Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Are Reported to be Skipping E3 2023

Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo will reportedly be skipping E3 2023 as the large video game conference returns for an in-person event. Slated to run from June 13th to the 16th at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the three large publishers will not have a presence on the showroom floor, says a report.

According to IGN, multiple sources have come forward in saying Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo won’t be planning any major event tied directly to E3. E3 organizers ReedPOP confirmed that E3 will return after shifting to a digital-only event due to COVID-19. Upon later announcements, ReedPOP revealed that the first two days of the event will serve as “E3 Business Days” where media, publishers, and “registered industry personnel” can walk the showroom floor. The third day acts as a hybrid day splitting industry with public attendees. Wrapping up the show’s final two days, E3 2023 will host “E3 Game Days,” where the public ticket holders can attend and try out games on the showroom floor.

Without Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo in attendance, E3 2023 will assumedly be comprised of major third-party developers, publishers, and indie studios. Another wrinkle in the equation is Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest. Over the past few years, Keighley, who is best known for The Game Awards, has hosted the digital showcase known as Summer Game Fest. After news broke regarding E3, Keighley’s team tweeted that Summer Game Fest would return for its own in-person event on June 8th.

Summer Game Fest returns live, Thursday June 8 from @youtubetheater

Tune in to see what's next from the video game industry — sign up at https://t.co/gO9QVWFCdl for alerts and updates on tickets. pic.twitter.com/YcAnDMfJp9

— Summer Game Fest – Live June 8! (@summergamefest) January 30, 2023

Historically, Xbox has hosted its own showcase off-site at the Microsoft Theatre near E3’s Los Angeles Convention Centre. While Xbox may not have any of its games on the showroom floor of E3, it may still opt to host a showcase during the E3 window. Usually, the company’s deep-dive on trailers and updates falls on the weekend prior to E3 opening its doors. Similarly, Nintendo oftentimes airs a digital Direct on the Tuesday of E3. Once again, there’s no reason to believe that a Direct showcase may be out of the question this year, especially given Nintendo will have just launched The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. As for PlayStation, Sony has been weary of supporting E3 in recent years. PlayStation has not had a presence at E3 (in-person or digital) since 2018. While PlayStation has a big year ahead of them, it’s unlikely that the company will buck this trend.