E3 2023 Allegedly Won't Have Nintendo or Microsoft (or Sony)

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - I have some doubts on the truthfulness of the reporting.

If videogame media outlet IGN is to be believed (and I have some justified history of not doing so), none of the big three console manufacturers will be at E3 2023, or the Electronic Entertainment Expo taking place in 2023: No Sony (no surprise), no Nintendo, and no Microsoft. So when I live-reacted last week that Microsoft would show more of The Elder Scrolls Online at E3 2023... guess not.

Let's back up slightly: E3 2023 is being managed by ReedPop after winning a contract from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), which is better at lobbying than managing big conferences. E3 2023 is scheduled to occur starting at June 13 and ending June 16, 2023. The first two of those days are for business conferences and meetings, and the second two of those days are for customers to come and try things out on the show floor. ReedPop is best known for running many over conventions, including the PAX series. (Note: Nintendo nor PAX East have announced anything more about the Splatoon 3 North American Championship 2023 tournament.)

While we have the dates down for E3 2023 (and I've cleared my calendar of everything to dedicate my time to it... though I don't plan to physically attend in Los Angeles, given what happened last time I tried that), specific details haven't been revealed, including what'll happen at the event and what companies will be presenting. But according to IGN and their anonymous “multiple knowledgeable sources”, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony all will have no “part” or “presence on the Los Angeles Convention Center showfloor.” This is despite Microsoft already confirming that they will have a showcase in Los Angeles in the summer. This is despite Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, in an earlier IGN interview just last week saying,

“As I said, we're on the board, and we want to make sure that we are doing everything we can to help make the E3 successful.”

Either Phil Spencer was lying, Microsoft has a strange definition of the phrase “everything we can to help” or of the word “successful”, or IGN's sources are wrong. If I put it that way, IGN seems the least trustworthy. Microsoft definitely has things to prove and to show at an E3 event.

Nintendo has also been a strong E3 supporter in prior years where E3 was available (including 2021 where they got a whole E3 day officially dedicated to Nintendo Treehouse Live), even to the point of embarrassing themselves with really poor showings in years where they really shouldn't have done things. It's also really difficult to fathom a year when Nintendo is trying to have a presence at PAX East 2023 but not E3 2023. Perhaps the next Nintendo Direct (that should take place next month, right...?) will give some greater hints as to their upcoming plans and availability.

Abstract .gif of E3 being broken apart.

Sony not showing up at E3 2023 makes sense, since they're pathetic, losers, complacent, cowardly, and have avoided E3s for several years.

All three companies are big members of the ESA to begin with, and as such, have been entitled to preferential treatment at E3 and have vested interest in seeing it succeed. For its part, ReedPop provided a bizarre response to IGN that denied none of their claims, which is...troubling. They basically said that it's an honour to manage E3, that they're working hard at making it good, and that they're still working on the convention right now and will announce the lineup of accompanying companies—of which they promise the “biggest companies” are interested or verbally committed in the event—in the near future. And while I'm okay if Sony isn't there, if all three of Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft won't be there, can they really claim the presence of the biggest companies in videogames?

Remember, you don't even need to show any games to have a presence at an E3. 2021 proved that with Take-Two Interactive's game-less diversity panel! And we'll cover that, too! It won't be fun, but we'll still do it!


Ludwig distrusts IGN's sources as a long-time writer about the industry, and he also hopes their information is wrong as a fan who really enjoys E3 every year. What do you think, KoopaTV comments section?


Nintendo really won't be at E3 2023, and E3's website has updated to promote articles stating so.
Read about Nintendo of America's presence at PAX East here.
Click here for that Xbox summer showcase.