The Electronic Software Association (ESA) announced it will bring E3 back from the grave next year. The traditional summer games event will return as both a digital and in-person event in 2023.
ESA president Stan Pierre-Louis told the Washington Post about bringing back E3: “We’re excited about coming back in 2023 with both a digital and an in-person event. As much as we love these digital events, and as much as they reach people and we want that global reach, we also know that there’s a really strong desire for people to convene — to be able to connect in person and see each other and talk about what makes games great.”
The ESA held a digital E3 in 2021, and canceled it outright this year, ostensibly out of concern for the pandemic. This led to speculation that E3 was dead, given the plethora of games shows ready to replace it. However, it seems the ESA is not content to let it lie.
The summer gaming events this year are taken up primarily by Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest, the Xbox Showcase, and various other shows.