E3 is permanently canceled

The ESA has declared E3 dead after multiple attempts to revive it.

The Washington Post cites new competitors (hi, Summer Game Fest), partner withdrawals, changing consumer habits, and pandemic-era disruptions as causes of the event’s collapse.

Nintendo’s Direct presentations, which inspired Sony’s State of Play and Ubisoft’s Forward events, also helped E3 decline.

The 2023 in-person E3 event was canceled after Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo declined to attend.

E3 was founded in 1995 and became the year’s biggest gaming event. Nintendo announced the Nintendo DS, Wii Fit, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on the platform.