Each year gamers look forward to the Electronic Entertainment Expo, famously dubbed E3, as one of the largest video gaming events. During this exciting time, game companies take center stage to showcase all their upcoming releases. From providing a sneak peek of new video game titles to unveiling all new consoles, it serves as a gamer’s paradise. Unfortunately, 2023 marks the year of E3’s death after the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) released a statement through X (formerly Twitter) regarding the event’s untimely fate.

“After more than two decades of E3, each one bigger than the last, the time has come to say goodbye. Thanks for the memories,” the post reads. Its sad fate comes just after its planned physical and digital events were canceled by its organizers last March after big companies like Nintendo, Ubisoft, and Microsoft opted not to participate. It would have marked the convention’s physical return after it transitioned into a digital event in 2020 due to Covid-19. We take this time to look back at the glory days that E3 once had.

Before E3, most video game companies took to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to showcase all their latest innovations. 

CES, however, had a preference for providing space to consumer electronics, meaning most of the video game companies presenting their wares were often given space outside the event. One rainy day led the ESA, then referred to as the International Digital Software Association (IDSA), to air their complaints to CES, which didn’t budge as it didn’t consider video games to be in the same league as consumer electronics. Seeing no future with CES, the ESA ventured on its own.

Enter Patrick Ferrell, founder of what was once the largest video game magazine in the world, GamePro. Ferrell, after seeing the uncaring treatment of the CES for video game companies, felt there was a need to pitch a new event dedicated solely to sharing the latest in video games. He had the support of big names in the industry at the time such as Sega of America’s then CEO Tom Kalinske. And with that, the first-ever E3 convention was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in 1995. 

Gaming history was made after the event was recognized as the venue where the announcements of Sega’s Sega Saturn and Sony’s PlayStation took place. Newcomers to the field that are now powerhouses, most notably Electronic Arts (EA), were also present at the exhibit. Even big celebrities like Michael Jackson, Seal, Sylvester Stallone, and Steven Spielberg were present. 

After it found success, E3 continued to get bigger each year. Its largest event took place in 2005, with a whopping 70,000 people in attendance. In that same showcase, three of the most iconic video game consoles were unveiled— Microsoft’s Xbox 360, the Sony PlayStation 3, and the Nintendo Wii. Unfortunately, by the 2010s, E3’s popularity started to wane after video game companies started to prefer hosting their own events. As attendance numbers started to dwindle, E3 decided to open its doors to the public, as the conventions years prior were mostly for those working in the industry. It proved to be a success after all its public passes were sold. 

Even after more video game companies started to opt out of E3, much of the public still had enough interest to tune in to its events. Perhaps one of its most memorable recent events was in 2019 when Keanu Reeves took to the stage during the Xbox conference to talk about Cyberpunk 2077. His time on the stage gave birth to a meme after a crowd member complimented him by stating, “You’re breathtaking!” Reeves returned the compliment and it ended up hyping the entire room. In 2020, E3 had much in store for its attendees but the sudden rise of Covid-19 got in the way. To make up for it, E3 held a digital event the next year. It would attempt to do so again in 2022 but as Covid-19 continued to wreak havoc, even its digital plans were put to a stop. 

Now, as E3 permanently shuts its doors, video game fans and industry leaders pay their respects to what once was the world’s biggest gaming show. Hideo Kojima, best known for developing the Metal Gear Solid franchise and Death Stranding, puts it best through his tweet. “The end of E3 is sad news; we exhibited MGS (Metal Gear Solid) for the first time in Atlanta in 1997. I have participated every year since then. Especially, the presentation of MGS2 in 2000 is a precious memory. It was 23 years ago. Without E3, Japanese creators and titles would not have made it to the world as much as they have. It was easy to connect with people from all over the world by attending parties and conferences. I have nothing but gratitude. Thank you E3!” 

GGWP, E3.