For weeks, reports had put the word out that the Entertainment Software Association, the organizer for the E3 show, was planning for this year’s expo to be an all-digital experience. Now there’s no more need to wonder. The ESA has confirmed that E3 will be hosted online and take place from June 12-15. In 2020, E3 had been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but other newsy and showcase online events helped filled the void..
Stanley Pierre-Louis, President and CEO of the ESA, said that the digital format will make this year’s E3 “a more inclusive event, but will still look to excite the fans with major reveals and insider opportunities that make this event the indispensable center stage for video games.”
Along with the confirmation of the format and timeframe for E3 2021, the organizers mentioned that corporate participants will include “Nintendo, Xbox, Capcom, Konami, Ubisoft, Take-Two Interactive, Warner Bros. Games and Koch Media.” It’s seemingly a vote of confidence from several major industry platform owners, publishers, and a developers. But it’s also worth mentioning that Sony — who launched the PlayStation 5 console only months ago and also a major publisher and developer — is not on this list. Sony has not participated as an exhibitor in an E3 show since 2019.
E3 2021 might also have competition for eyeballs and attention from the Summer Game Fest, which is returning for its second year and will take place starting on June 15, which is back-to-back to E3’s digital show.
The ESA also noted that they’ll be planning to return E3 to an in-person format by 2022.
To check out the full announcement from the ESA about E3 2021, take a look at this link.
