'E3 Season' still brings gaming excitement despite the absence of a physical event

Think of it like a combination of a trade show and a big press conference, a window into the future of video games, where developers, publishers and hardware manufacturers come together to showcase their latest upcoming projects to the public, media and other professionals in the industry.

E3 has always been famous for its jaw-dropping press conferences and keynote speeches, where gaming giants like Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo unveil their most anticipated games and drop bombshell announcements. But companies also set up elaborate booths and stages on the show floor to demonstrate their games, giving attendees a glimpse of what's to come.

E3 is a significant event for the industry as a whole, providing a platform for developers and publishers to generate hype and build anticipation around their upcoming releases with new game trailers, gameplay footage and exciting announcements all being unveiled.

But in recent years, there's been a noticeable decline in interest in E3, with many of the event's big players pulling out and opting instead to host their own independent events or digital showcases to announce and promote their games, bypassing E3 completely.

Then, the Covid-19 pandemic hit, forcing the physical event's cancellation in 2020 due to health and safety concerns - many companies switched to hosting their own digital events instead.

E3 has never really bounced back, with companies' experiments in digital marketing proving to be a cheaper alternative to physical events that can be held on their own schedules at a time when economic conditions are leading publishers and developers to reassess the necessity of participating in E3.

Indeed, this year's event - due to be held in early June - was cancelled just a few months out, with Stanley Pierre-Louis, the president of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), citing a decline in "sustained interest" around the event

While Pierre-Louis has confirmed the ESA's intention to host E3 in 2024, whether that actually comes to pass (and whether any of the big companies will want to be a part of it) remains to be seen. E3 could soon become a relic of the past.

But that's not to say the hype and excitement is over entirely. When Nintendo became the first major company to withdraw from hosting a keynote presentation at E3 in 2013, it instead utilised pre-recorded "Nintendo Direct" presentations and live video events during the E3 week to unveil their new products.

When EA followed suit a few years later, it hosted its own "EA Play" event, held near E3 but not directly associated with it.

So despite the absence of a physical E3 event, "E3 season" continues to generate excitement among gamers, with companies recognising the opportunity to capture the attention of the gaming community by holding their own digital reveal events around the time E3 would normally take place, and still benefiting from the heightened attention.

Companies hosting their own digital events have greater flexibility and control over the format, timing and content of their announcements, and can tailor their presentations to suit their specific needs and goals while ensuring their announcements receive maximum attention and media coverage.

'E3 season' still a cause for excitement

E3's traditional timing in the gaming calendar still creates a sense of anticipation, and even without a physical event, the time period around when it would normally occur remains associated with big announcements and reveals.

This year we once again have the return of Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest, the annual digital event first introduced in 2020 as a response to the cancellation of various gaming events - though Keighley has emphasised the event is meant to complement existing industry events rather than serve as a direct replacement.

In 2023, Keighley's event will feature conferences from Ubisoft, Devolver Digital and Xbox, with the latter offering a glimpse of Starfield during their showcase. Alongside the Summer Game Fest, other conferences like the PC Gaming Show will also be running, so despite the absence of E3 this year, June is poised to be filled with an abundance of exciting new game teasers.

This year's 'E3 season' may have undergone changes, but there are still plenty of reasons to be excited, and while the digital format may not fully replace the experience of a physical event, it does come with its own advantages.

The online nature allows for broader accessibility, ensuring that gamers from around the world can participate in the E3 season, and provides opportunities for fans to engage directly with developers through live streams, social media interactions and virtual demos.

But there are aspects that will be missed from not having a physical E3 event, and journalists will lack the opportunity to have hands-on gameplay demos and personal interactions with developers, potentially affecting the depth and quality of their coverage.

The absence of a live audience also means the lack of shared excitement and spontaneous reactions that contribute to the overall atmosphere of an event. But while certain elements from a physical event will be missed, the spirit of E3 lives on, even in a digital landscape.