Ubisoft is the latest publisher to announce it won’t be attending this year’s E3. The company joins Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo among the major publishers that won’t be attending the annual gaming expo that is set to return as an in-person event since 2019.

“E3 has fostered unforgettable moments across the industry throughout the years,” a Ubisoft spokesperson said in a statement to VGC. “While we initially intended to have an official E3 presence, we’ve made the subsequent decision to move in a different direction, and will be holding a Ubisoft Forward Live event on 12th June in Los Angeles. We look forward to sharing more details with our players very soon.”

The move represents a U-turn from Ubisoft after the company had originally signalled its intention to have a physical presence at the gaming expo. In February, a Ubisoft spokesperson told GamesIndustry.biz: “E3 is a special moment for our industry and we are excited to showcase our strong line-up in Los Angeles in June. We are still finalising the details of our plans and look forward to sharing more soon.”

Ubisoft will have its own digital event. Ubisoft Forward Live event is scheduled to take place on June 12th, a day before E3 returns at the Los Angeles Convention Centre on Jun 13th. While Sony has yet to make an official announcement, it is expected it will have its own digital showcase as well. Microsoft has confirmed it won’t be on the show floor but will support the digital week commencing on June 11th.