E3 2022 completely canceled, plans to return next year as an in-person and online event

E3 2022 is over – it won’t be happening this year in any form. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced on Thursday that it is completely canceling the 2022 edition of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). The organizers first relayed the information to its event partners and the publisher via email. E3 2022 was supposed to be held this summer as an online-only event, after plans for an in-person experience were scrapped earlier this year. The ESA said it now plans to return with E3 in 2023 as a combination of an online and in-person event.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, E3 was scrapped altogether in 2020 and then held digitally in 2021. The 2021 expo was free to watch online and featured big names from the gaming industry, including Nintendo, Ubisoft, Xbox, Square Enix, Capcom and Warner Bros. ESA hoped to return to the show with a live audience this year. However, those plans were withdrawn in January due to rising COVID cases in the United States.

Now, in a statement to Polygon, the ESA has confirmed that the expo will also not be held digitally this year. Organizers now plan to make a return in 2023 with a revamped and interactive format. The ESA should make a more detailed announcement soon.

Following the cancellation of E3 2022, The Game Awards creator Geoff Keighley took on Twitter to remind gaming fans that Summer Game Fest will be going ahead as planned. It will take place in June and is expected to bring a slate of exciting live shows, including the KickOff show hosted by Keighley. Over the past few years, Summer Game Fest has seen the participation of notable game companies like Activision, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, PlayStation, Steam, Capcom, and more.

E3’s popularity has waned in recent years, with companies like EA, Sony, and Xbox choosing to host their own events alongside it.