E3 2023 loses Big 3 as Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony will not attend in any capacity

Gaming's Big 3 will not attend E3 2023, sources have told IGN.

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When I first started off writing about games many years ago, the Electronics Entertainment Expo was a kind of pipe dream for me. E3 was kind of a mecca for the industry. It was a part of the big endgame quest for a games journalist. Nowadays the show is not even a shadow of what it once was--the sun has set on E3.

Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft--collectively known as the Big 3--had always been the anchors for E3. They were the tentpoles that held the whole thing together as developers everywhere showed how their products run on the Big 3 systems. Now the triad of gaming have pretty much abandoned E3 for good.

Read Also: E3 2023 returns as in-person event, will have industry-only halls

Sources have told IGN that none of the Big 3 will attend E3 2023. Although this news is somber, it really isn't a surprise. Nintendo was the last vestige of the Big 3 with their E3 2019 booth. Since then, Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft have all hosted their own individual events and/or livestreams. Gaming's platform-holders want to host their own shows on their own terms and not spend thousands of dollars securing booths and setting up dioramas and decorations.

VideoGameChronicle reports that Nintendo is skipping E3 2023 because it has a smaller games lineup for the back half of 2023 and did not want to spend money on reserving a spot at the show.

Nintendo has pivoted to Nintendo Directs and now unloads all of its updates and new games in a much more inexpensive digital video.

Sony has also pivoted to its PlayStation State of Play events which are likewise big digital streams. Seeing a trend? Sony stopped attending E3 back in 2019.

Microsoft still hosts marquee on-stage shows at the Microsoft Theater, which is right next to the Los Angeles Convention Center.

In soothe, the Big 3 left E3 a long time ago...but it's still disappointing we won't see their presence at E3 2023.

The agency that puts on the E3 show, the ESA, delivered the following response:

[quote]As you have likely seen, IGN published an article last night about E3. While we are not able to comment on the specific claims in the article, we wanted to share our commitment to moving forward with E3.

E3 has a rich history within our industry, and we are always heartened to feel the passion for the show and hear what it means to different people. Reviving a tradeshow after a three-year hiatus and a global pandemic was always going to have its challenges, which is why we conducted an extensive search (in consultation with the ESA member companies) to identify the best partner to produce E3. In selecting ReedPOP as our partner, we have been able to tap into their rich history of hosting popular industry events, like PAX, and broader consumer shows, like Comic Con.

They have made strong progress in reshaping the event and have received tremendous support from industry companies of all sizes who are not only thinking about E3 2023, but how E3 fits into marketing plans for 2024 and beyond.

It's important to note that even as the show evolves and adapts, it will not impact the core of ESA's work for its member companies. Our priority remains advocating for your policy interests on the state and federal level.

We will share news and developments regarding E3 as they are available. If you have questions in the meantime, feel free to reach out to me. Thank you for your ongoing support.[/quote]