E3 2021 Schedule Confirmed; IGN Holding ‘Summer Of Gaming’ In June

With the E3 2020 canceled, it looks like the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is shifting its focus to the expo’s return next year.

According to a report by GameIndustry.biz, the ESA has told its partners that E3 2021 will be set from June 15-27, 2021. Moreover, the organizers are reportedly planning a “reimagined” event for the expo, especially after the disappointing cancellation of this year’s event.

The E3 2020 showcase has officially been called off last month due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. However, back then, ESA mentioned that it was "exploring options with our members to coordinate an online experience to showcase industry announcements and news in June 2020."

As of the present time, no update has been made about the possible digital showcase of the highly anticipated event.

On other news, IGN announced last week that it will be holding what they call the “Summer of Gaming” event in early June. According to its press release, it is a “digital event” that will highlight the “latest news and impressions around upcoming games and the next generation of console hardware.”

“Summer of Gaming” will be staged in partnership with some of the biggest brands and names in the industry, including 2K Games, Square Enix, SEGA, Bandai Namco, Amazon, Google Stadia and Twitter to name a few.

There is no specific date yet when the event will be held; however, IGN promised to fill in fans about the online showcase in the coming weeks.

"With the next generation of console gaming kicking off later this year and gamers eager to learn more about what games they’ll be playing on their new hardware, our online event will be a key moment for publishers and developers to connect with the audience worldwide," said Peer Schneider, Chief Content and Product Officer at IGN.

While a lot of gaming events have been canceled due to the global health crisis, it is certainly a welcome development for fans to see E3 2021 being planned as early as today. Moreover, IGN’s June event should at least ease the worries of fans and entertain people with the latest updates and the future of gaming – which is currently on high demand due to the pandemic.