Electronic Arts decided it simply isn’t doing E3 this year, choosing instead to hold its own event in Hollywood, California. Dubbed EA Play 2017, this is actually the second consecutive year EA has renounced the Electronic Entertainment Expo with the intent of hosting its own show instead, set to take place from June 10 to 12 at the Hollywood Palladium theater.
EA admits this is an effort to engage fans directly as opposed to E3, which is largely exclusive to press. EA Play 2017, according to the company, will “connect fans around the world to EA’s biggest new games through live broadcasts, community content, competitions and more.”
The event will achieve this objective by offering hands-on demos for attendees in addition to live entertainment.
However, if you can’t make it out to Hollywood that week, EA has you covered. All of the games being revealed at EA Play 2017 will be broadcast live, accompanied by “community content, competitions and more.” Additionally, there appears to be content from developers in the works as well, giving you an inside look at whatever it is EA has planned for the near future.
In contrast, E3 2017 is scheduled to take place from June 13 to 15 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. As EA Play is more of a replacement for E3 than a companion, it makes sense that EA will not have a presence on the E3 show floor whatsoever. Last year, on the other hand, EA Play was held at Club Nokia, in walking distance from the convention center. Comparatively, this year’s event will occur seven miles northwest of E3’s setting.
EA also took its pre-E3 keynote to the stage of Club Nokia on the Sunday before the expo last year, though it’s not clear yet when we will see the briefing this year. Also, details are hazy regarding ticket availability and information on attendance. Nevertheless, EA promises this news is imminent.
