iam8bit has fully dropped out of E3 2020, announcing over Twitter that the company will no longer be working alongside the E3 team to deliver the overhauled expo floor experience planned for the 2020 show this June.
“It’s with mixed emotions that @iam8bit has decided to resign as Creative Directors of what was to be an evolutionary #E32020 floor experience,” tweeted the iam8bit team. “We’ve produced hundreds of gaming + community events and it was a dream to be involved with E3. We wish the organizers the best of luck.”
The company was on board as the creative directors for E3’s showfloor experience, an overhaul and partnership that the ESA said in January was intended to “shake things up” and create a more involved expo floor experience with “ surprise guests, amazing stage experiences, access to insiders and experiential zones.”
The resignation comes comes as many members of the industry are keeping a watchful eye on the spread and developments of the COVID-19 coronavirus, though iam8bit notably doesn’t name heath concerns as the reason for its departure in that statement.
Though many early-year events have been called off or lost major participants due to COVID-19, the ESA just yesterday maintained that it plans for E3 to take place as planned in Los Angeles this June though it is keeping a watchful eye on any coronavirus-related updates as they develop.
Update: The ESA has released a statement on the departure, though notes that other key players in the showfloor reimagining are still on board with E3 2020. That full statement:
“We can confirm that iam8bit is no longer part of the inter-agency group working on E3 2020. We greatly value their passion for the video game industry and the contributions they brought toward our vision for this year’s show. We have an innovative and experienced team in place including Endeavor’s creative agency 160over90, event innovators Mat+Lo and longtime E3 partners, GES, Dolaher Events and Double Forte—all collaborating to bring to life an exciting and authentic experience for fans, the media and the industry.”