Xbox, Nintendo and Sony are reportedly missing this year's E3 event.

The Entertainment Software Association's annual gaming trade event will return both in-person at the Los Angeles Convention Centre and online between June 13 and June 16.

However, the three gaming giants are said to not be showing at the first E3 since the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to be online for the past two years, IGN reports.

ESA president and CEO Stan Pierre-Louis said of E3's return: “We’re excited about coming back in 2023 with both a digital and an in-person event.

“As much as we love these digital events, and as much as they reach people and we want that global reach, we also know that there’s a really strong desire for people to convene — to be able to connect in person and see each other and talk about what makes games great.”

Meanwhile, Xbox boss Phil Spencer recently explained why the Xbox showcase is held at a "convenient time" so that people in the industry can also attend E3.

Speaking to the outlet last week, he said: “E3 is just, to me, one of the seminal moments of gaming. I love the history of going down to LA, thousands of people there, getting to see great new things…getting to see people in the industry, the fan events that we’ve had. I definitely want that to continue.”

He added: “So we place our showcase, like we always have done, at a time where hopefully it’s convenient for press and even consumers that are going to the E3 event, and that’s what we’re trying to do now.”

He also admitted that 2022 was "too light" for games.

Spencer said: “We didn’t do enough of that in 2022, there’s no doubt."