The diminishing popularity of E3 in recent years has been attributed to the growing trend of digital gaming events and showcases. Nintendo started this trend with the Nintendo Direct, followed by PlayStation and Microsoft with the PlayStation State of Play and the Xbox Developer Direct. However, the continued popularity of these digital events does not necessarily mean that E3 is no longer relevant to these companies. Nintendo and Microsoft have continued to make appearances at the event, and the upcoming Xbox Summer Showcase is believed to be taking place in conjunction with E3 2023.
