It's official: E3 is dead

E3 has been laid to rest by organizer the Entertainment Software Association after more than two decades.

The organization confirmed the news on X, formerly Twitter, and said it would continue advocating for those within game industry.

"After more than two decades of serving as a central showcase for the video game industry, ESA has decided to end E3. ESA remains focused on advocating for ESA member companies and the industry workforce who fuel positive cultural and economic impact every day," it wrote.

The ESA had attempted to revive the once unmissable showcase this year with assistance from PAX organiser Reedpop (before severing ties with the company), but eventually scrapped E3 2023 less than three months before the event was due to take place.

At the time, ESA president and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis indicated that major publishers simply no longer considered E3 to be an essential part of the event calendar, and indicated it was struggling to find a place in a post-pandemic world dominated by digital showcases and other events such as Summer Game Fest and The Game Awards.

The game industry is "an evolving landscape"

"We did our best to reshape [the event], but in the end, companies make individual business and marketing decisions about what works. It's an evolving landscape and we want to ensure we are meeting those needs," said Pierre-Louis, who also noted the outlay demanded by E3 is "a very different kind of investment than some of the other platforms they have been using and experimenting with throughout the pandemic."

Ultimately, three cancellations in the space of four years had many wondering if E3 would ever return, and now the ESA has provided a definitive answer. Although the writing has been on the wall for some time, the demise of E3 is a significant moment in the history of the industry.

The event has delivered some iconic moments over the years—we'll always have fond memories of Giant Enemy Crabs and Riiiiiiidge Racer—but will now be consigned to the annals of time.