The Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3 as it's also known, has been one of the major events that headline each year on the video game calendar. However, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, questions circulated as to whether the event, which was canceled last year, would reappear in 2021.
In a new report by VideoGamesCrhonicle.com, the Entertainment Softward Association, or ESA, has proposed a digital event in 2021, though it still requires approval from the various game publishers involved in the event.
Per the report by VGC:
"According to E3 2021 pitch documents sent to games publishers and seen by VGC, the ESA has now outlined its proposals for this year’s event, which would see three days of live-streamed coverage held during the previously announced dates of June 15-17."
If an all digital event were to take place, the proposal would allow for multiple keynotes, a preview night and a week for media previews ahead of the showcase.
The role of E3 in the games industry has been questioned more and more each year, with major publishers like Sony, EA and more pulling out of the show itself and hosting more direct shows, bypassing the event and the media themselves and going straight to the consumer. Whether an event would happen remains to be seen, and the ESA technically hasn't ruled out a full physical event in downtown LA, but it would seem unlikely given the current state's COVID-19 restrictions in place.
This wouldn't be the first major technology event of 2021 to go all digital as well should it happen, with the Consumer Electronic's Show, or CES, making the jump to all digital earlier last month.
