Before this weekend started, we found out that Starfield is launching this September, with a Starfield-specific showcase that's coming in June. At the time, most wondered if this was a subtle confirmation that Xbox won't be at the E3 show floor.

Xbox finally put an end to all the speculation on Friday.

Here's what an Xbox spokesperson said regarding the company's decision to skip E3 2023:

We can't wait to host our Xbox Games Showcase on June 11 and will share more details later. We also look forward to co-streaming our event as part of E3 Digital and will not be on the E3 show floor.

With this, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft are all out of E3 2023.

If it's any consolation, Microsoft's Xbox show will at least help kick off the E3 "Digital Week" on June 11. If you're itching for some fixing, Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest is scheduled on June 8.

But, even if it's not going to be at E3, Microsoft is still smart enough to use the event to its advantage. As mentioned, it will still host the Xbox Games Showcase in the same week as E3. The standalone showcase will likely draw in viewers, who will tune in to E3 2023 in the same week. On the other hand, associating with E3 2023, even if it isn't actually attending, will help draw in some positivity for the company.

It isn't clear if Sony and Nintendo have plans to host a showcase in June. However, it is widely speculated the next PlayStation Showcase will take place by then.