E3 2023 has been cancelled due to a lack of interest, according to an announcement by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the event's organizer. E3, which used to be the videogame industry's premiere showcase event, suffered a significant setback in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the on-site show. Influential publishers responded by holding their own online events, which were successful, leading to questions about E3's relevance in the streaming era.

The cancellation of E3 2023 comes after Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo declared earlier this year that they would not be taking part. Ubisoft, which had previously committed, also pulled out. E3 2023 was organized by ReedPop, which runs other conventions such as PAX and New York Comic Con. ReedPop president Lance Fensterman had said last month that E3 2023 was "full speed ahead," but this is no longer the case.

Here's 15-year old me at the first-ever E3 in 1995.

E3 meant so much to me and to so many of you too.

Four years ago, I realized that E3 wasn't evolving as it needed to compete in a global, digital world. So we started building what’s next. See at @summergamefest June 8. pic.twitter.com/wSZqpz3wjY

— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) March 30, 2023

Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest is now unchallenged as the dominant game show of the season. Keighley paid tribute to E3's long history on Twitter but also said that the show "wasn't evolving as it needed to compete in a global, digital world." His event, he says, is "what's next."

The cancellation of E3 2023 raises questions about the event's future, which has been a mainstay of the videogame industry for decades. While the pandemic has undoubtedly played a role in its decline, there are more profound questions about its relevance in a world where publishers can hold their online events and reach their audiences directly. It remains to be seen whether E3 will return in some form or whether other events will take place as the videogame industry's premiere showcase.