It looks like E3’s organizer, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is really confident that the video game industry’s historic event is happening next June as the trade group has announced a partnership with the production company, ReedPop to reimagine the upcoming event.
That company name may not sound familiar, but you might recognize the high-profile events they’ve put on over the years in the US and Europe which include PAX, New York Comic Con, Star Wars Celebration, and many more. As a part of the announcement, ReedPop says that E3 2023 will see the return of “publishers, developers, journalists, content creators, manufacturers, buyers, and licensors” at E3’s first in-person event in years, which is set to feature digital showcases and in-person consumer components.
“It is a tremendous honour and privilege for ReedPop to take on the responsibility of bringing E3 back in 2023. With the support and endorsement of the ESA, we’re going to build a world-class event to serve the global gaming industry in new and broader ways than we already do at ReedPop through our portfolio of world-leading events and websites,” ReedPop president, Lance Fensterman said in a statement.
To that, ReedPop adds that its reshaped iteration of the anticipated event will mean it is listening to feedback from the gaming community that’s been heard over the years. The 2023 return is set to honour what works “while reshaping what didn’t and setting a new benchmark for video game expos in 2023 and beyond.”
It’s been the best couple of years for E3 with the 2020 event being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 event was put on as a virtual event with personalities hosting it from a studio, and the event for this year was once again cancelled. Even before the pandemic, the ESA was facing a bit of pressure to reinvent the show with publishers in recent years like EA and PlayStation opting out of the event. Hopefully this time around, the ESA won’t leak out attendance personal details again as they did that in 2019 when details of over 2,000 journalists, YouTubers and analysts were accidentally leaked via E3 2019’s attendance database.
“We are thrilled to bring back E3 as an in-person event with ReedPop, a global leader in producing pop culture events.” continued Stanley Pierre-Louis, President and CEO of the ESA. “The past three years have confirmed that E3 convenes our industry like no other event. ReedPop brings world-class talent and a keen understanding of the video game industry, which will serve to enhance the E3 experience for years to come.”
E3 2023 is set to make its long-awaited return to the Los Angeles Convention Center in the second week of June 2023. For anyone in media looking to attend the event, a more streamlined and secure media registration for E3 2023 will begin in late 2022. with confirmed exhibitors, hotel and travel guides, event schedules, and more will be shared in the months to come on the event’s official website.
