The beginning of June has always, for me, felt euphoric and exciting with the bevy of games that get announced from the different shows both physically and digitally. I would take off a day or two of work just to soak in all the new gaming information that was given too us. When the pandemic became part of our daily lives much shifted and changed a lot of people’s lives. This also impacted physical events such as E3 which has always been a staple event for many years in the video game industry. With this year’s cancelation of the event do you think this essentially put an end to our traditional gamers Christmas?     

2020 saw a rise in Covid-19 and with that rise we saw the cancelation of E3 2020 physically and then again in 2021. Though they still offered digital showings of upcoming games from various companies the E3 board decided that E3 2022 would be canceled altogether. The partners we saw once with E3 have scattered to other venues, are hosting their own event, or skipping this window altogether. How will this impact you or me?

For me, not having an E3 makes me feel a bit like my real Christmas experiences, where they tend to change with time. I would go to both my dad and moms’ family Christmas, but as we grew the venues changed a bit. We started having them at my parents then I branched out to my wife’s parents and eventually are own Christmas at home. Time changes things and whether this is in a good or bad way, it is what we make of it that impacts the journey. Christmas always gives me magical vibes but often changes in intensity year to year, much like the games showcased in June every year. That feeling varies based on the games that are shown and my interest level. I’m sure most of you can relate.

Why the cancellation of E3 stings a bit for me personally is that I had the opportunity to go to E3 in 2016 and experienced what a true gamers Christmas felt like. I have no words to describe that rush that you feel when you attend an event such as this. Playing Zelda: Breath of the Wild on Nintendo’s Show floor, seeing a thrilling God of War trailer, experiencing Cuphead and Sea of Thieves, and walking within Fallout 4 with a VR headset felt magical and created everlasting memories in my mind. If you have not partaken in such festivities, you may not have the same view as I have, but regardless this year feels as though something is missing.   

Do you feel something is missing this year regardless of all the games that have been showcased or announced? Is June still a month that excites you for gaming news? Has the cancellation impacted you at all? If this does not change anything for you what, what is your celebration during this week look like? Let us know your thoughts.           

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Image source by the author.