As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its third year of longevity, it appears that the impacts from the disease continue to affect the gaming industry. This continues to be seen with the frequently occurring delays of major game projects pushing their release dates, and major gaming events have largely been held digitally instead. This was especially noticed the past two years, with E3 2020 and 2021 cancelling their in-person events and sticking to digital events only. While this year’s in-person E3 event was cancelled, many expected the digital portions to still be held. Now, it has been confirmed that the E3 2022 digital events have been cancelled as well.

Just got an email… It’s official, E3 digital is official cancelled for 2022. Lots of mixed feelings about this…

— Will Powers ? NYC (@WillJPowers) March 31, 2022

IGN has reported on the decision by the ESA to cancel the E3 2022 digital event. The news was first confirmed in a tweet by Razer PR lead Will Powers, who said he received an email from the ESA confirming the digital event’s cancellation. It seems that instead of preparing a digital event, the ESA will focus their resources and efforts into coming back strong in 2023 with an E3 featuring in-person and digital components. In regards to the decision, the ESA sent the following official statement to IGN:

We will devote all our energy and resources to delivering a revitalized physical and digital E3 experience next summer. Whether enjoyed from the show floor or your favorite devices, the 2023 showcase will bring the community, media, and industry back together in an all-new format and interactive experience.”

Many gamers pointed out that last year’s digital E3 event had a fairly minimal amount of big announcements or attention-grabbing headlines. Development progress has been delayed at many studios since the pandemic began, and the ESA was likely not confident about this year improving on that trend. While this may disappoint some, it is still likely that the major gaming companies will have their own independent digital presentations this summer, including Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest. Hopefully the E3 2022 digital event absence doesn’t sadden too many gamers, and here’s to hoping that E3 2023 is one to remember.

What do you guys think about the E3 2022 digital events being cancelled? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to stay tuned for the latest gaming news, such as Sony’s newly revealed PlayStation Game Pass competitor, here on Don’t Feed the Gamers! Follow us on Twitter to see our updates the minute they go live!