author: Zuzanna Domeradzka
E3 2024 Cancelled as Well? More and More Indications
Reedpop has severed its partnership with ESA and will not be helping organize the E3 trade show, which on top of that has lost access to the Los Angeles Convention Center. The future of this major gaming event has therefore become highly uncertain. Instead, it has been confirmed that Summer Game Fest will once again be held in June 2024.
The E3 trade show is a major event that has been held in the United States for years. However, as of 2022 the event is not taking place (it was also canceled in 2020), and unfortunately there are many indications that it will not be held in the coming years either.
The organizer is pulling out
The company Reedpop, which is, among other things, the organizer of the PAX event, will not work on future E3s (via GamesIndustry.biz). So if the event were to take place in 2024, it would be greatly hampered by the departure of a partner who worked directly with the ESA (Entertainment Software Association, that's the originator of E3) and was also supposed to organize the fair this year (which, as we know, did not materialize).
"We appreciate the cooperation with Reedpop, which lasted for 14 months, and we support its efforts to bring the industry [games - ed. note] and fans together through various events [such as PAX - ed. note]," said Stanley Pierre-Louis, head of the ESA.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that, as ESA reported, E3 2024 cannot be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This is where E3 has always taken place.
E3's uncertain future
Despite this disturbing news ESA has not yet officially canceled E3 2024. If the fair is to be held, the organizer needs to find a new venue and a possible new partner for it. However, Stanley Pierre-Louis does not seem to be giving up hope:
"As E3's reach is unparalleled in our industry, we continue to explore how it [E3 - ed. note] could evolve to best serve the gaming industry, and we are carefully reevaluating every aspect of the event, from its format to its location. We are committed to our role as organizers and look forward to sharing news about E3 in the coming months."
As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, E3 in 2025 would see a "complete overhaul." However, it is unclear whether this refers to the form of the event, or to partners or location.
Summer Game Fest will take place in 2024
Unfortunately, despite ESA's efforts, it is likely that the next E3 will not take place at all. In recent years, game publishers have been more willing to hold their own live broadcasts or participate in other such events, such as the Summer Game Fest.
And it is Summer Game Fest that may be the proverbial "nail in the coffin" of E3. Geoff Keighley, who is hosting the event, informed on his Twitter/X profile that the SGF will take place next June. We don't know the exact date, but we do know that the event will once again be held in Los Angeles.