E3 confirms no 2024 LA event, with ‘complete reinvention’ reportedly planned for 2025

Events company ReedPop has parted ways with E3 organiser the ESA, following the last minute cancellation of this year’s event.

Following earlier reports, The ESA has also confirmed it will not hold an E3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center next year, although it’s claimed it has not outright cancelled plans for a 2024 event.

According to GamesIndustry.biz, the trade body is working on a “complete reinvention” of the E3 show for 2025.

E3 was due to return for its first in-person show in four years this summer as part of a multi-year deal with PAX organiser ReedPop. However, after months of build-up and uncertainty, the show was cancelled in March.

At the time, ReedPop claimed that it “simply did not garner the sustained interest necessary to execute it in a way that would showcase the size, strength, and impact of our industry”.

In a new statement, ReedPop’s games events boss Kyle Marsden-Kish said: “We have enjoyed our time working with the ESA and appreciate their commitment to the games industry as a whole. While we will not be involved with the future of E3 we look forward to seeing its evolution and where the ESA takes it.”

ESA president and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis added: “We appreciate ReedPop’s partnership over the past 14 months and support their ongoing efforts to bring industry and fans together through their various events.

“While the reach of E3 remains unmatched in our industry, we are continuing to explore how we can evolve it to best serve the video game industry and are evaluating every aspect of the event, from format to location. We are committed to our role as a convenor for the industry and look forward to sharing news about E3 in the coming months.”

In E3’s absence, many other events took place in LA in June, including producer Geoff Keighley’s rival Summer Game Fest, Ubisoft Forward, and an Xbox Showcase.

Speaking to VGC, Keighley dismissed suggestions that competition from his rival event was partly responsible for the cancellation of E3 2023.