It is official: E3 is dead. At least for 2022, there will be no digital or physical fair. Reactions are mixed, but a potential successor is already ready and itching to go: Geoff Keighley and his trailer show, which breaks down the next gaming year into easily digestible bites.
This is the state of E3:
- Original plans were to hold an in-person E3 in Los Angeles, as the fair was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic and only took place digitally in 2021.
- However, in January 2022, these plans were scrapped. Instead, there were discussions about a digital event.
- The organizers kept quiet on this until now, when the confirmation of the cancellation followed.
- No exact reason has been given so far.
- Rumors suggest that the E3 organizers plan a major comeback in 2023.
Will typical game presentations and “cringy” showcases perhaps be completely absent? Probably not, as a possible replacement is already positioning itself: The Summer Game Fest in the form of gaming journalist and host Geoff Keighley.
He seems to have already said goodbye to E3 in its current form. At least he says that events like E3 need to evolve in the future:
There is no bigger fan than me of an event like E3, which represents the industry. I have been to every E3 for 25 years. As the industry has evolved, so too must the way the industry gathers.
I will always fight for what I believe is right for games – and I don’t plan on stopping.
via Twitter
Is Keighley positioning his event as a “successor”?
E3 2022 is dead, long live the Summer Game Fest?
After the demise of E3 2022, many developers and publishers are left wondering where to present their games in the summer.
Only a few hours after the revelation comes Keighley’s tweet, in which he expresses his excitement for the Summer Game Fest and essentially announces exactly what would otherwise be open due to the absence of E3.
There are expected to be multiple events and a kickoff live show, where announcements, news, and first glimpses of new games will be presented. More information is to follow.
The timing is probably not a coincidence. Currently, it is unknown whether major publishers like Nintendo or Microsoft are planning their own events. The Summer Game Fest is therefore the only officially confirmed alternative to E3, taking place in June around the usual E3 timeframe.
In August, the Gamescom follows, the next major summer event related to gaming. It will take place from August 24 to August 28, in both digital and physical formats.
However, reactions to Keighley’s tweet are not overflowing with joy. Rather, they are skeptical. Keighley has a tough standing with many gamers.
Why is Keighley controversial? The journalist is known for his well-connected networks throughout the gaming industry. He has contacts to developers, publishers, and pretty much all key figures in the industry.
However, Keighley has also made negative headlines in the past, as he openly accepted sponsorships as a gaming journalist and marketed various products quite openly.
For instance, an advertisement for tortilla chips and a soft drink has remained in the minds of gamers, as shown in the reactions:
Players scent “conspiracy” – Did Keighley “kill” E3?
Now fans have a somewhat joking theory that Keighley has “disposed” of E3 out of revenge. Because in 2021 he wanted to participate in the digital E3 with the Summer Game Fest as a co-stream. This was not allowed by the organizer ESA.
Not half an hour after it became clear that E3 was canceled, his tweet about the Summer Game Fest followed. For numerous commentators, the case is clear: “The man who killed E3 has created a new one to take its place. It was a conspiracy all along to claim the E3 title of the games fair in the middle of the year.” – YHVH via Twitter.
Those who do not accuse him of the “murder” of E3 at least wonder about the timing. For some, it looks like unabashed schadenfreude.
But not everyone is saddened by the demise of E3. Some believe that the Summer Game Fest is indeed the better event. Many are looking forward to it and hope that this time there will be more events than in 2021.
When is the Summer Game Fest? Currently, it is only known that it will take place in June. No exact date has been announced yet.
But what do you think about it? Are you disappointed that E3 is canceled? Or are you among those who can do without it? Do you see the Summer Game Fest as a good replacement?
