E3 is Cancelled

From the horse's mouth itself, E3 2020 will not be going ahead due to concerns around the Coronavirus. This is the first time since the event's inception that it's not going ahead.

I must admit, I'm a bit gutted about this. I know E3 has been a bit of a stripped back affair in recent years - Sony skipping the event, Nintendo not putting on a stage show - but I've always enjoyed the hype train and checking out the presentations whilst chatting to some of you guys. I totally understand why the event needs to be cancelled, and I think we'll see the same with other major events like the Euros, potentially the Olympics and so on, but I'm still a bit gutted.

What do you think we'll see from the big game companies around E3 time? Will they follow Nintendo's course and put on Direct style presentations? Will they decide that this is the way moving forwards and end up skipping E3 2021? And what's your thoughts on E3 being cancelled?

Even though my hype had died down for E3 over the last couple of years or so I still checked in because it was always such a massive influx of news about games. I was actually planning to give it an entire miss this year (as in not watching anything live) and using this cool site I found last year that put up every trailer, press conference etc where you could just pick and choose to play what looked cool.

A shame but I'm sure we will still get that influx of games news around the same time.

I do wonder if we'll get that concentrated burst of news and announcements this year though. E3 was obviously the place to do it before, but I wonder if we'll get a slower trickle of news throughout the year instead now.

Joe Skrebels had a nice write up about it.

https://uk.ign.com/articles/e3-2020-canceled-explained

I'll hold E3 in my flat. I've had a think about this, and I think it could be done. Microsoft host in the living room, Nintendo can have the kitchen, Sony in the hallway, Ubisoft and Bethesda can squeeze in and share the bedroom. Jools Watsham can get locked in the toilet.

It's disappointing and read from sites it will affect them because of lack of traffic to the site, going hands on with games etc as those things on show floor won't happen.

The conference's aren't really at E3 as take MS they use the Nokia Theatre, of course they still have a audience though and fans at the venue.

Where now MS have said they're going to have some sort of digital event, Ubisoft have as well, Nintendo do the Direct, Devolver is pre-recorded.

Just when those will be is the question for me, as I like it's all over one week as a celebration of gaming, that's what I hope still happens. I might be wrong but would some of you check out Ubisoft if just some random weekend and not E3 week?

Prediction: it won't recover from this. E3 has been on the wane for a while, and I reckon Nintendo and Sony are both gonna pepper their release announcements throughout the year and confirm that they don't need E3.

Hopefully all this Coronavirus will keep up and end capitalism entirely.

I see it happening as I mention Ubisoft who are now planning a digital event, if it gets same amount of hits and is saving them money, then you'd think they'd do that again next year and why go back.

Still might be worth having E3 and doing as look at Gamescom that doesn't really have any news now (Xbox has an event) or a EGX, PAX etc with people going hands on. Maybe E3 just becomes like those.

Buskalilly wrote:

Prediction: it won't recover from this. E3 has been on the wane for a while, and I reckon Nintendo and Sony are both gonna pepper their release announcements throughout the year and confirm that they don't need E3.

Yep, I reckon this is spot on. On the one hand, I'm sad. I did like E3: the hype, the buzz, the increased conversation. On the other, I can't help but feel like coronavirus might have saved it from going down a decidedly dark path. Reading stuff about E3's direction this year turned my right off, as indeed will anything where 'influencers' are a big part of the focus. Bore off.

I hope we'll still get a bunch of big company Directs in the summer, around the former E3 time; but I'm not sure E3 itself dying on its bottom is so bad.

I know you're mainly a Nintendo person Balla, that will you checkout a Ubisoft Direct, Bethesda Bash?

As I remember Jay mentioning something about Xbox (maybe a prediction), which had been announced but on a Inside Xbox that he didn't know about, as why would he watch a Inside Xbox but I know he watched the Xbox E3 Conference last year.

I reckon you do watch the big events but not the smaller ones, but now these things could be anytime will you guys go hey Ubisoft are having a direct next week, let's watch that.

I think that's a solid point about the other publisher "Directs". I've been utterly bored watching Ubisoft's conferences for the last few years and I've only really watched them because it was part of the E3 media circus and there was usually at least a couple of folks from here about to chat about what was being shown. I'm not sure if I'd be as interested if it was its own standalone thing.

Mind you, I've ended up watching all the Sony State of Plays so far and that was after the first couple ended up being utterly pointless watches.

masofdas wrote:

I know you're mainly a Nintendo person Balla, that will you checkout a Ubisoft Direct, Bethesda Bash?

I will not, but I didn't check out their E3 showcases either - just summaries thereof. That won't change!

JayMoyles wrote:

I think that's a solid point about the other publisher "Directs". I've been utterly bored watching Ubisoft's conferences for the last few years and I've only really watched them because it was part of the E3 media circus and there was usually at least a couple of folks from here about to chat about what was being shown. I'm not sure if I'd be as interested if it was its own standalone thing.

Mind you, I've ended up watching all the Sony State of Plays so far and that was after the first couple ended up being utterly pointless watches.

Maybe the big-o publishers will up their game, knowing that they can't rely on the crutch of everyone watching the event they've turned up to. I look forward to 2K2Day, and The EA Cuntcast

The real shame about E3 being cancelled is apparently the Super Mario 35th Anniversary reveal was originally due to take place as a physical event at E3. Just imagine.

Aw, that's a shame! I do hope we'll still get some hype going for the June Direct we'll presumably get.

Seems Bethesda aren't doing a event this year but have excited thing's to share throughout the year. That I'm guessing one day we will wake up and a Starfield trailer will have dropped.

That as it stands it's Xbox and Ubisoft still doing something near the time but would guess Nintendo will still the direct around the same time.

IGN, of all places, seem to be stepping up into the gap. Bit odd.

Yep, but they do those things in-between E3 anyway like that's how Devils Third was announced and I'm guessing all the things are now mashed into one.

Also, remember Kinda Funny have had a showcase last few years and Youtube via Geoff Keighley that I see a few of these type events still going ahead.

Few Insiders etc posting that some events around what would have been E3 will move with some sooner, some still the week of E3 and others later as these companies can share when they're ready not when a event says they need to be.

Does go back to that if the Ubisoft event is one random week in July will you watch?

Easier answer though, right? Folk will watch if they have a particular interest in that developer.

Yeah and I'll likely still watch most, just seemed like people watch stuff they normally wouldn't because it's in the week of E3.

I pretty much won't watch anything other than Nintendo, whereas I may have been tempted during E3.

It'll feel too wrong for me to not watch the ubi show, whatever form it takes

Buskalilly wrote:

I pretty much won't watch anything other than Nintendo, whereas I may have been tempted during E3.

Same here. I'd have caught snippets of Ubi and Squeenix, say, during E3. Won't bother now.

GamesRadar is doing a show much like IGN during what would have been E3 week, that I think it still be a decentish week as we will have these, think kinda funny, I'm guessing Xbox still and hopefully a direct around the time.