The Electronic Entertainment Expo, widely known as E3, will return in 2021 with a digital event, according to a new report by Video Games Chronicle.
E3 2020, which was set to take place in person in Los Angeles as it has for years, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many publishers and developers went forward with their own online shows, including new events like Summer Games Fest.
VGC’s report said E3 2021 pitch documents sent to publishers outlined a proposal for the digital event, which would focus on three days of livestreamed coverage during the event’s previously announced dates of June 15 to 17.
The plan for now is for the Entertainment Software Association, the company behind E3, to “hold multiple two-hour keynote sessions from games partners, an awards show, a June 14 preview night and other smaller streams from games publishers, influencers and media partners.”
“We can confirm that we are transforming the E3 experience for 2021 and will soon share exact details on how we’re bringing the global video game community together,” an ESA spokesperson told VGC. “We are having great conversations with publishers, developers and companies across the board, and we look forward to sharing details about their involvement soon.”
The proposal can only go forward with the approval of ESA’s membership, including the gaming industry’s biggest companies and publishers.
Without E3, companies such as Sony, EA, Ubisoft, and Microsoft all ran their own digital events in 2020, revealing upcoming games and projects.
