E3 2019: the future of video games is complicated

Despite the absence of Sony PlayStation, this year's annual Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles delivered the usual whirlwind of new game announcements, trailers, marketing bluster and performative fandom. For years the entire thing has been streamed on YouTube, Twitch and half the world's gaming websites, everything from showy press conferences to long demonstrations, transforming the event from a games industry conference to a kind of mid-year Christmas for both game marketers and enthused players watching at home (or paying around $1,000 to attend in person). This is what E3 is now, and though the sense of mystery and anticipation has dimmed significantly in this age of instant streaming, Twitter hot-takes, online leaks and teaser trailers for teaser trailers, there's still a thrill to it. But while the event stays the same, behind the scenes the games industry is changing. This year's E3 has made clear that video game consoles, with their cyclical generations and competing suites of exclusive games, are changing rapidly and are on their way to becoming obsolete. Here's how things used to work.