E3 is dead, long live E3. What was once the biggest event in gaming is now a thing of the past, with the president of the Entertainment Software Association confirming on December 12 that it is no more. The convention, which has not been held in-person since 2019, struggled in the wake of the covid pandemic and with the new reality of developers and companies creating their own, individual showcases.
Though there were promises that a newer, revamped E3 would eventually pop back up on our calendars, it seems that attempts to resurrect it failed. Once reserved only for industry members, E3 (or the Electronic Entertainment Expo) began opening up its doors to the general public back in 2017. The next year, it had its highest attendance count ever, with over 69,000 people attending over the long weekend according to IGN. In its heyday, the event gave us iconic memories, massive game reveals, and more. But after its recent troubles, it was never able to recapture that magic, and has faltered while other events (like Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest) have gained in popularit