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PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Are Reportedly Ditching E3 2023

Shubhendu Vatsa, | News

International gaming convention E3 may have had its triumphant homecoming parade spoiled before it even began. IGN has reported that Xbox, Sony, and Nintendo will be absent from E3 2023, just months after the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced that the event would be returning for in-person activations for the first time since 2019 under new organizers ReedPop.

RELATED: E3 Officially Making a Comeback in 2023 With In-Person Event

While disappointing, the absence of the three console platform companies from E3 2023 isn’t entirely surprising. All three platforms currently host their own virtual/in-person showcases, packed with bog reveals and announcements. In fact, Sony and PlayStation haven’t been a part of E3 since 2019, instead relying on the State of Play event, while Microsoft has opted to facilitate an Xbox summer showcase in Los Angeles. This year’s Xbox showcase is scheduled to coincide with E3’s dates in June, however, Xbox CEO Phil Spencer told IGN that its showcase would air in such a manner that is both “convenient for press and even consumers” at the event.

“Xbox is on the board of the ESA, and I think a successful and healthy ESA is critical to what we’re trying to go do. So we place our showcase, like we always have done, at a time where hopefully it’s convenient for press and even consumers that are going to the E3 event, and that’s what we’re trying to do now. We will continue to work with ESA in terms of their plans. As I said, we’re on the board, and we want to make sure that we are doing everything we can to help make the E3 successful,” Spencer told IGN.

God of war ragnarok 2

‘God of Waar: Ragnarok’ | Image: Sony

While Nintendo has maintained its presence in E3, it too would be skipping this year’s event. As per VGC, Nintendo’s reason for not attending this year’s E3 is that the company feels it doesn’t have sufficient big-name titles to show to account for its regular E3 presence.

It’s currently unclear if Sony and Nintendo will time their showcases alongside E3. The IGN report even indicates that all three companies won’t have any booths or ground presence on the Los Angeles Convention Center exhibit floor. Comebacks are tricky and Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are not making things any easier for E3.

Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony
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Shubhendu Vatsa

Shubhendu Vatsa is an experienced reporter specialising in video game, eSports and technology coverage. A BTech IT graduate, Shubhendu has previously written for entertainment-based publications such as GiveMeSport, Touch, Tap, Play, Attack of the Fanboy, EssentiallySports, Twinfinite and The Load Out.

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