Ubisoft locks in plans for an E3-adjacent Forward on June 12

Moving Forward

Ubisoft has locked in its plans for a summer Ubisoft Forward stream, happening around the same time as E3. But as the company confirmed yesterday, that won’t be a part of E3 2023.

Posted in a new blog update today, Ubisoft will air its new Forward on June 12 at 10 a.m. PT. The show is set to host the “latest game updates, news, and reveals” both live and in-person from Los Angeles. More details, like the line-up and where to watch, will be on the way. This date puts it directly adjacent to E3 2023, which runs from June 13 through 16.

✨SAVE THE DATE ✨

Join us on June 12 at 10 AM PST for #UbiForward live from Los Angeles, for game updates and reveals!

👉 https://t.co/OHJXAPwlmg

— Ubisoft (@Ubisoft) March 28, 2023

These details reaffirm what was already reported yesterday, as Ubisoft looks to be skipping E3 2023. Though it had affirmed its commitment to the show in February, a spokesperson gave VGC the following statement yesterday:

“E3 has fostered unforgettable moments across the industry throughout the years. While we initially intended to have an official E3 presence, we’ve made the subsequent decision to move in a different direction, and will be holding a Ubisoft Forward Live event on 12th June in Los Angeles. We look forward to sharing more details with our players very soon.”

Streaming in the vicinity

Ubisoft now joins the likes of Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo in not committing to an official E3 presence. In fact, Ubisoft’s approach is quite similar to Microsoft’s: just host a show in town, at your own venue, instead.

This also begs the question of who is committed to E3 2023. While the show, hosted by the ESA and PAX showrunner ReedPop, has locked in its plans for industry/consumer days and other logistic details, it feels like no big name has checked the “yes” box on this particular note. All the while, publisher-hosted shows and alternative options like Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest are still going on.

The summer, it seems, is going to look a little strange. At the very least, Ubisoft will still have something to show in June; it just won’t be under the official banner of E3.