The Entertainment Software Association (ESA), which organises the annual E3 trade expo, says that future iterations of the event will likely continue to combine online and offline components.
In a new interview with Gamesindustry.biz, ESA president Stanley Pierre-Louis said that the upcoming E3 2021 will be a “unique opportunity” for the organiser to learn and give his team a better understanding as to how future events could be held. He also specified that the ESA expects physical events to return, but the scale of which is still to be seen.
“This will provide us with an opportunity to present to members of the industry, media and fans an opportunity to participate fully, and I think that provides a real unique opportunity to learn this year what we can apply to future events that will probably be a mix of physical and digital,” said Pierre-Louis. “But that’s to be determined. We’ve got to figure out where we all are moving forward.”
He added he hopes the ESA can “learn from this year’s event what transfers well” to future E3 events, but noted that the association’s main focus right now is this year’s expo. “I can’t speak to future E3s because we really want to focus on E3 2021 and ensure this is a great experience for exhibitors, the media, and fans alike,” he said.
Elsewhere in the interview, Pierre-Louis also spoke about the use of cryptocurrencies and NFTs in the video game industry, as well as wider cultural issues in the gaming community.
The upcoming E3 will include showcases by industry giants such as Nintendo, Xbox, EA, Square Enix, Ubisoft, Bandai Namco, Capcom and Sega, alongside a few shows focusing specifically on smaller or indie developers.
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