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Electronic Entertainment Expo
E3logo 2017-2021
Basic Information
Type
Convention

The Electronic Entertainment Expo, best known as E3, was a trade event for the video game industry in the United States. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) organized and presented E3, which many developers, publishers, hardware, and accessory manufacturers used to introduce and advertise upcoming games and game-related merchandise to retailers and to members of the press. E3 included an exhibition floor for developers, publishers, and manufacturers to showcase their titles and products for sale in the upcoming year. Before and during the event, publishers and hardware manufacturers usually held press conferences to announce new games and products.

During its 28-year existence, E3 was often considered the largest and most prestigious gaming expo of the year by importance and impact. Before 2017, E3 was an industry-only event;[1] the ESA required individuals wishing to attend to verify a professional relationship with the video game industry. With the rise of streaming media, several press conferences were broadcast to the public to increase their visibility.[2] E3 2017 became open to the public for the first time, with 15,000 general-admittance passes for those who wanted to attend.

E3 took place annually in June at the Los Angeles Convention Center (from 1995 to 2006, and again from 2008 to 2019). The event was cancelled for the first time in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the event in 2021 was held as a virtual event to mixed reception. No in-person or virtual event was held in 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ESA had planned to return to a full in-person convention in 2023 with assistance from ReedPop to develop a new format, which would have included a fan convention component at a separate venue.

On December 12, 2023, the ESA ultimately announced that E3 would be permanently discontinued.[3]

History[ | ]

E3 2022[ | ]

Originally due to be held between June 11-14, 2022 in Los Angeles, the 2022 Expo was canceled in April 2022 due to to COVID-19 pandemic.

E3 2021[ | ]

June 12-15, 2021, held entirely online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

E3 2020[ | ]

Originally due to be held between June 9-11, 2020 in Los Angeles, the 2020 Expo was canceled in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

E3 2019[ | ]

June 11-13, 2019 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2018[ | ]

June 12โ€“14, 2018 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2017[ | ]

June 13โ€“15, 2017 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2016[ | ]

June 14โ€“16, 2016 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2015[ | ]

June 16โ€“18, 2015 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2014[ | ]

June 10โ€“12, 2014 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2013[ | ]

June 11โ€“13, 2013 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2012[ | ]

June 5โ€“7, 2012 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2011[ | ]

June 7โ€“9, 2011 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2010[ | ]

June 15โ€“17, 2010 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2009[ | ]

June 2โ€“4, 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2008[ | ]

July 14โ€“17, 2008 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2007[ | ]

July 11โ€“13, 2007 - Santa Monica

E3 2006[ | ]

May 10โ€“12, 2006 - Los Angeles, CA

A few days before, Nintendo revealed the final name for their new console - Wii. Not The Wii, not Nintendo Wii, just Wii. Despite the negative reaction to the name, Nintendo gained lots of positive feedback and coverage, stealing the show. It was a strong display of games and hardware. Everywhere else, games such as Mass Effect from BioWare gained lots of positive reviews.

E3 2005[ | ]

May 17โ€“20, 2005 - Los Angeles, CA

The PlayStation 3 is officially named and shown (along with its controller). Nintendo shows off another variation of its popular Game Boy (the Game Boy micro) and its Revolution console (but refuses to show any controller or video games that will appear on the console). Microsoft, having jumped the gun by premiering its Xbox 360 on MTV a few weeks earlier, shows up with some football player to extol the virtues of its next console.

E3 2004[ | ]

Sony unveiled the shiny PlayStation Portable at its press conference. Reggie first appears, ingraining himself into the hearts and minds of gamers everywhere (specifically gamers who love Nintendo), by introducing himself stating, "I'm about kicking ass. I'm about taking names. We're about making games". Nintendo shows off its Nintendo DS, confusing everyone and then they proceed to make grown men cry when they show off their new non-cel-shaded Legend of Zelda game, The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess. Microsoft use their press conference to chat with Jenny McCarthy over Xbox Live and show off some Halo 2 multi-player action.

E3 2003[ | ]

May 14-16, 2003 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2002[ | ]

May 22-24, 2002 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2001[ | ]

May 17-19, 2001 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 2000[ | ]

May 11-13, 2000 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 1999[ | ]

May 13-15, 1999 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 1998[ | ]

May 28-30, 1998 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia

E3 1997[ | ]

June 19-21, 1997 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia

E3 1996[ | ]

May 16-18, 1996 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

E3 1995[ | ]

May 11-13, 1995 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC)

Highlights of E3 1995 included Sony's announcement of the release date and pricing of the PlayStation, Konami's unveiling of Metal Gear Solid, SEGA's launch of the Saturn, and Nintendo's showcase of the Virtual Boy console.

References[ | ]

  1. โ†‘ Thier, Dave (June 8, 2012). E3 is Obsolete, But it Doesn't Matter. Forbes.
  2. โ†‘ Miller, Ross (June 11, 2019). E3 2017 schedule: your guide to the biggest live streams. The Verge. Archived from the original on July 6, 2019
  3. โ†‘ Park, Gene (December 12, 2023). E3, once gaming's biggest expo, is officially dead. The Washington Post.

External Links[ | ]

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