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Sony to broadcast E3 conference at theaters nationwide

PlayStation E3 Experience 2016 Announce
Can’t make it to Los Angeles for next month’s Electronic Entertainment Expo? Sony is set to broadcast its E3 press conference live in theaters in North America, Canada, and South America as part of its upcoming PlayStation E3 Experience event, and admission is free.

In addition to getting a first glimpse at Sony’s upcoming slate of games for the PlayStation 4, event attendees will take home limited edition merchandise and collectible goods that are only available via the PlayStation E3 Experience. Tickets for the event are available starting today at Sony’s official website.

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This year marks the third annual PlayStation E3 Experience event, continuing a tradition that Sony initially started as a fan-oriented experiment.

“In 2014, we had this crazy idea to partner with Fathom Events and broadcast our E3 Press Conference live to some theaters North America, not knowing if this was something people would even be interested in attending,” Sony’s Michael Steranka recalls. “Two years later, and we’ve had to more than double our seating capacity to accommodate everybody!”

PlayStation E3 Experience attendees will see an HD simulcast of Sony’s E3 2016 press conference, where the company is expected to reveal details regarding its PlayStation VR headset and rumored “NEO” console hardware upgrade. The event will also be streamed live via Twitch.

Fans present at the PlayStation E3 Experience can grab free posters, collectible trading cards, and a commemorative drinking glass. Sony is additionally serving up a free “digital gift basket” for attendees, noting that its contents will be announced at a later date.

“There’s just something special about watching the news and excitement of E3 together with fellow PlayStation fans that makes this an event I look forward to every year,” Steranka said. “Between the loud cheers that, honestly, probably ruin movies for people in adjacent theaters (sorry not sorry), and the camaraderie felt in the air from being surrounded by the PlayStation Nation, there’s no better way to experience E3.”

Over 85 movie theaters across 48 states will participate in the PlayStation E3 Experience. Select theaters in Canada will host the event in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. The PlayStation E3 Experience will kick off on Monday, June 13.

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Here’s what E3 2023 could look like without Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft
Playstation character wall at E3 2018

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This is according to a report from IGN citing multiple sources, who claimed the companies won’t be a part of the show or make appearances on the floor at the Los Angeles Convention Center in any way. Their absence from this year’s E3, especially Nintendo’s, may come as a shock to the gaming community, but it's not such a surprise when looking at the past few iterations of E3. Even before the pandemic locked everyone down in 2020, Sony and Xbox had been hosting their own E3-style livestreams, so it was more likely they would do it again this year anyway. Nintendo, on the other hand, managed to show off its upcoming games via Nintendo Direct streams and at its booth, console kiosks and all.

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The official artwork confirming Summer Game Fest's return on June 8, 2023.

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That June 8 start date, and the other Summer Game Fest events likely to follow, put Keighley's show just ahead of E3 2023. The ESA and ReedPop plan to bring E3 back between June 13 and June 16, 2023. With five days of lead time on E3, Summer Game Fest can coexist with the long-running gaming conference and encompass the plethora of publisher showcases that tend to precede E3.
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The logo for E3 2023.

E3 2023 will return as an in-person event from June 13 to June 16, 2023, as announced by ReedPop today.

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) already revealed that E3 will return in 2023, but now we know exactly when the event will take place, along with several other key details. E3 will once again take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center after a four-year hiatus, but will incorporate separate days for industry professionals and general consumers.

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