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E3 2021 will have expanded support for indie developers thanks to a partnership between the show’s organisers, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and the International Game Developers Association (IGDA).
As part of this partnership, the IGDA will be offering its members special packages and opportunities for E3 2021, and it’s looking to offer even more at next year’s event too. The details are a little light at the moment, but it sounds like this will help more indie developers to showcase their work at E3 2021 by making it easier for them to attend the event.
In a statement on the IGDA website, Executive Director of the IGDA Renee Gittins, said that “The IGDA is thrilled to partner with the ESA to uplift indies during this year’s E3 and beyond. Indies provide heartfelt stories and groundbreaking creativity that lead progress of our industry. It is an honor to help indies onto this grand stage for the first time so they can share their efforts and inspiration worldwide.”
The ESA also gave a statement, with President & CEO of the ESA Stanley Pierre-Louis saying that “We are reimaging E3 in a variety of ways, and part of that is engaging with indie developers by offering opportunities to help highlight them and their work on a global stage. Indie developers are a critical part of the video game industry, and we’re thrilled to expand our offerings to create opportunities to showcase their work worldwide.”
So what will this mean for indie game developers and fans at E3 2021? We don’t really know at the moment, but this can only be a good thing for indie games at the event. E3 is the world’s biggest annual gaming event and as such, it usually attracts the biggest publishers and the flashiest AAA games which can often overshadow smaller, more experimental titles. Hopefully this partnership will help to redress that balance and bring some fantastic indie titles into the spotlight.
