LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — Organizers for the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo, (E3) once the world’s leading showcase for video game developers, announced that the long-running conference has come to an end.
E3’s organizer, the Entertainment Software Association, announced the end of the event in a brief post on their website:
“After more than two decades of E3, each one bigger than the last, the time has come to say goodbye. Thanks for the memories,” it said, adding, “GGWP,” a common bit of gamer jargon meaning ‘good game, well played.’
The conference has taken place annually in Los Angeles since 1995. Originally intended for game industry professionals and journalists, the expo became a must-attend event for major game developers hoping to generate buzz for upcoming releases.
However, in recent years, E3 faced increasing competition from other events such as Comic Con, and the Penny Arcade Expo, along with declining interest from developers as game distribution and marketing increasingly shifted online.
E3, like many public events, was forced to cancel in 2020 amid the early days of the pandemic and shifted to a virtual edition in 2021.
Organizers planned to return to an in-person event in 2022 but canceled after struggling to attract exhibitors, while at the same time, promising to E3’s return in 2023.
As part of its plan to revive the brand, the ESA announced it has formed a partnership with the prominent exhibition company ReedPop, organizers of events such as Comic Con and Pax, to produce E3, but the two companies announced they had parted ways in September.
“After more than two decades of hosting an event that has served as a central showcase for the U.S. and global video game industry, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has decided to bring E3 to a close,” the trade group said in a statement on Tuesday. “ESA remains focused on advocating for ESA member companies and the industry workforce who fuel positive cultural and economic impact every day.”