E3 goes private again with new invite-only trade show

E3 might be gone, but its trade show roots are returning.

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E3 originally kicked off as a private trade show where tech and game-makers would gather to show off their products. The goal was to attract investors, make deals with cohorts, and network with others. Now the ESA has announced a new show that is once again exclusive to industry employees--namely big-time executives and "thought leaders."

The ESA's new professional event is called the Interactive Innovation Conference (or iicon for short). E3 is firmly shut down, though, and iicon won't take place at the LA Convention Center. It's taking place on April 27 - 30 at the Fontainebleau Resort in Las Vegas, and the ESA says iicon will deliver "visionary keynotes, engaging discussions and workshops, and elite networking opportunities."

Unlike E3 though, iicon will be invite-only.

Attendees include:

• Amazon Games
• Disney
• Electronic Arts
• Epic Games
• Microsoft
• Nintendo
• PlayStation
• Square Enix
• Take-Two Interactive
• Ubisoft
• WB Games

Here's what executives are saying about iicon:

"The games industry is constantly evolving, and the intersection with other disciplines is more pronounced than ever before," said Christoph Hartmann, Vice President, Amazon Games.

"iicon will bring together some of the brightest minds from the games industry to navigate present challenges and harness the opportunities ahead. Amazon Games is proud to contribute to this new endeavor."

"Video games have been a major contributor to our global culture by blending entertainment, creating communities and pushing new technologies," said John Heinecke, Chief Publishing Officer, Square Enix Americas, EMEA and ANZ.

"iicon will be an incredible forum where business leaders and innovators can join forces to celebrate our industry's achievements and to build the future of entertainment together."

"Take-Two Interactive is a long-standing member and proud supporter of ESA," said Strauss Zelnick, Chairman and CEO of Take-Two Interactive.

"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."

"Video games push the boundaries of technology and creativity, extending far beyond entertainment," said Laurent Detoc, Chief Direct-to-Player Officer, Ubisoft.

"We look forward to iicon bringing together visionary leaders from the industry and beyond to shape the future impact of games."

"At Xbox, our mission is to bring the joy of gaming to players anywhere they want, while creating opportunities for the amazing creators behind them," said Sarah Bond, President, Xbox.

"We appreciate the ESA establishing iicon as a platform to deepen connections among executives and thought leaders from within gaming, and from a wide range of partner industries. Together, we will collaborate, invent and create - and together we will all grow."