Hideo Kojima Laments The Death Of E3

Following the announcement that E3 is finally deemed dead for good, Death Stranding/Metal Gear Solid director Hideo Kojima posted a tweet lamenting the death of the event. Kojima-san reminisced about his history with the event, when he first unveiled Metal Gear Solid in 1997, and in particular, showcasing Metal Gear Solid 2 for the first during E3 2000. 

An interesting thing Kojima-san mentions is that Japanese developers would not have made it as mainstream as they did if it weren’t for E3. The conference was always a great way to not only get hands-on with upcoming games but also discuss said games with the developers. It also was a place for both seasoned and aspiring developers to meet and connect with.

Without E3, Japanese creators and titles would not have made it to the world as much as they have. It was easy to connect with people from all over the world by attending parties and conferences. I have nothing but gratitude.”

Many major genre-defining titles got their big break on E3, from games such as the aforementioned Metal Gear Solid to Gran Turismo to Resident Evil. For multiple decades, E3 has been hallowed ground steeped in priceless gaming history. Kojima-san also adds that he was grateful for the fact that E3 let him interact and make friends with fans and industry professionals. 

E3 was a place to announce new products, a place to do business, but it was also a place to interact with industry professionals, stakeholders, and fans from around the world. I was able to meet everyone there. I was able to casually talk with VIPs whom I would not be able to… https://t.co/fPsD6GZ1R3

— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) December 13, 2023

While E3 had always been going through a slow decline over the years, the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the primary causes of E3’s rapid decline. Despite multiple attempts to revive E3 and an actual conference in 2021(although the public still wasn’t allowed inside), it turns out that between new competitors, cancellations, and the hurdles faced during COVID-19, it just wasn’t meant to be. 

I personally have a lot of fond memories associated with the event. Sitting back with my friends and hopping on call every day of the week so we don’t miss a major announcement, and screaming our lungs out at reveals we were looking forward to are moments that I will definitely miss with some fondness. It was always interesting to listen to the developers talk about their projects during post-event interviews. 

Carrying the torch for E3 is Geoff Keighley with the Summer Games Fest and The Game Awards (the latter of which I have written at length about) which is a relatively new event as it had its first ever introduction in 2020 following the Covid-19 pandemic. 3 years later, SGF is still finding its footing as a replacement for E3 as it is a digital-only event. Unlike E3, you can’t really talk to industry veterans or go hands-on with upcoming games.