E3 is no more

[AGTDenton]

Sign of the times I guess.

Sadly the replacements are generally very cringeworthy to watch.

https://overclock3d.net/news/softwar...-cancelled-e3/

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, E3 has been plagued by issues. In 2020 the event was cancelled, in 2021 it was virtual only, and in 2022 and 2023 the event was cancelled again. The cancellation of E 2023 lead many to assume that E3 was a dead event. Simply put, the event no longer had the interest/investment to justify its existence.

[Rob_B]

I used to enjoy coverage of these sorts of events but as has been mentioned, they're just not relevant any more. Shame, but expected

[cptwhite_uk]

I'll fondly remember the E3 editions of PCZone / PCGamer etc. Tons of video trailers on the cover CD, loads of full page spreads of the latest games coming out soon. A different time, sadly missed in many ways.

[Rob_B]

aah PCZone, lots of pocket money spent on that mag and time spent scouring every page

[Saracen999]

.... Shame, but expected

That about sums up my feeling. From a nostalgic perspective, yes, shame. But from a direct, personal and realistic one, it makes not a jot of difference to me, as I wasn't likely to pay much if any attention to the digital version these days, and my inclination to attend physical shows atrophied probably 15+ years ago.

I think I burnt out, to be honest. After doing so many shows, whether for personal interest or for work, the thought makes me shudder a bit. I lost track of how many times I did Comdex (the Vegas one) and even Comdex Atlanta a couple of times, and the Hamburg festival, the Car show at the NEC, Focus at the NEC (that was the last one I did, I think), and yeah, E3. At least I think it was E3 .... the LA Convention Centre, if memory serves. I also did a big electronics show in Vegas a couple of times, and the Hamburg show.

My feet are currently aching, just thinking back to it. These days, I doubt I physically could do those big shows, even if I had (and I don't) the inclination. Focus, maybe, but the big international ones? Nope. I don't even want to park my bony butt on the plane for long enough to get there, never mind actually wearing my shoe soles out walking round. I'd end up in A&E, or whatever it's called in that location.

That aside, I'm honestly not surprised 'demand' has tailed off. Those big shws are extremely expensive to put on, and interest was starting to wane, even on the part of big exhibitors, before I stopped going. I doubt Covid and lockdowns etc really had much impact, perhaps beyond merely dealing E3 (and possibly some of the others) the coup de grace a smidge earlier than othewise might have been the case.

Hmmm. Thinking about it, from what I hear, Taipei still does a pretty brisk trade in shows. Given where so many tech manufacturers are located, their rise may be a bigger factor in waning interest elsewhere than Covid was.

Fortunately, as I'm no longer paid to attend, I wouldn't be. I doubt anyone could, and for sure nobody would pay me enough to get me to start doing them again.

So yeah, in principle, shame. In practice, the world's moved on, it seems.

[Output]

Yep, as has already been said it is a shame, but expected.

There are so many other ways of getting that same information out these days, whether that be holding their own smaller events as the console companies tend to do, or simply releasing it online direct to the public without the middleman of E3 attendees being the ones reporting it.

Rockstar certainly didn't need E3 for that GTA VI trailer reveal recently for example, as there was apparently enough interest that people were excited for the announcement of an announcement about when the trailer would be revealed (not that I've actually watched that myself, but I'm not sure if I even saw V's trailer either. I definitely haven't even played V yet even though I own it).

Whether other trade shows will follow E3 in shutting down in future will remain to be seen, but I guess it just depends upon what and who those shows are specifically for, as I'd presume there are still some industries where trade shows aren't going away any time soon (if at all).