Omicron suspends physical appearances from E3
E3, also known as the Electronic Entertainment Expo, is (was?) the biggest game even every year. It's the pride and joy of gaming companies around the world. Both large and small studios have the opportunity to show their upcoming titles to new audiences. It's always been an in-person event, but like so many things these days, Covid has called that into question. It was announced that the show will change direction this year.
This is partly due to the new Covid variant and its highly infectious nature. ESA, the group responsible for E3, had this to say: “Due to the current health risks related to COVID-19 and its potential impact on the safety of exhibitors and attendees, E3 will not be held. in person in 2022,” they continued, mentioning, “We remain incredibly excited about the future of E3 and look forward to announcing more details soon. "
Considering how E3 has operated in the past, this isn't too big of a change for the event. Livestreams have been the main way companies have been delivering information to fans for years, after all. Nintendo even launched its own "Nintendo Direct" series of shows, and after a while moved away from E3 as a major outlet.
And given the impact of The Game Awards lately, it wouldn't be out of place to call it a replacement for the 'old' E3 formula. But we all know how tough marketing budgets can be. If E3 still holds so much prestige, it's hard to imagine its importance waning.
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