thing that's free. People who work at IGN get their travel paid for by their bosses. I however, have to pay myself because I am the boss of my own company. The only time I never paid for anything is when a publisher sent me a private invitation for a showing or a preview event that's not even related to E3 and is its own thing.

 

[Henry Panic]

IGN 'insiders' that seem to be in conflict with recent developments.

E3 would have cancelled if it was dire before the Ubisoft pullout, so I doubt they don't have anyone. Likely they have surprises as they claimed before.

 

[DaGwaphics]

in 15-20 years, revisionists will blame Sony for killing E3 as they do for Sega and almost the death of Nintendo.

We all know they did start the precedent for not attending. Typical monopolists, ruining the party for everyone else.

 

[DeepEnigma]

We all know they did start the precedent for not attending. Typical monopolists, ruining the party for everyone else.

 

[DaGwaphics]

Just remember when we get there that I'm not a bandwagon jumper, I'm a trend setter.

 

[Bragr]

The Nintendo Direct showed everyone how successful a video presentation can be.