E3 2022 cancelled: Why was it called off and what will happen instead?
Everything you need to know about the demise of this year's E3.
E3 2022 has been cancelled, the event organisers from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) have confirmed, as the once-vital gaming conference struggles to find its footing after the outbreak of COVID-19.
Since the pandemic first hit in March 2020, the ESA has cancelled every single physical E3 that would have otherwise happened, disrupting the annual tradition. Back in the pre-COVID days, you could rely on E3 like clockwork to deliver a series of exciting presentations every summer.
The June 2020 conference was, of course, a total write-off. That year's physical event was cancelled and the ESA did not offer an official online alternative, leaving gaming companies to band together under a new banner named Summer Game Fest (a series of live streams hosted by Geoff Keighley).
In June 2021, there still wasn't a physical E3, but the ESA did wrangle together a digital alternative. You can skim through our E3 2021 recap to see just how much cool stuff was shown at last year's virtual conference. There was still a Summer Game Fest last year, as well, so it was a best-of-both-worlds situation for gamers at home that just wanted to watch some rad trailers.
Here we are on the cusp of June 2022, though, and the ESA has opted once again to cancel the physical E3 and its virtual offering. So, what gives? Keep on reading to learn all about it.
Why was E3 2022 cancelled?
"Due to the ongoing health risks surrounding COVID-19 and its potential impact on the safety of exhibitors and attendees, E3 will not be held in person in 2022," the ESA announced back in January 2022 through its official channels.
In March 2022, they added: "We previously announced that E3 would not be held in person in 2022 due to the ongoing health risks surrounding COVID-19. Today, we announce that there will also be no digital E3 showcase in 2022.
"Instead, we will devote all our energy and resources to delivering a revitalized physical and digital E3 experience next summer. Whether enjoyed from the show floor or your favorite devices, the 2023 showcase will bring the community, media, and industry back together in an all-new format and interactive experience."
It sounds like E3 2022 was cancelled for a couple of reasons, then: the physical version was cancelled due to COVID, while the digital version was cancelled to allow the ESA to focus on next year's conference instead. We'll be very interested to see what happens in June 2023.
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What is happening instead of E3 2022?
Instead of E3 2022, a number of developers are grouping together to showcase their upcoming products at Summer Game Fest 2022 - you can click that link to learn all about it. That's the page where we've been pulling together the schedule and plenty of predictions for this summer's big gaming showcase.
As ever, even without E3 happening, you should expect plenty of new trailers to drop this summer as the gaming industry gears up for the vital Q4 period at the end of the year. We're hoping for some big reveals!
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Authors
Rob Leane is the Gaming Editor at Radio Times, overseeing our coverage of the biggest games on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC, mobile and VR. Rob works across our website, social media accounts and video channels, as well as producing our weekly gaming newsletter. He has previously worked at Den of Geek, Stealth Optional and Dennis Publishing.
