According to the ESA, E3 attendance jumped by 18k this year

The Entertainment Software Association says that E3 brought a total of 68,400 attendees to the Los Angeles Convention Center this past week, a jump from the 50,300 reported just last year.

That number notably includes the 15,000 E3 passes sold to the public this year, something that has never been offered at past shows. That, coupled with a noticeable shift in how many game makers held their press conferences, made 2017 an interesting year for the long-running industry event. 

The annual tradeshow is set to return to the Los Angeles Convention Center next year and will be held June 12-14, though there’s no word yet on if the typically industry-focused show will sell badges to the public once again.

It's also worth noting that, according to GameSpot, the ESA might be eying a new venue for E3 at some point down the line, though this isn’t the first time the association has contemplated a change of scenery in recent memory either.