Ubisoft Boss Confirms Publisher Will Attend "if E3 Happens"
Last month, reports began to circulate that Nintendo, Xbox, and PlayStation will not have a presence at E3 2023. The absence of those three could complicate the event's success, but it seems at least one major player in the industry will be in attendance. During an earnings call today, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot confirmed that the publisher plans to be at the show this year, provided that it takes place. That doesn't sound like the most confident response, but it could give Ubisoft a big venue to showcase its games!
"If E3 happens, we will be there and we will have a lot of things to show," said Guillemot.
E3 was once the biggest show of the year for the video game industry, and some of the biggest titles of all-time have been revealed at past shows. However, things have started to change over the last few years. In 2019, PlayStation pulled out of the show, though Nintendo and Microsoft both attended. In 2020, the show was cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2021, an all-digital event was held, but 2022 had neither an in-person show nor a digital event. E3 2023 is supposed to be the first in-person E3 event since 2019, but it's understandable that some publishers might be skeptical.
This year, the ESA has partnered with ReedPOP, the organization responsible for Star Wars Celebration, NYCC, and more. ReedPOP seems like the ideal candidate to help resurrect E3, but the group might have a difficult job this year. Publishers like Ubisoft, Activision, Electronic Arts, Capcom, and Square Enix could help fill the void left by the industry's biggest players, but only if ReedPOP can get them on board. With a few months left to go until E3 2023 is set to begin, we should have an idea of what to expect sooner, rather than later!
E3 2023 is set to take place June 13th through the 16th at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Do you think E3 2023 will take place this year? Do you think the show will be a success? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter and on Hive at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
[H/T: Video Games Chronicle]