Don’t expect to see this kind of scene at E3 2022.
James Martin/CNET
E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, is another event that will go online due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases. This marks the third year the show won’t be held in person because of the pandemic.
The Entertainment Software Association, which puts on the gaming event, confirmed in a statement released Thursday that the show will again go virtual.
“Due to the ongoing health risks surrounding COVID-19 and its potential impact on the safety of exhibitors and attendees, E3 will not be held in person in 2022,” the organization said. “We remain incredibly excited about the future of E3 and look forward to announcing more details soon.”
E3 regularly takes place in early June, but the ESA has yet to confirm the dates for the next show. The previous two shows consisted of livestreams and previously recorded videos from publishers and developers showing their upcoming games. Last year’s event saw the debut of Metroid Dread and new footage for the upcoming Elden Ring and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2.
The Sundance Film Festival and the Grammys are two other major industry events that’ve changed their plans due to the surge of COVID cases as the omicron variant continues to spread across the US. On Monday, the US reported more than a million COVID cases following the holidays.