E3 2022 completely canceled, both online and in-person

This year’s E3, the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo, has been canceled entirely, organizers at the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) confirmed Thursday. E3 2022 was originally scheduled to be held sometime in the summer, in an online-only format. This was after plans to revive the in person version of the event were scrapped in January. However, it seems that E3 2022 will not take place this year.

New of E3 2022’s cancellation broke through partners and publishers, who said they were informed via email by the ESA that this year’s digital event had been scrapped.

Polygon was informed by the ESA that E3 2022 has been canceled. They also stated that E3 2023 will be returning in 2023, both as an online and in-person event. Here’s the ESA’s full statement:

E3 returns in 2023, with a refreshed showcase celebrating industry and innovative video games.

Due to ongoing risks associated with COVID-19, we previously stated that E3 will not take place in person in 2022. We announce that E3 will no longer be presented digitally in 2022.

We will instead focus all of our efforts and resources on delivering an enhanced physical and digital E3 experience next year. The 2023 Showcase will be enjoyed on the showfloor or via your preferred devices. It brings together the media and the industry in an interactive format that is new and fresh.

E3 is a show we look forward to sharing with fans all over the globe live from Los Angeles, in 2023.

Keep checking back for announcements and more information.

The ESA said last year that it had planned for E3 2022 to return to an in-person event, after canceling 2020’s event and holding a digital version in 2021. E3 2021 saw participation by game companies like Warner Bros. and Ubisoft.

Pouncing on the news of E3 2022’s cancellation, organizers for Summer Game Fest, a practical E3 replacement led by The Game Awards creator Geoff Keighley, reminded fans that Summer Game Fest 2022 will take place in June, with a “spectacular live kickoff show” hosted by Keighley. E3 was typically held in June, and it appears that Keighley’s show will help fill the void left by the ESA.