E3 2023 Lacks Support from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony

E3 2023, the first in-person version of the event since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, is facing a major setback as some of the biggest companies in gaming are reportedly skipping this year's show. According to a report from IGN, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony will not have a presence at E3 2023, a significant blow for the event's comeback.

Despite the Entertainment Software Association's announcement in September of the event's return, with PAX organizer ReedPop taking over the show, it seems that the split between business and public days was not enough to attract the top gaming publishers. The companies' absence is not surprising, as they have previously shown they can get the word out about their new games without E3's help and without paying millions of dollars for floor space in the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest is another competition that E3 2023 will face, as it has already promised a return in June with another livestream. Summer Game Fest is also likely to include another demo event for press. Some major publishers, such as Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard, and Take-Two, may still have a presence at E3 2023, but others, like EA, have already opted to host their own events.

In an interview with IGN, Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, expressed support for the ESA and said that Xbox was still planning a showcase "at a time where hopefully it's convenient for press and even consumers that are going to the E3 event." Microsoft did not confirm whether it will skip this year's show floor, but reports indicate that its talks with the ESA are ongoing, and it could still have a business and media presence similar to last year's Gamescom.

Despite the news, ReedPop remains optimistic and stated in a statement to IGN that it has received a lot of interest and commitments from some of the biggest companies in the industry. Whether the lineup of exhibitors will be strong enough to make the trip to Los Angeles worthwhile for both the industry and consumers remains to be seen.