The ESA gears up to replace E3 with a new conference

While the world mourned the loss of E3, one of the most revered conferences in the videogame space, its organizer, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), went back to the drawing board. Now, the company is ready to stage a comeback with a new event next year known as the Interactive Innovation Conference (iicon).

This event aims to bring together professionals from all over the world, hosting workshops, discussions, and keynotes with some of the most successful people in the industry. Iicon covers not just the videogame space but also many other sectors that encompass entertainment, including TV, film, and music. As if that isn’t enough, completely different industries, such as health, finance, and education, also have a place at the Interactive Innovation Conference.

During the glory days of E3, many of the best Switch games and action games saw their debut there, so it’s exciting to consider what iicon might offer across a broad range of subjects. “For decades, video games have been at the forefront of technological and cultural innovation,” ESA CEO and president Stanley Pierre-Louis explains. “With iicon, we are creating a space for visionaries across industries to come together, connect and reimagine what’s possible through interactive entertainment.”

Looking at the videogame industry in particular, huge companies such as Nintendo, Amazon Games, Xbox, Square Enix, Ubisoft, Sony, Warner Bros., and Take-Two are due to be in attendance when the Interactive Innovation Conference takes place between April 27 and April 30, 2026, at the Fontainebleau Resort in Las Vegas.

“Take-Two Interactive is a long-standing member and proud supporter of ESA,” CEO and chairman of Take-Two Strauss Zelnick says. “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.”

We certainly can’t wait to see what this new conference has to offer, but with more than a year to go, we might spend some time with the best horror games to help pass the time. If you want to stay up to date with the latest iicon news, make sure you sign up on the official website.