E3-messen døde for nogle år siden, og er på sin vis blevet erstattet (tildels) af Geoff Keighleys Summer Games Fest. Men organisationen bag E3, ESA, vender nu tilbage med en alternativ messe, der dog ikke umiddelbart lader til at være en E3-erstatning, men som fremadrettet kan byde på spændende indsigt i en ellers lyssky branche.
Messen hedder Interactive Innovation Conference (iicon), og ideen bag er at em>"connect visionaries, thought leaders and innovators from across industries to harness the power of interactive entertainment."</em>
Messen finder sted den 27-30 april 2026 ved Fontainebleau Resort i Las Vegas, og allerede nu er en lang, lang række store virksomheder om bord, inklusiv de tre centrale platformindehavere Sony, Microsoft og Nintendo.
"The Entertainment Software Association and its member companies are among the innovators and leaders shaping the future of culture, business and human connection. It's a natural role for ESA to host and support an event that fosters an open exchange of new ideas with our peer industry leaders. iicon is bringing together changemakers from across industries to envision how the strengths of the interactive entertainment industry can break entirely new ground," siger Nintendo of Americas Doug Bowser.
Allerede nu er Amazon, Disney, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, Square Enix, Take-Two, Ubisoft, og Warner Bros. med.