It was revealed earlier today that E3 is over for good with a simple message posted on social media. For more than twenty-five years, the ‘Electronic Entertainment Expo’, which would later be shortened to ‘E3’, was the most prolific event in the games industry. It was where top-tier titles and consoles were revealed, where trailers were aired, and where tens of thousands of gaming fans came together to celebrate the industry that they loved so dearly.
Held annually in Los Angeles, E3 was a cornerstone of the world of gaming. It saw the biggest brands in the business take to the grandest stages of them all to uncover years of hard work, wowing fans with stunning trailers since the mid-1990s. It was a convention that welcomed hundreds of thousands of gamers from around the world, catering to every type of player and paying tribute to an industry that never seemed to slow down or stop innovating.
And now, it has officially been laid to rest.
Thanks For The MemoriE3s
In 2020, E3 was cancelled, like many other events, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, a virtual event took place, and in 2022, nothing happened at all. In 2023, E3 was cancelled because of a lack of interest, with many attendees pulling out in the weeks leading up to the event. Now, thanks to a short and painful message posted on social media, we know that it’s finished for good:
For years, E3 was the aspirational destination for every dedicated gamer. It was the place to be, and it welcomed celebrities, renowned developers, and the most prolific tech titans in the industry. There were showcases held that offered exclusive, early access to games, and it was where most new titles were revealed. Even today, there are countless trailers on YouTube marked as ‘E3 Trailer’, as most developers created their reveals specifically for the event.
Nothing was bigger, nothing was better, but admittedly, things started to die down towards the end – and COVID-19 was the final nail in the coffin for E3. Now, videos like this are all we have left of the event, which will never again see the light of day:
But that doesn’t mean that it’s lights out for gaming events and showcases in general. There are alternatives.
What Are The Alternatives To E3?
There are some top-tier gaming expos, conventions, showcases, and ceremonies out there that’ll serve as the best alternatives to E3. For instance, Gamescom – which arguably sits at the top of the table. This prestigious event has been regarded as ‘Europe’s E3’, and it’s fast becoming the biggest and most popular gaming convention in the world. In the United Kingdom, there’s the Insomnia Gaming Festival and EGX, both of which are sizeable showcases that let players get hands-on with the latest tech and titles.
In North America and Australia, there’s PAX (Penny Arcade Expo), which is a two-decade old convention that celebrates everything related to gaming. In Asia, the shining star is the Tokyo Game Show, which like E3, welcomes some of the biggest brands in gaming. In South America, the key destination is the Brasil Game Show, which sees as many as 300,000 visitors every time it goes live.
Elsewhere, there are the smaller, brand-specific events. For instance, BlizzCon, which celebrated Activision Blizzard, QuakeCon, which is reserved for Quake fans, and TwitchCon, which is dominated primarily by streamers and streaming fans.
E3 might have officially been shut down for good, but there are plenty of alternatives out there.
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