The Electronic Software Association, or the ESA have announced a new show for videogames, but this is not a replacement E3, but is something else all together. Welcome iicon or the Interactive Innovation Conference, which kicks off in April 2026.

This new show will be focused more on the game making side of things, rather than the game playing, so the event more of a trade show. The debut show will offer up keynote speeches, workshops and talks and chances to speak with those leaders across the industry who are leading the way.

While the videogame side of things are the core of the show, there will also be a chance to learn all about other entertainment mediums like movies and tv, sports, education and even healthcare, yeah that last one confuses us as well.

This is not just some random show that was started up by the ESA, who have been fairly quiet since E3 ended, but they already have support from some of the gaming industries biggest studios. These are the confirmed supporters:

• Amazon Games*

• Disney*

• Electronic Arts*

• Epic Games

• Microsoft*

• Nintendo of America

• Sony Interactive Entertainment*

• Square Enix

• Take-Two Interactive*

• Ubisoft

• Warner Bros. Games

Those studios marked with * were either not at E3, or dropped out of E3 years before the show died, so there is a good number of them stepping back in for this one.

Now before you rush out to get yourself a ticket and hotel in Las Vegas, the show will be invite only. That means that we are likely not to get game reveals or presentations like we would see at a show like E3 or others of the same style. There will no doubt be news, you can’t have a show run for 4 days and not have news, but it will be more business and tech focused, over anything else.

The show will take place from April 27 to April 30 in Las Vegas, USA; the full schedule is not known at this time and will likely only beknown to attendees. For now, here are some quotes from various leaders from some of the companies committed to attending.

So is another show good news or bad news? What do you think of the makers of E3 making a GDC style show, or do you think it will be something else?