GAMING
PlayStation Showcase to reveal “spellbinding” games
May 24, 2023 - With the cancellation of the annual Los Angeles E3 video game convention, originally scheduled to take place in June, this is what console gamers can look forward to instead.
The 2023 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), normally held in Los Angeles every summer, is not happening this year after failing to attract enough suitable interest – Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, Ubisoft and others pulled out of attending.
The major showcase, which has been running since 1995, was set to return in person from June 13-16, in Los Angeles – the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic shut it down in 2020.
However, in recent years it has struggled to remain relevant and adapt to changes in the industry, leading to major gaming giants choosing to not attend this year and hold their own events instead.
Event organisers ReedPop and the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) say they are to “re-evaluate the future of E3”.
All is not lost for console gaming fans though, who can instead look forward to these events from the big three:
May 24: PlayStation Showcase live web stream showing upcoming games for PS5 and PS VR2. Likely previews include “Spider-Man 2”, “Wolverine” and “Death Stranding 2” – plus some new and unexpected titles. As Sony puts it, “Expect a glimpse at several new creations from PlayStation Studios, as well as spellbinding games from our third-party partners and indie creators”.
June 11-13: Xbox Games Showcase streaming events will focus on “Starfield” title (a vast new space exploration game) from Bethesda – the studio behind “Elder Scrolls” and “Fallout”.
September 1-4: Nintendo, buoyed by the recent success of “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom”, will hold a Nintendo Live 2023 event from Seattle, celebrating its existing game catalogue. Alas, unlikely to debut its next generation console to replace the ageing Switch.