Photo: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images
In February, we reported that the traditional live and in-person version of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (a.k.a. “E3,” the annual event where nerdy celebrities and overworked video game journalists can come together to learn about the latest advancements in
Assassin’s Creed technology) had been canceled for the second year in a row due to the COVID-10 pandemic. The show didn’t happen at all last year, which seemed like a nail in the coffin for the increasingly irrelevant-seeming E3 (since Sony and Microsoft both managed to release new game consoles in 2020 without getting the PR bump that E3 theoretically provides), but there had been rumblings this year that the Entertainment Software Association which organizes E3 every year would decide to replace the live event with an online version. That’s what San Diego Comic-Con had tried to do in 2020, and though that didn’t work out especially well, making video game announce
Multi-day streaming online and via mobile devices!
By Briana LawrenceApr 6th, 2021, 12:26 pm
When it comes to event planning in 2021 it really has been a roll of the dice. Some events have opted to wait until next year while others have changed their dates to later this year in the hopes of being able to have larger gatherings in public. Others, like this year’s E3 conference, are going completely digital instead of trying to host an in-person event. Stanley Pierre-Louis, President and CEO of the ESA (Entertainment Software Association) had this to say:
“For more than two decades, E3 has been the premier venue to showcase the best that the video game industry has to offer, while uniting the world through games. We are evolving this year’s E3 into a more inclusive event, but will still look to excite the fans with major reveals and insider opportunities that make this event the indispensable center stage for video games.”
What you need to know
E3 2021 will be an all-digital event running from June 12 through June 15.
Nintendo, Xbox, Capcom, Konami, Ubisoft, and others have already committed to the event.
Despite its all-digital format, E3 2021 will include major reveals and insider opportunities.
E3, one of the biggest gaming events of the year, will officially be an all-digital event. Rumors already swirled about the format of this year s event, but it has now been confirmed by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). E3 2021 will run from June 12 through June 15.
Several major partners have already committed to be part of E3 2021, including Nintendo, Xbox, Capcom, Konami, Ubisoft, Take-Two Interactive, Warner Bros. Games and Koch Media.
After the cancelation of E3 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Entertainment Software Association isn’t going to miss out this year. E3 2021 is happening, and we finally know exactly when and have a pretty good idea of what publishers we can expect to bring showcases to this year’s event.
E3 2021 is set to run a few days earlier than previous E3 events, from June 12 to June 15. That positioning could be a reaction by the ESA to the multiple events that ran last year to fill the power vacuum that E3 left. It has already been confirmed that Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest, which debuted in 2020, will run sometime this upcoming June. Likewise, Valve is hosting its Steam Next Fest, which will feature a slew of developer interviews, game trailers, a free demos. That event already has a confirmed date, slated to run from June 16 to June 22.
E3 2021 Has Been Dated - Nintendo, Xbox, Capcom And More All Confirmed
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The Entertainment Software Association has announced its plans for this year s E3 event, revealing that several major publishers are already on board – including Nintendo.
A reimagined, all-virtual version of E3 will take place from Saturday 12th to Tuesday 15th June. The ESA says that developers will be showcasing their latest news and games directly to fans around the world, and that this content, presumably meaning livestreams and the like, will be available to everyone for free.
As for the publishers that have already signed up? Here s the full list so far: