Two more gaming companies have apparently dropped out from 2016 E3 gaming expo.
Back in January EA announced that they would be hosting their own event called EA Play. An event which coincided directly with the time of E3, basically inadvertently announcing their drop from the E3 show floor. Activision announced earlier this week that they were also dropping out of E3. More companies seem to be dropping from the E3 show floor as VP of Production for Disney Infinity tweeted:
Hey guys re: E3 – We’re focused on different activations throughout the year that allow us to engage directly with our fans and community.
— John Vignocchi (@JohnVignocchi) March 4, 2016
WarGaming, makers of World of Tanks, World of Warships and Master of Orion have also announced their dropping from E3. In a statement made by WarGaming, they said “From a company perspective we’re focusing a large majority of activities on events focused on our players and community. Whether it’s a small group of players or hundreds at one of our player gatherings, they’re our main priority.”
They also said, “E3 just doesn’t fit our current direction. It’s a show that is very centralized on retail product, and as a free to play digital download gaming company, we’ve realized that while the show may be a good fit for lots of other publishers and developers, it’s currently not a great fit for us. And, of course, we appreciate all that the ESA does in their legislative efforts and their work to raise and discuss issues surrounding video gaming as an industry, hobby and way of life.”
It’s troubling to see so many massive gaming companies dropping out of the biggest gaming event of the year. Like Nintendo proved last year, it’s a risky move to drop from E3, however it can payoff.