Last month, Ubisoft, the publisher behind the popular Assassin’s Creed franchise, became the first major company to publicly commit to attending the revamped E3 event scheduled for June at the Los Angeles Convention Center. However, the company has now decided to change course and will no longer be attending E3 2023.
In a statement issued to VGC, a Ubisoft spokesperson explained that the company has decided to “move in a different direction” and will instead host its own Ubisoft Forward Live event on June 12 in Los Angeles. The spokesperson acknowledged E3’s history of fostering unforgettable moments across the gaming industry, but emphasized that Ubisoft is excited to share more details about its upcoming event with players soon.
E3 2023 marks the flagship industry event’s first physical show in four years and has been taken over by ReedPop, the media and events company behind PAX, EGX, and Star Wars Celebration. The revamped format of E3 2023 will reserve the first two days (June 13-14) exclusively for business, with consumer visitors welcomed on the remaining days. However, Ubisoft’s decision to withdraw from E3 2023 means that no major company has been officially announced as attending, casting doubts over the event’s line-up with only three months to go.
Historically, Ubisoft has been a supporter of E3, and CEO Yves Guillemot had even expressed support for the 2023 plans. This year, other major players such as Nintendo and Xbox have also confirmed they will be skipping E3 2023, although Xbox plans to have some form of presence in Los Angeles during the same time frame.
ReedPop, E3’s new organizer, claimed earlier this month that unnamed “AAA companies, in addition to indie darlings and tech and hardware firms,” have committed to “making their return” to the Los Angeles Convention Center. The full roster of exhibitors will be announced in the lead-up to the expo, allowing participating companies the opportunity to make individual announcements beforehand.
E3 2023’s “Digital Week” is set to start on Sunday, June 11, with digital events such as The PC Gaming Show, Future Games Show, Guerilla Collective, and Black Voices in Gaming.
Comments