What do you say at the memorial of a institution? Especially one that was the stuff of dreams at the beginning, then a shell of itself during the end. But today, we say goodbye to such an institution, E3.
Today, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced that E3 has been officially retired. After no such event took place in 2023, the writing was pretty much on the wall. Reedpop, who had put on the show last year, said back in September that they would not be assisting the ESA in relaunching the event.
After more than two decades of E3, each one bigger than the last, the time has come to say goodbye.
Thanks for the memories.”
Tweet from the E3 account
We know the entire industry, players and creators alike have a lot of passion for E3. We share that passion. We know it’s difficult to say goodbye to such a beloved event, but it’s the right thing to do given the new opportunities our industry has to reach fans and partners.
There were fans who were invited to attend in the later years, but it really was about a marketing and business model for the industry and being able to provide the world with information about new products. Companies now have access to consumers and to business relations through a variety of means, including their own individual showcases.”
Stanley Pierre-Louis, president and CEO of the ESA statement to The Washington Post
Thanks to services like YouTube and Twitch along with social media, fans have better access to their favorite developers and publishers. Likewise, the developers and publishers can post about their projects more frequently. This was something they couldn’t really do before and would have to wait for an event like E3 to get news out there.
Sure, there are events like Geoff Keighley’s Summer Games Fest, but even that event still can’t really hold a candle to what E3 was in its heyday. However, with the lack of care in industry representation, how long will he be able to hold that crown?
Only time will tell.
Source: Eurogamer
