E3 2023’s future looks uncertain as reports of more publishers, including SEGA and Tencent, confirm they are skipping this year’s event.
Only announced a few short months ago, E3 2023 is facing major headwinds. Going against Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest, the now ReedPop-run E3 has faced major blows this week, first with the announcement from Ubisoft that they will no longer be a part of the convention, now according to IGN, Sega and Tencent are also skipping the show.
“After careful consideration, we have decided not to participate in E3 2023 as an exhibitor,” Sonic publisher SEGA told IGN. “We look forward to sharing more information on announced and unannounced projects in the future.”
In past years, before the troubles of COVID-19, publishers would be laying out plans for the show as early as January, with most of the plans already in place well ahead of anything hitting the show floor. This year that is not the case. Under three months from when the show is supposed to decent onto the LA Convention Center, there seem to be no clear plans or outline of who will be showing or what publishers and developers will even be on site.
In contrast to Summer Game Fest, which is teasing announcements almost weekly, this is troubling news and a potential sign of how gaming’s biggest trade show may be in dire trouble. With two major events taking place, it is often hard for companies to sort out the best ways to allocate money, especially when they are only days apart. It is also important to note that while SEGA and Tencent have confirmed they will not take part in E3 2023, they have a history of working with Geoff Keighley and were seen at Summer Game Fest Playdays last year when CGMagazine covered the event.
According to Reedpop, E3 2023 would have an updated format, with the initial two days (June 13-14) solely dedicated to business matters. The third day (June 15) will accommodate both business and consumer attendees, and the concluding day (June 16) will focus exclusively on consumers.
With the show floor at the LA Convention Center demanding a premium, without major publishers and developers locked in, it may be hard to proceed with the show as it was planned. More and more, E3 2023 is starting to feel like a PAX LA rather than the gaming showcase it has been viewed as in years past.
No matter the outcome, CGMagazine will do all we can to cover the event in whatever form it ends up in, be it a massive showcase of gaming or a scaled-down trade show for the fans. Stay tuned to CGMagazine for all the latest developments as they unfold.
