E3 might be dead, by Summer Game Fest will live on. That's the official word from Summer Game Fest host Geoff Keighley who confirmed both he and the summer event will return in June.
"Excited to share that @SummerGameFest will return this June with a slate of events. We'll be producing another Kickoff Live show with announcements, news, and first looks," wrote Keighley on Twitter. "Much more to share in the coming weeks, along with some very cool new elements for '22."
Keighley's announcement came mere hours after news broke that the ESA had officially cancelled this year's E3 conference. The ESA sent out a press release confirming both the physical and digital presentation was being cancelled, likely due to a resurgence in COVID-19 infections. Industry analysts also speculated that E3's waning popularity combined with a lull in major game announcements led the ESA to cancel even this year's digital event, which would have had little risk to the public.
Or it could be that Summer Game Fest is muscling in on E3's turf. Keighley posted a winkie face emoji immediately after news of E3's cancellation went public, leading some to speculate that Keighley actually sniped a lot of publishers to present at Summer Game Fest when they would normally have presented at E3. If you'll recall, Elden Ring was first revealed at Summer Game Fest last year, and now it's the biggest release of 2022 so far.
Keighley had another interesting statement to make on Twitter following E3's cancellation. "There’s no greater fan than me of what an event like E3 represents to the industry. I went to every E3 for 25 years. As the industry has evolved, the way our industry unites must evolve too," Keighley said. "I will always fight to do what I think is right for games - and don’t plan to stop."
Architect of E3’s downfall or not, Keighley will host Summer Game Fest’s return in June.