Activision and Vivendi have left the Entertainment Software Association, the trade group responsible for running the annual E3 Media and Business Summit in California.

By departing the group, Actision and Vivendi will not be present at this year's E3 event to show off their latest Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii games.

"While the Entertainment Software Assn. remains the preeminent voice for U.S. computer and videogame publishers, we can confirm that Activision and Vivendi Games opted to discontinue their membership," ESA senior VP Rich Taylor said in a statement.

Reasons for the departure have not been disclosed by the ESA or Activision and Vivendi, though speculation points towards the potential of millions in fees owed to the ESA for membership and E3 due to the new mega-company's size.

As an attendee at this year's upcoming E3 in Los Angeles, this news is met with joy and sorrow. We're sad to not have the opportunity to sample the latest and greatest from Vivendi and Activision, but we also look forward to the extended time their absence will create with other publishers.