PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo are reportedly skipping E3 2023

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced in March that E3 would return as an in-person show in Los Angeles following the cancellation of the 2022 edition. Then, in September, ESA announced that E3 2023 would be held from Tuesday 13th June to Friday 16th June.

Now, IGN reports that it has learned that PlayStation, Xbox and Sony will be skipping E3 2023, a major blow to what was supposed to be E3’s grand comeback. The publication also reports that these companies will also not have a presence in the Los Angeles Convention Center’s exhibit space, where game companies typically have large (and flashy) booths where people can preview games and learn more about what’s on warehouse is.

Nevertheless, as in previous years, Xbox will have its own summer showcase in Los Angeles. And Xbox usually plans this to coincide with the gaming press and fans who are in Los Angeles for E3. IGN reports that Xbox’s overall plans for its summer gaming show are unconfirmed as the company’s financial position has been tightened following recent Microsoft-wide layoffs that hit Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries hard.

PlayStation hasn’t been a part of E3 since it was first dropped from the show in 2019, reportedly over disagreements with ESA. Nintendo is usually a big supporter of E3 and usually broadcasts Nintendo Direct live alongside a large presence on the actual exhibition floor.

Chronicle of Video Games reports that Nintendo is skipping its first in-person E3 show in four years because the company feels it doesn’t have enough major releases to justify its typical E3 presence. VGC also notes that its own sources have claimed that discussions regarding E3 and Xbox are ongoing and that there may be a “business and media exposure similar to last year’s Gamescom, if not a traditional booth”.

ReedPop, the Star Wars Celebration organizer organizing E3 2023 IGN with the following statement:

E3 is such a significant event for the games industry, and being entrusted with an important cultural touchstone is not a responsibility ReedPop takes lightly. Since ReedPop took over the contract to run E3 six months ago, we’ve been diligently working with ESA members based on their feedback to develop a new type of E3 that supports their goals and needs. This process has taken some time due to the huge number of stakeholders who have contributed, although we appreciate that we could have been more transparent on questions for which we were still finalizing responses.

We continue to work tirelessly to create a show that brings the global gaming industry together. We believe we have created a new format for the event that meets the needs of both the industry and its fans and are committed to building and expanding it in the years to come. Having spent much of 2022 refining the shape of E3 2023 and reflecting on the feedback we solicited, we haven’t sent a single contract to an exhibitor as of earlier this month. We’ve had tremendous interest and verbal commitments from many of the biggest companies in the industry and when we’re ready to announce the exhibitors we’re confident it will be a lineup well worth the trip to Los Angeles for industry and consumers alike.

[Source: IGN, Video Games Chronicle]

Do you think E3 2023 will still be a great show? Let us know in the comments below!