Just recently Sony announced that they wouldn't be at the yearly E3 event in 2020, and now the Entertainment Software Association (or ESA, the company that runs E3) has released their own statement about this year's event:
"E3 is a signature event celebrating the video game industry and showcasing the people, brands and innovations redefining entertainment loved by billions of people around the world. E3 2020 will be an exciting, high-energy show featuring new experiences, partners, exhibitor spaces, activations, and programming that will entertain new and veteran attendees alike. Exhibitor interest in our new activations is gaining the attention of brands that view E3 as a key opportunity to connect with video game fans worldwide."
This is in direct response to Sony revealing their absence, which we should remind you is their second in a row, as they weren't at E3 last year either.
It's no doubt a big blow for E3 and the ESA, especially given the latter's data leak that exposed the private data of various attendees last year.
This statement can also be seen as a response to the scepticism surrounding E3 ever since last year, with many doubting how important it is as a gaming event in the modern day, especially with companies announcing things on their own schedule and via their own channels.
How important is E3 these days?