Member-only story
Why E3 Is Dying
It’s officially been announced that E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) is being cancelled for the year 2022. Marking this as the 3rd year in a row that COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the service, with 2020 being cancelled and 2021 being entirely based on an online platform instead of a physical location. While it’s clear shut down is COVID related, I do think there are underlying reasons outside of the pandemic that has lead us to this shift away from E3 as the end all be all place to make video game based announcements. So let’s dig a little deeper into what I believe those reasons are.
Digital Life
Did attending E3 ten years ago sound really cool and exciting? Of course it did! Was that because the online programming of that faraway time was mediocre at best and miserable at worst? Also yes. Thankfully, times and technology have changed, meaning I can easily stream technology and video game events live from the comfort of my own home, not only do I get a high quality stream of content that allows me to stay in the loop within a few seconds of the live audience but I also get the privilege of doing so while wearing my pajamas. Let’s not forget the part where I can rewind, pause and eat a fish sandwich from Kwik Trip without any hassle. Yeah, the digital life is pretty nice in my opinion.
Patience
Whether you’re a tech/game enthusiast or you’re someone on the other side of things that either developers or creates content for these platforms or showcase events, you do not want to be waiting all year to show off your hard work. It seems that more and more companies and creators are opting for a more consistent stream of content. Whether that’s Sony announcing a completely revamped PlayStation Plus package or Microsoft announcing the acquisition of one of the world’s most famous publishers, these are events that are no longer tied to E3 and are easily observed by anyone with an internet connection. That opens up the playing field for organizations to entice their consumers to their products year round, and of course it allows consumers like myself to be anxiously anticipating the next big announcement in hopes of sparking even greater competition between our favorite organizations! Patient is non existent, and perhaps that’s a benefit this time around!
Final Thoughts
I still have ambitions of attending a big tech or gaming event such as E3, CES or MWC, but as it stands right now, the convenience of enjoying the events from my own home is just too great. I would hate to see every real world event shift into some digital/Metaverse based idea, but I’m also aware that this transition could really open up the world to a lot of people given the right amount of accessibility. These are my thoughts on why E3 is slowly starting to fade away, but now I want to hear from all of you! Does E3 have a chance of continuing in a post-pandemic world or did COVID just speed up our digital transition? Sound off with your thoughts in the comments down below!
