Updated on 3/31/2022 – 1:15 p.m. PT: Added statement from ESA.
The ESA has officially canceled any plans for an E3 event this year and is planning for a “larger comeback” next year, according to IGN.
After the January announcement of the cancelation of its in-person event, the ESA stated that E3 would be digital-only and would share more details “soon.”
Razer PR lead Will Powers broke the news of E3’s cancelation altogether this morning; IGN later independently confirmed the claim.
Just got an email… It's official, E3 digital is official cancelled for 2022. Lots of mixed feelings about this…
— Will Powers 🛫 NYC (@WillJPowers) March 31, 2022
The cancelation of E3 2022 comes after a turbulent couple years for the video game expo: its 2020 show was canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic while its 2021 event was online-only.
According to IGN, “discussions around E3 had been fraught throughout the year, with third parties normally involved finding the ESA’s ongoing silence regarding their plans frustrating.”
IGN adds that while there wasn’t “strong momentum” for a digital-only event in 2022, the ESA “seems to be making plans to regroup for a larger comeback in 2023.”
The ESA later released a statement confirming its plans for a “revitalized physical and digital” E3 next year:
Leave a CommentE3 will return in 2023 with a reinvigorated showcase that celebrates new and exciting video games and industry innovations.
We previously announced that E3 would not be held in person in 2022 due to the ongoing health risks surrounding COVID-19. Today, we announce that there will also be no digital E3 showcase in 2022.
Instead, we will devote all our energy and resources to delivering a revitalized physical and digital E3 experience next summer. Whether enjoyed from the show floor or your favorite devices, the 2023 showcase will bring the community, media, and industry back together in an all-new format and interactive experience.
We look forward to presenting E3 to fans around the world live from Los Angeles in 2023.
Look for more news and announcements soon.
Written by Daniel Dell-Cornejo
Daniel is an editor at Nintendo Wire. Always with his head in the clouds, he is never apart from his creative thoughts – a blessing for an aspiring fiction writer. As a journalist and lifelong gamer, he aims to provide readers with the very best in Nintendo coverage.
