The End of an Era: E3 Permanently Canceled After More Than Two Decades

The Entertainment Software Association announced today via the official E3 account on X (formerly known as “Twitter”) that the nearly thirty-year history of the Electronic Entertainment Expo has come to an end. The post reads, “After more than two decades of E3, each one bigger than the last, the time has come to say goodbye. Thanks for the memories. GGWP.” GGWP is an abbreviation for, “good game, well played.”

According to a report from The Washington Post, the reasons for the event’s cancellation include COVID-related issues, competing events, and partners favoring more cost effective, direct-to-consumer presentation methods. Since Sony withdrew from the conference in 2019, and with Nintendo increasingly prioritizing in-house presentations like Nintendo Directs, it seemed only a matter of time until E3 became a thing of the past, with the pandemic acting as a catalyst for its inevitable cancellation.

The Entertainment Software Association president and CEO, Stanley Pierre-Louis, acknowledged this shifting landscape when talking to The Washington Post, saying, “It really was about a marketing and business model for the industry and being able to provide the world with information about new products. Companies now have access to consumers and to business relations through a variety of means, including their own individual showcases.” He further explained, “Any one of these major companies can create an individual showcase … [and] also partner with other industry events to showcase the breadth of games. That’s exciting for our industry, and it means it’s an opportunity for them to explore how to engage new audiences in different ways.”

E3 began in 1995 as a trade expo for the video game industry where developers, publishers, hardware manufacturers, and others could advertise their products and present upcoming projects to shareholders, retailers, and the press. The first E3 featured presentations from big names such as Nintendo, Sony, and Sega, as well as some lesser-known companies such as SNK and 3DO. The show quickly blossomed to become a staple in the video game industry for fans and industry insiders alike.

Though E3 went through highs and lows over the years, it maintained its status as a monumental event for the gaming industry, the “video game Super Bowl,” if you will. Who can forget moments like the Twilight Princess reveal at E3 2004 that literally brought the audience to tears, or the many memorable (and meme-able) Nintendo presentations with Reggie Fils-Aimé? Even some of the less-than-favorable moments like the cringe-inducing Activision conference at E3 2007, hosted by comedian Jamie Kennedy have their charm and are still looked back on for better or worse.

Today marks the end of an era. E3 is now a thing of the past. Though other expos and digital showcases will fill the void left by E3’s departure, there is a certain magic to E3 that will be missed. The excitement of all of gaming’s biggest names coming together for a single juggernaut of an event will be hard to replicate. The months of anticipation and speculation leading up to the event made the first day of E3 almost feel like Christmas morning. For that reason, I reckon its legacy will pervade the gaming industry for decades to come as the gold standard that video game showcases should strive for.

So, to the Entertainment Software Association, I’d like to say, “Thanks for the memories. GGWP.”

Now tell us what you think. Did you see E3’s cancellation coming? Do you think E3 will ever make a comeback? What are your favorite E3 memories? Tell us all about it in the comments.

Source: E3, The Washington Post

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