E3 2021 has been confirmed, with the newly digital-only event set to run in June. While the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has announced that Nintendo, Microsoft, and more will be attending, big players such as Sony and EA are absent from the list.
When is the E3 2021 date?
E3 2021 is confirmed to take place through June 12 to June 15. As the event will be digital-only, viewers will not be able to attend in-person, with details regarding how to watch the show and its press conferences having yet to be revealed.
The ESA made the announcement today, saying that E3 2021 would be “reimagined” and “all-virtual.” Nintendo, Xbox, Capcom, Konami, Ubisoft, Take-Two Interactive, Warner Bros. Games, and Koch Media are already confirmed to appear with more to come, though PlayStation will seemingly be absent from its line-up.
Why is Sony skipping E3 2021?
Sony notably skipped E3 2019, refraining from producing its annual press conference despite the PS5 launching the following year. E3 2020 was canceled as a result of the pandemic, with PlayStation still seemingly not turning up despite the switch in focus to a digital event.
EA is also missing from its announced line-up, with the publisher having previously produced its own unofficial EA Play show to coincide with the event. It’s unclear if the company intends to do the same this year in a digital format.
“For more than two decades, E3 has been the premier venue to showcase the best that the video game industry has to offer, while uniting the world through games,” said Stanley Pierre-Louis, President and CEO of the ESA. “We are evolving this year’s E3 into a more inclusive event, but will still look to excite the fans with major reveals and insider opportunities that make this event the indispensable center stage for video games.”
Though the ESA has stated that more attendees are yet to be announced, it’s likely that Sony would have already been revealed alongside Nintendo and Xbox if it were to make an appearance. It’s unclear how E3 2021 plans to shift to a digital-only experience, with rumors suggesting that viewers may be able to take part in live demos of upcoming games throughout the event.
In other news, #BoycottGenshin has been trending today as a result of controversies related to Genshin Impact. A new Fortnite update also launched.
