Sega and Tencent are the latest publishers to confirm they’ll be skipping E3 2023. For years, E3 has been like Christmas for gamers. It’s the time where all of the big publishers get together and reveal all of the games they have in the pipeline, let people go hands-on with some of the more imminent titles, and make a big spectacle out of everything. It’s a real celebration for games, but ever since the pandemic, it has struggled to find its footing and publishers have opted to just do their own events as its cheaper and easier to coordinate. Some of this even began before the pandemic, but even then, companies like PlayStation and EA still held events around E3 time so it felt like everything operated in unison.
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However, E3 2023 was meant to be a grand return to the show we once loved as the ESA is working with ReedPop to make the show better. However, it seems to be falling apart. In addition to Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, and most recently, Ubisoft skipping E3 2023, Sega and Tencent confirmed to IGN it would not be attending the event either. IGN’s report notes that more publishers are expected to skip the event, but have yet to make a formal announcement and says sources claim that there’s been a lack of communication and organization from the ESA/ReedPop about setting up E3 2023. It seems like Geoff Keighley’s Play Days may be where more media get to go hands-on with games this year, though it’s unclear if there are any plans to open that up to the general public at some point.
As of right now, E3 2023 is still moving forward. It’s unclear what exactly it will look like given all of these major publishers are pulling out. Someone has to supply the games and content for the show, so it’s unclear who exactly will be doing that if so many major players are opting to skip out on the show.
What do you think of the state of E3 2023? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
