The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) Agense France-Presse reported yesterday, Tuesday, that the major American video game exhibition E3 will not bring any new versions, confirming the end of the event that has seen decline in recent years.

The fair registered a steady decline in performance, and was billed heavily due to the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to the cancellation of the 2020 edition.

The show returned in virtual form the following year before suspending its next session, then canceling the 2023 edition scheduled for June 13 to 16.

The E3 exhibition, in particular, suffered from the alienation of large console manufacturers and video game publishers, who now prefer to organize their own events and not weaken their ability to attract by sharing an exhibition with other brands.

Xbox, Sony, Nintendo, and even French company Ubisoft opted not to go ahead, announcing the cancellation of E3 for its next edition.

Competitive video game exhibitions

To make matters worse, competing events further weakened E3’s position, especially the Summer Games Festival in Los Angeles.

“It’s the right decision, given new opportunities for the industry to connect with fans and partners,” Entertainment Software Association president Stanley Pierre-Louis told The Washington Post about ending E3.

Other fairs fared well, such as Paris Games Week, Gamescom in Cologne (Germany) or the Tokyo Game Show, which recorded attendance levels this year before the pandemic.

(AFP)