Ubisoft, a French Canadian game development and publishing studio, announced that it will not be attending the 'E3' gaming festival this year in favor of its own 'Ubisoft Forward' event. The company held one Ubisoft Forward in September of 2022 as a brief online stream, as there were few large in-person gaming events in 2022. However, with the return of E3 in 2023, Ubisoft originally confirmed its attendance before announcing it will be focusing on its own event instead.
This follows a broader industry-wide trend of gaming companies launching their own events rather than participating in festival-style conference events. Examples of this trend include Nintendo Direct, Sony State of Play, or the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase.
Ubisoft Forward 2023 will be held on June 12th in Los Angeles and will be streamed online to Ubisoft's channels.
Branded Gaming Events
Ubisoft Announced 'Ubisoft Forward' for June 12th in Los Angeles
Trend Themes
1. Branded Gaming Events - More gaming companies will create unique events to showcase their own products and control the narrative around the gaming industry.
2. Virtual Gaming Conferences - Online conferences devoted to gaming will be created with interactive exhibit halls and virtual panels, as more companies turn to this format rather than attending in-person events.
3. Gaming Influencer Marketing - With a growing audience on streaming platforms, game developers and publishers will increasingly collaborate with gaming influencers to market their products.
Industry Implications
1. Gaming - Game developers and publishers will need to create their own events to maintain control over their messaging and brand.
2. Event Planning - Companies that specialize in event planning will need to adapt to the virtual and hybrid event format and create interactive and immersive online experiences.
3. Influencer Marketing - Opportunities for gaming influencers will continue to increase as more game companies recognize the value of collaborations and sponsorships.