Microsoft confirms it won't have a show floor presence at E3 2023
But digital event will be "co-streamed".
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.
However, Microsoft, too, has now formally bowed out of this year's physical show, confirming to IGN that Xbox "will not be on the E3 show floor." It did, however, say it's "[looking] forward to co-streaming our event as part of E3 Digital". That event, the recently announced Xbox Games Showcase, is scheduled to air on Sunday, 11th June.
E3 Digital will run from 11th-17th June and, based on the limited schedule revealed so far, currently appears to consist of digital shows that have previously orbited around E3 week, with the PC Gaming Show and Future Games Show also confirmed.
That, then, just leaves Sony to make an official announcement regarding its participation in this year's E3, but given PlayStation hasn't been seen on the E3 showfloor since 2018, anything but confirmation of a no-show would be a major surprise.