In news that should surprise no one, Valve has confirmed it has no plans to showcase its in-development hardware or software at E3 2015 next week.
Speaking to GamesBeat, the industry giant stated that it will have no presence at the upcoming trade show, making it the fifth consecutive year that Valve has opted out of the gaming extravaganza since CEO Gabe Newell took to the stage at Sony’s presser in 2010 to talk all-things Portal 2.
Though its absence is unsurprising, many had thought 2015 would mark the year that the Half-Life and Counter-Strike house would break the duct, particularly with the release of the HTC-powered Vive headset looming large. Granted, Valve’s stature and reputation in the industry is admired by many and rivalled by few, and it seems the company will once again follow the route of Rockstar Games and the ilk by announcing crucial details relating to its products in its own time.
Without the Vive in contention, both Oculus Rift and Sony’s Project Morpheus will likely lock horns for the mind share of VR. Of course, the fact that Valve won’t have a presence during E3 doesn’t rule out the possibility of the company hosting its own focused presser shortly before or in the weeks after, giving the Vive enough breathing space to really make an impact.
There’s no doubting that Valve has danced to its tune for quite some time now, but how do you feel about the company omitting from E3 once again?