THE E3 Expo in Los Angeles is set for a proper return in 2023 under the ReedPop banner, following a three-year hiatus.
The event, which for many years was the centrepiece of the gaming industry calendar, took place as a virtual event in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 and did not take place at all this year after being cancelled by organisers the Entertainment Software Association (ESA).
Event production company ReedPop, who organise PAX and New York ComicCon (among other big-name pop culture conventions) have announced they will be partnering with ESA to bring E3 back for 2023 as an in person event.
E3 (originally the Electronic Entertainment Expo) traditionally takes place in the Los Angeles Convention Centre and allows developers to show off their latest games to industry, media and, in recent years, the general public.
Having been to several myself as a journalist, it’s difficult to overstate the importance of being there “on the ground” to chat in person with developers, get hands-on time with early builds of games, network with people in the industry, and experience a reminder of what it is that makes gaming so great generally.
It’s not secret that E3 was starting to lag just before COVID, particularly with some big names such as Sony and Nintendo withdrawing from the event, but hopefully E3’s physical return with a well-regarded gaming events management company at the tiller will help re-establish it as an integral and anticipated part of the industry calendar.
The official release is below:
LOS ANGELES — July 7, 2022 — E3, the world’s premier celebration of interactive entertainment, will make its long-awaited return to the Los Angeles Convention Center in the second week of June, 2023. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) will partner with ReedPop, the veteran event production company behind PAX, New York Comic Con, Star Wars Celebration, and other acclaimed celebrations of pop culture, to reunite the global video game industry for a week of titanic AAA reveals, earth-shaking world premieres, and exclusive access to the future of video games.
E3 2023 will welcome back publishers, developers, journalists, content creators, manufacturers, buyers, and licensors. The event will also highlight digital showcases and feature in-person consumer components.
“It is a tremendous honor and privilege for ReedPop to take on the responsibility of bringing E3 back in 2023,” said Lance Fensterman, President of ReedPop. “With the support and endorsement of the ESA, we’re going to build a world class event to serve the global gaming industry in new and broader ways than we already do at ReedPop through our portfolio of world leading events and web sites.”
Kyle Marsden-Kish, ReedPop Global VP of Gaming who will lead the newly formed E3 team along with his global gaming live event responsibilities added, “For years, we’ve listened, heard, and studied the global gaming community’s feedback. E3 2023 will be recognizably epic—a return to form that honors what’s always worked—while reshaping what didn’t and setting a new benchmark for video game expos in 2023 and beyond.”
“We are thrilled to bring back E3 as an in-person event with ReedPop, a global leader in producing pop culture events.” continued Stanley Pierre-Louis, President and CEO of the ESA. “The past three years have confirmed that E3 convenes our industry like no other event. ReedPop brings world-class talent and a keen understanding of the video game industry, which will serve to enhance the E3 experience for years to come.”
A streamlined and secure media registration for E3 2023 will begin in late 2022. Confirmed exhibitors, hotel and travel guides, event schedules, and more will be shared in the months to come via media releases and the official E3 website. Media, creators, industry professionals, and fans are encouraged to visit this website often for updates, and to follow E3 on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
