The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2023 (E3 2023) would have been the 27th E3 event. At this event, companies that make video game hardware, software, and games would have shown new and upcoming products. The event was organized by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and produced by ReedPop. It was planned to take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from June 13 to June 16, 2023. However, on March 30, 2023, the event was officially canceled because not enough companies wanted to participate. This was partly because Xbox Game Studios, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Nintendo all chose not to attend E3 that year. This would have been the first time since 1995 that none of the major console makers were present. Other companies, such as Sega, Tencent, and Bandai Namco, also decided not to take part before the cancellation. Instead of E3, some publishers planned to announce new games during the same time period, while others chose to use traditional marketing methods throughout the year.
The ESA first planned to hold E3 again in 2024. However, in September 2023, the ESA said the event was canceled. In December 2023, the ESA announced that E3 would no longer be held.
Format and changes
In July 2022, the ESA announced that E3 2023 would be the first in-person E3 event since 2019. The 2020 and 2022 events were cancelled completely, while the 2021 event was held online. ReedPop, the company that organizes PAX festivals, New York Comic Con, and Star Wars Celebration, would manage the new format. Three months later, it was announced that the event would have three "Business Days," during which only developers, publishers, retailers, and approved journalists could attend. Two other days at a different location would be called "Fan Days," open to the general public.
In January 2023, it was announced that no first-party publishers would attend the event. Nintendo confirmed it would not participate the following month. Most third-party publishers decided not to participate two months later.
On March 30, 2023, the ESA officially cancelled E3 2023. Its president and CEO, Stanley Pierre-Louis, said that the way games are made has changed since the pandemic, leading to fewer playable game demos being available. He also noted that companies have shown a stronger preference for marketing through digital events rather than in-person ones.
Alternative events
Summer Game Fest began with a live kickoff show on June 8, 2023, hosted by Geoff Keighley. The event took place throughout June. Unlike previous years, when the event was streamed online, it was open to the public in person.
Xbox hosted a Games Showcase on June 11, 2023. A presentation titled "Starfield Direct," which focused on the game Starfield by Bethesda, followed the showcase. Microsoft confirmed that Xbox would not officially participate in the E3 show floor but would co-stream the digital event.
Although reports earlier stated that Ubisoft would attend E3 2023, the company announced in late March 2023 that it would instead hold a video presentation called Ubisoft Forward on June 12, 2023. The event featured games such as Star Wars Outlaws, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, The Crew Motorfest, and Assassin's Creed Mirage.
After confirming it would not attend the cancelled E3 2023, Nintendo held a Nintendo Direct on June 21, 2023. During the event, several games were announced, including a new side-scroller platform game called Super Mario Bros. Wonder, a remake of the role-playing game Super Mario RPG, and Pikmin 4.