E3 2023: return as a hybrid face-to-face and virtual event
After a few years of last-minute cancellations and being replaced this year by the Summer Game Fest, it appears that the Entertainment Software Association (better known as ESA) is already planning the return of E3 2023, and has issued a statement announcing the return of this fair as a hybrid event that will take place both in-person and virtually.
"As much as we love these digital events, and as much as they reach people and we want that global reach," Stan Pierre-Louis, CEO and President of the ESA, told The Washington Post, "we also know that there is a very strong desire for people to come together, to be able to connect in person, see each other, and talk about what makes games great."
Although the association has yet to select a definite date for this E3 2023, it is most probable that the event will take place on its customary dates, in early June. However, there are currently questions about whether this event is truly necessary for the current context.
And, as previously stated, the Geoff Keighley event not only appears to have filled the current need left by the lack of this fair but also aims to totally replace it.
During the opening event, Keighley himself confirmed that the next Summer Game Fest 2023 would take place on the same dates the following year, transitioning from an entirely online event to the addition of physical space.
Thus, it appears that the only issue that remains to be settled is which side the corporations will take, with game developers and distributors ultimately having the final say in determining the success or failure of one of these two events.
Summer Game Fest 2022 is still going on
You may keep up with all the news from Steam, Square Enix, SEGA, 2K, Activision, EA, Focus Entertainment, or Bandai Namco by following the event's official channels on YouTube, as well as the coverage that we will provide on our website.
