It’s official: E3 2023 returns next June, bringing a combined digital and in-person showcase to the gaming masses. There will be some changes, however. According to GamesIndustry’s article breaking down the new format, E3 2023 is splitting the consumer and business sides of the show down the middle.
It’s an interesting change, and one that could benefit both sides. For years, thousands of gamers and industry workers filed into the Los Angeles Convention Center, often rubbing elbows — and usually not on purpose. The packed floors made it tough for journalists and developers to get to where they need to go, such as meetings.
But that will see a change when E3 2023 opens its doors in June. The show returns to the aforementioned convention center, which itself is split between two large wings: the south and west exhibition halls. In 2023, one half of the center will be all about the business, featuring “quieter, more comfortable booths, with areas to connect and network and grab a coffee.” The other half will be for consumers (and business attendees), “where there are things for fans to actually do.” As a person who has visited many an E3, this is an improvement in my opinion.
We’re back! #E32023 will take place in June at the Los Angeles Convention Center— with new partner ReedPop (the folks behind @PAX!)
Learn more: https://t.co/p9QUmBtkBu pic.twitter.com/MdW00Qekeg
— E3 (@E3) July 7, 2022
Changes are coming
E3 2023 will begin on Tuesday, June 13 and wrap up on June 16. As announced a few months ago, E3 has partnered up with PAX organizer ReedPop in order to make the event a reality. The changes coming to the show may prove welcome by many eventgoers, but time will tell. Things have changed quite a lot in the past few years. Covid canceled E3 events in the past, and online showcases have risen to fill the void. With Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest typically occurring the same month, both shows may end up butting heads.
Of course, E3 will once more offer something that online-only events won’t. It’s going to be in-person, likely with many safety precautions. Industry folk will once more be able to meet, greet, and fling business cards. For many of us who work in games, E3 was a great chance for networking. However, I also can’t deny the ease of reporting on events from a home office. And now it looks like we’ll have both. Next year will be an interesting one with all these showcases stacked against one another.
