- iicon, the new event by ESA, will unite gaming industry leaders
- Focuses on discussions and collaborations rather than game reveals
- Exclusive to industry professionals, not the public or fans
The E3 event organizer— the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), has some fascinating gaming event to offer this time: Interactive Innovation Conference also being called as Iicon.
A Fresh Start After E3’s Shutdown
This one is going to be different for the former one, focuses on bringing industry professionals on single platform for bigger discussions rather than revealing games.
It’s web page intro goes as “A first-of-its-kind event bringing together leaders across industries to harness the transformative power of interactive entertainment—reshaping the way we build, connect, and inspire.”
E3 used to be one of the biggest gaming expo but unfortunately things didn’t remain same and it happened for the last time in 2021 as ESA got strike with massive financial loss and cancelled the event for future years.
Now after 14 months the organizer has made comeback with a bang, Iicon and is all set to begin new era of events with a gaming conference that is going to involve the industry leaders.
Stanley Pierre-Louis, President & CEO of ESA stated “For decades, video games have been at the forefront of technological and cultural innovation. With iicon, we are creating a space for visionaries across industries to come together, connect, and reimagine what’s possible through interactive entertainment.”
iicon: The Future of Gaming Industry Collaboration
Unlike E3, it won’t be for public or fans, but exclusive for gaming industry professionals, aims to connect the people with great visions and ideas and where they can collaborate.
It is going to offer them a space where they can share and discuss the future of gaming and entertainment. Let’s not forget that E3 also used to be this type of event but later became open to public.
This evolution of E3 met a tragic end now ESA has come up with distinct approach. The date, location, and other details have also been shared, it will be happening on April 27-30, 2026 at at the Fontainebleau Resort, Las Vegas.
The top representatives from the companies include: Nintendo, EA, Microsoft, Sony, Ubisoft, Disney, Square Enix, Warner Bros, Take-Two Interactive, and more. As TheESA reported, Strauss Zelnick, Chairman and CEO of Take-Two Interactive stated about the event,
“iicon represents the ongoing evolution of the interactive entertainment industry and its irrefutable ascendance as the most beloved art form and cultural influence in the world today.
We look forward to participating in this event and convening with a broad array of stakeholders to further what we believe to be one of the strongest periods in our industry’s history.”
Moreover, the Xbox President said, “We appreciate the ESA establishing iicon as a platform to deepen connections among executives and thought leaders from within gaming, and from a wide range of partner industries. Together, we will collaborate, invent and create – and together we will all grow.”
Other representatives also showed their enthusiasm towards this major event this is gearing up for the next year. This event marks a new direction for ESA, and while it won’t be like E3, it still aims to bring gaming’s biggest names together under one roof.
