Microsoft confirms it won't have a show floor presence at E3 2023

Following reports that E3 2023 would be a no-show for PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo, Microsoft has confirmed it won’t have a show floor presence at this year’s event – although its recently announced online showcase will be part of an E3-branded week of digital shows.

News that the big three console manufacturers would be skipping this year’s E3 – set to be held between 13th and 16th June – was first reported by IGN in January. One month later, Nintendo confirmed its absence, saying, “We approach our involvement in any event on a case-by-case basis [and] this year’s E3 show didn’t fit into our plans”.

It wasn’t particularly surprising news, given Nintendo hasn’t held a major E3 conference for over a decade now and last had a showfloor presence at E3 back in 2019, but there were hopes that this year’s organiser (Eurogamer parent company Reedpop) might be able to coax the major players back in its attempts to revitalise a flagging formula – which, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, hasn’t had an in-person component since 2019.