It seems that E3 hasn’t breathed its last breath yet. E3 2020 was announced as this year’s show closed out, taking place from June 9-11. It will once again be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, despite some rumors that the show would be moving somewhere else after E3 2019.
E3 2019 saw 66,100 people attend, though the ESA didn’t break down the different badge types, so this number includes industry, media, and Gamer Pass holders. For those who weren’t able to attend in person, E3 had an enormous online presence that was viewed by millions around the world.
There’s been some buzz about the continued relevance of E3 after numerous companies have decided to leave the show floor, or simply not attend altogether. EA holds its own “E3 adjacent” event called EA Play. Microsoft has its setup in the Microsoft Theater across the street, and Sony didn’t even bother to show up this year at all. Even big publishers like Activision are pulling back from having a booth on the show floor in favor of closed-door meeting room appointments with press and investors.
As the ESA continues to blend industry trade show with fan convention, we’re likely to see an ongoing battle between the exhibitors and the organization that puts on the show. While next year’s E3 might be announced, there’s no telling what the show floor will look like or who is planning to attend. We know that next-gen consoles are just around the corner. Microsoft has already announced “Project Scarlett” for a Holiday 2020 release, and speculation puts Sony’s next PlayStation sometime in the second half of the year. Right now we don’t know if either company will opt to seek their own stages to show off the new devices, or if they will use the attention that E3 gets in order to reveal more about what’s coming.
Did you keep up with E3 2019? What was your favorite news or reveal to come from the show? Let us know what you are hoping to see next year in the comments below.
