E3 2021 Adds Square Enix, Sega, Gearbox; "Major" News Promised

E3 2021 has added more high-profile participants. The ESA, which organizes E3 every year, announced on Thursday that 10 additional companies will participate, including Square Enix, Sega, Bandai Namco, Gearbox, Turtle Beach, and Verizon.

Some of the other newly announced participants include Xseed Games/Marvelous USA, Freedom Games, Devious Eye Entertainment, and Binge.com.

According to the ESA, these companies will have "major announcements and reveals" for E3, which runs June 12-15 this year as a digital-only event.

"E3 2021 is set to continue its legacy as the premier video game industry event as we add new publishers, sponsors, and partners," ESA president and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis said in a statement. "We can’t wait to share more details about this virtual event for audiences around the globe."

The announcement of these 10 additional partners comes just days after Konami announced it had pulled out of E3 2021. You can see a full list of E3 2021 participants below.

E3 2021 Participants

• Nintendo
• Xbox
• Capcom
• Ubisoft
• Take-Two
• Warner Bros. Games
• Square Enix
• Koch Media
• Sega
• Bandai Namco
• Gearbox
• Turtle Beach
• Verizon
• Binge.com
• Devious Eye Entertainment
• Freedom Games
• Xseed/Marvelous USA

The ESA said developers will showcase the "latest news and games directly to fans around the world" in the new digital format. Pierre-Louis said E3 2021 will continue to be a significant, newsworthy event, even despite the new all-digital format.

"For more than two decades, E3 has been the premier venue to showcase the best that the video game industry has to offer, while uniting the world through games," he said. "We are evolving this year's E3 into a more inclusive event, but will still look to excite the fans with major reveals and insider opportunities that make this event the indispensable center stage for video games."

The ESA said E3 2021's new digital structure will allow "more people than ever" to participate. The group acknowledged that E3 is more than a place for big announcements; it's historically been a forum through which people in the industry form connections and partnerships. This will be maintained in some capacity, the ESA said, though no further details are available.

GameSpot is partner with the ESA for E3 2021, and you can read more about the collaboration here.

Looking to next year, the ESA said it plans to hold E3 2022 as an in-person event. The group said nothing more about next year's event, so we'll have to wait to learn more.

It's not just E3 that's going all virtual this year, as Gamescom organizers just announced that this year's show will be only online as well.

GameSpot's annual Play For All Charity gaming event is also returning for 2021 in June. You can read more about our plans for the gaming celebration at our Play For All landing page.