The ESA has announced iicon, a new gaming-focused event, but if you're expecting it to be like E3, you may well be disappointed.

Nintendo, Disney, and PlayStation are among the companies attending the inaugural iicon in Las Vegas next year.

If it can, maybe iicon will avoid the pitfalls E3 did. I, for one, am optimistic. There's nothing like another big competitor entering the ring, and if nothing else, the ESA has a lot to prove with its return to the events sector. It's a big gamble sure, but if there's anywhere such a gamble can pay off, maybe it's Vegas.

ESA, the former organizer of the popular gaming conference E3, has announced the launch of a new conference, iicon, running from April 27-30, 2026 in Las Vegas.

After giving up on E3, the Entertainment Software Association announces a new gaming event, which is planned to take place in 2026.

The days of trailers and demos are done as the ESA broadens its horizons. The newly minted “iicon” conference will bring together the many industries impacted by video games, from Hollywood to health care.

The Entertainment Software Association - the trade organisation that represents video game developers and publishers

After the demise of E3, the Entertainment Software Association announced an invite-only conference aimed at industry elites across entertainment.

This is the same organisation that put together E3, gaming's central summer convention in Los Angeles. Of course, that convention was finally put to bed in 2023, when the ESA expressed "the time has come to say goodbye" to E3.