E3 2023: Ubisoft also exits after Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft (but not quite)

03/28/2023 at 1:45 p.m. by Jonathan Harsch – E3 2023 will take place without Ubisoft – at least officially. Because, as the publisher announces, a separate show in the well-known “Ubisoft Forward” format is to be held at around the same time.

Things are not looking good for E3 this year. The largest trade fair in the video game industry has already lost a few big names – including the three console manufacturers Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft. And it gets even worse, because with Ubisoft one of the most stable pillars of the event has now canceled. The publisher has always been very present at E3, usually holding its own elaborate press conference (with the annual highlight Just Dance) and was often seen at the Nintendo, Playstation and Xbox shows.

Ubisoft isn’t at E3 but is holding its own show

Ubisoft’s cancellation comes as a surprise, because just a few weeks ago, CEO Yves Guillemot confirmed that the publisher was planning a presence and wanted to show some strong titles. It is not clear whether Ubisoft’s opinion changed spontaneously, or whether Guillemot meant a show at a similar time. Because: Ubisoft will certainly be present in Los Angeles in June, just not as part of the E3. Instead, the company will act on its own with its “Ubisoft Forward” format.

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In an interview with VGC, Ubisoft states: “E3 has produced unforgettable moments for the industry over the years. While we initially intended to have an official E3 presence, we made the decision to go in a different direction.” This other direction is a Ubisoft Forward Live event that is set to be held on June 12th. E3 starts a day later and runs from June 13th to 16th. In addition to Ubisoft, Microsoft will also use the E3 hype to hold its own show.