(Update 6/12/2021: The ESA has released the following statement concerning co-streaming during E3 2021:
"We welcome anyone who would like to co-stream the event to do so, it just wouldn't be in an "official" capacity.
E3's goal with official co-streaming is to embrace the creator community, and since this is the first time we have ever done official co-streaming with creators, we decided on a small select group this year to monitor the opportunity and see how we can apply it to future E3s.
Out of all the applicants, less than 100 creators/brands were selected for official co-streaming, which consisted of our official distribution service and media partners as well as a diverse group of influencers and creators who consistently create video game content across YouTube, Twitch and/or Facebook.
Again, we welcome everyone who’s interested to co-stream, we're just reminding them to recognize the terms of service for each platform.")
The ESA is warning creators, such as Summer Game Fest host Geoff Keighley, that it may punish them for co-streaming any E3 2021 festivities. E3 noted it encourages community engagement, but it has no say over the policies of services like YouTube and Twitch, so it can't be of any help if a channel gets taken down for a copyright strike.
E3 is one of the biggest times of the year, with big game announcements, gameplay demos, and more all happening in one sizable event. Part of the event is experiencing it with a community and since there's no in-person event this year, co-streaming is a key way to enjoy E3 with others. Although not part of E3, Elden Ring's recent trailer at Summer Game Fest was a massive deal and the community's response to it was part of the reason the reveal was so exciting.
Geoff Keighley posted an email he received from an E3 rep, noting that he should be weary of co-streaming the event unless they were "approved". Keighley apparently applied to co-stream the event back in May, but never got any approval. Of course, there's some speculation that the ESA, the organizers of E3, shafted Keighley because he spun off his own rival event. E3 will have huge reveals and it's a bit unfortunate some streamers may miss out on that.
Given E3 sucks up almost all of the attention in the gaming industry, it's hard for the likes of smaller streamers to be able to participate when they're being excluded from a largely unknown approval process. It's also incredibly vague what this permission means. This lack of clarity around this policy, as well as the fact that content creators were given such little notice, has drawn the ire of many gaming fans. Whether or not the ESA will let up on this following some online backlash remains to be seen.
It's a bit odd to see E3 stiff-arm so many creators, especially when it's not clear how many were actually given permission to co-stream. E3 will have numerous conferences, ranging from an Xbox/Bethesda showcase to new reveals from Square Enix. With so many big reveals planned, especially after a slightly lighter summer last year following COVID-19, there's going to be a lot of excitement. It's also likely many creators may not even hear this warning, since it was emailed directly to people like Geoff Keighley at the last minute.
Source: Geoff Keighley/Twitter