E3 2022 has been canceled – The Verge

There will be no E3 this year. In a tweet, Will Powers, PR for gaming peripheral manufacturer Razer, said he received an email stating that the digital event has been canceled. IGN initially reported the newsand said they also independently reviewed the email confirming the cancellation of E3.

The video game trade show and marketing event were originally going to be held in person this year. However, in January, E3 was again shifted from an in-person event to an online exhibit due to the pandemic. Now it looks like the digital event has been canceled completely.

In recent years there have been growing concerns about the fate of E3. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect in-person gatherings, making the prospect of a very large and famously packed event unappealing. Last week, a number of video game industry professionals reported testing positive for COVID-19 after attending the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. In addition to pandemic concerns, video game publishers have increasingly pulled out of E3 to host their own online events, such as Nintendo’s Direct showcases, EA Play Live, and Sony’s State of Play.

When news of E3’s cancellation came out, accomplished video game hype man Geoff Keighley smoothly stepped in to announce that his Summer Game Fest for June of this year has been confirmed.

While not having an E3 at all bodes ill for the show’s continued health, according to a tweet from axiosStephen TotiloThe ESA said: “E3 will return in 2023 with a revived showcase celebrating new and exciting video games and industry innovations.” E3 2023 is expected be both an online and an in-person event†