You’ve probably heard of iam8bit if you’re dialed in to the games industry. This company has been around for years now, supporting various efforts to establish video games as a space for art. iam8bit has helped run art installations and museum exhibits, put together premium, boutique music releases, and has even dabbled in Limited Run-like physical releases of video games. Most recently, the company was set to help define the look of E3 2020 under a Creative Director role. Now via Twitter, iam8bit has announced it is resigning from that position.
No reasoning was provided and very little has been said outside of the Twitter statement from iam8bit. A statement from The ESA, the organization that runs E3, was released thanking the folks at iam8bit for their work and promoting the other bodies involved with E3 2020’s presentation. The ESA’s statement includes the choice language, “We have an innovative and experienced team in place including Endeavor’s creative agency 160over90, event innovators Mat+Lo, and longtime E3 partners, GES, Dolaher Events, and Double Forte—all collaborating to bring to life an exciting and authentic experience for fans, the media and the industry.”
With iam8bit resignation, we’re seeing one of several examples of turbulence between the games industry and the yearly E3 trade show. As E3’s identity has drastically changed in only a few years, we’ve seen major presences such as EA, Activision, and even Sony drop out of the event entirely. Even Geoff Keighley, who has been involved with E3 for some 25 years in various capacities and most recently been in charge of the “Coliseum” events, bowed out this year. Keighley’s striking statement read, “Given what has been communicated about E3 so far, I just don’t feel comfortable participating this year.”
Source: VentureBeat , Hollywood Reporter