The ESA shows off a new E3 logo to be introduced at the 2018 video game expo

By Brad Jones October 17, 2017

Entertainment Software Association (ESA)

E3 has long since been established as the video game industry’s premier trade show, playing host to some of the most memorable reveals of the last two decades. In recent years, we have seen the event’s organizers make a concerted effort to modernize the show and now that is reflected in a change to its logo.

The new E3 logo takes its cues from modern design sensibilities; it uses a stark typeface and flat colors to produce a simple aesthetic that still retains something of its predecessor’s personality. Its yellow-and-red color scheme remains, but the three-dimensional lettering that was introduced back in the 1990s does not.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

When E3 debuted in 1995, the video game industry was transitioning from the 2D era into the brave new world of three dimensions, thanks to hardware like the Sega Saturn, Sony PlayStation, and the Nintendo 64. As such, it made a lot of sense for 3D imagery to be used, reflecting what was cutting-edge in the world of interactive entertainment at that time.

The 3D revolution is old hat now and while 2D games have certainly had a resurgence, 3D environments are simply the norm. In a time when Nintendo can broadcast its own Direct live-streams as and when it sees fit to unveil new titles, E3 has to move with the times to stay relevant, and dragging its branding out of the 20th century is one component of a much broader effort.

There was a time when E3 was exclusively a press event, but due to various other competing trade shows, and the fact that many companies prefer to host their own showcases, this is no longer the case. E3 2017 marked the first time that the public could register for access to the show alongside industry insiders, heralding a change of tact that will see the expo compete more directly with the likes of PAX.

The new E3 logo is set to make its official debut when the 2018 edition of the event descends upon the Los Angeles Convention Center, according to Polygon. Next year’s show is scheduled to take place between June 12 and 14.

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Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…

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Here’s what E3 2023 could look like without Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft

Playstation character wall at E3 2018

Let's start with the good news: E3 2023 will be held in its in-person format once again after three long years of digital events necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, this time with ReedPop at the helm. The bad news is that Sony, Xbox, and Nintendo -- gaming's "Big 3" -- may not show up at the industry’s biggest convention this summer.

This is according to a report from IGN citing multiple sources, who claimed the companies won’t be a part of the show or make appearances on the floor at the Los Angeles Convention Center in any way. Their absence from this year’s E3, especially Nintendo’s, may come as a shock to the gaming community, but it's not such a surprise when looking at the past few iterations of E3. Even before the pandemic locked everyone down in 2020, Sony and Xbox had been hosting their own E3-style livestreams, so it was more likely they would do it again this year anyway. Nintendo, on the other hand, managed to show off its upcoming games via Nintendo Direct streams and at its booth, console kiosks and all.

Gaming

Summer Game Fest returns just before E3 2023 next June

The official artwork confirming Summer Game Fest's return on June 8, 2023.

Geoff Keighley has confirmed when Summer Game Fest will return in June 2023. It will begin with a live kickoff show on June 8, 2023, placing Keighley's game announcement alternative less than a week before E3's grand (intended) 2023 return.
Unlike past years, Summer Game Fest Live Kickoff 2023 will feature a live audience, like Geoff Keighley's The Game Awards. It will take place in the YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park, with tickets going on sale in early 2023. It will still be livestreamed across platforms like YouTube and Twitch, though. It's currently unknown who's participating, how long Summer Game Fest will run afterward, or if it will feature a Summer Game Fest Play Days-like element for fans. Still, Keighley says all of that info will be revealed ahead of the event next year, teasing what people can expect.
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That June 8 start date, and the other Summer Game Fest events likely to follow, put Keighley's show just ahead of E3 2023. The ESA and ReedPop plan to bring E3 back between June 13 and June 16, 2023. With five days of lead time on E3, Summer Game Fest can coexist with the long-running gaming conference and encompass the plethora of publisher showcases that tend to precede E3.
Geoff Keighley made it clear that he wants Summer Game Fest and E3 to coexist for a while. "We've had extensive conversations with ReedPop about E3," he said in an interview with Epic Games Store. "I think it'll kind of fit together and flow kind of from what we're doing into what they're doing and stuff. E3, to me, is this kind of master brand that represents gaming news in June."
With the start date of Summer Game Fest confirmed, the coexistence of these two summer gaming events is a reality. Summer Game Fest returns on June 8, 2023.

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