Here’s The E3 (And Not-E3) 2021 Press Conference Schedule So Far

Final yr, amid a mismanaged pandemic and sweeping social distancing laws, the Leisure Software program Affiliation referred to as off its annual E3 occasion. However the stretch between late Could and early November was positively plagued by digital showcases and press convention conferences. In the event you adopted video video games intently, you tuned in to a brand new occasion on what felt like a weekly foundation.

This submit was initially printed on April 16, 2021.

This yr is shaping up equally. E3 is again, however as an all-digital occasion. Most of the trade’s largest gamers are following go well with, turning to digital displays to relay the spree of trailers, updates, reveals, and “only one thing more”s to the plenty. Right here’s what we all know is coming to this point, and we’ll replace this submit as organizers verify particulars about upcoming occasions.

Summer time Sport Fest – June 2021

Final yr, Geoff Keighley kicked off the inaugural Summer time Sport Fest, a months-long present of appreciation for the ouroboros of online game hype. For essentially the most half, this meant slapping a Summer time Sport Fest brand in entrance of partnered streams, lending the promotional muscle of Keighley’s equipment to already existent occasions. (In July, Summer time Sport Fest made greater than 70 demos of indie video games accessible on Xbox.) The entire shebang is coming again this yr. In keeping with the Summer time Sport Fest’s web site, it’ll “function a extra condensed schedule of occasions throughout lower than a month.”

Kickoff Reside! – June 10, at 2:00 p.m. ET

These occasions begin with Kickoff Reside!, a digital occasion that Geoff Keighley described as a “world premiere showcase.” Weezer (sure, that Weezer) will carry out.

Guerrilla Collective – June 5 and June 12, at 11:00 a.m. ET

Guerrilla Collective will return this yr for not one however two Saturdays in June, displaying off greater than 80 video games from studios like Innersloth, 505 Video games, and All In! Video games. The primary showcase might be adopted by the Black Voices in Gaming sequence, devoted to spotlighting video games made by Black creators or starring Black protagonists. The second showcase might be adopted instantly by the Healthful Direct occasion. You’ll be capable of stream all of it by way of Guerrilla Collective’s Twitch channel.

Healthful Direct – June 12, at 1:00 p.m. ET

Twee indie showcase Healthful Direct will return this spring, organizer Healthful Video games announced in March. The thought behind Healthful Direct is easy: current a slate of chill, low-stress video games as a form of antidote to the loud, bombastic video games that are inclined to outline these affairs. Anticipate to see more than 75 games, together with Moonglow Bay and Bear and Breakfast.

E3 – June 12 via June 15

The mom of all gaming occasions, the Digital Leisure Expo, is again after taking 2020 off on account of the covid-19 pandemic. This yr, it returns as an all-digital occasion that, regardless of what rumors urged, might be completely free. E3’s 2021 schedule hasn’t but been revealed, however confirmed exhibitors embody Nintendo, Xbox, Ubisoft, Capcom, Konami, Take-Two, Koch Media, Sq. Enix, Sega, Bandai Namco, Gearbox, XSEED, Verizon, and WB Video games. Of these, solely Ubisoft has confirmed a time and date. For the time being, Sony, Rockstar, Activision, and EA haven’t confirmed attendance.

Ubisoft Ahead – June 12, at 3:00 p.m. ET

Ubisoft’s huge summer time press convention, Ubisoft Ahead, will land on the primary day of the E3. So, what may the French mega-publisher reveal? For the time being, Far Cry 6, Rainbow Six Quarantine, and Rider’s Republic don’t have launch dates. Ubisoft’s huge three map video games from final yr—Murderer’s Creed Valhalla, Watch Canines: Legion, and Immortals Fenyx Rising—all have expansions within the wings. And that’s to say nothing of the opposite venerable franchises below Ubisoft’s umbrella. Possibly that is the yr we lastly get a brand new Splinter Cell?

PC Gaming Present + Future Video games Present – June 13

This yr, PC Gamer’s PC Gaming Present and GamesRadar’s Future Video games Present will air as a double-header. The long-running PC Gaming Present will possible be what it all the time is (a spree of upcoming PC video games), however the Future Video games Present is newer to the circuit, so it’s anybody’s guess as to what we would see. The current spring showcase, from March, confirmed greater than 40 video games over the course of two hours. (Two! Full! Hours!)

Pax On-line – July 15 via July 18

Pax East, initially scheduled to run in early June, was cancelled and changed with an all-digital occasion referred to as Pax On-line.

EA Play Reside – July 22

EA is notably absent from E3’s exhibitor listing. The Battlefield and Mass Impact writer will host a digital showcase on July 22, greater than a month after gaming’s largest week formally wraps. Final yr’s occasion revealed the existence of a brand new Skate in early growth. Undecided how EA tops that this yr.

Sport Builders Convention – July 19 via July 23

The annual Sport Builders Convention will return this summer time, however as an all-digital occasion, nonetheless that includes the identical buffet of talks, panels, Q-and-A classes, and networking occasions. Honest warning: It’s not free, and it certain isn’t low cost. Passes begin at a whole bunch of {dollars}.

QuakeCon – August 19 via August 21

Bethesda’s QuakeCon, usually held yearly in Dallas, will once again take place as a digital-only occasion this yr, a while in the midst of August. Details TBA in June. Anticipate peace, love, and rockets.

GamesCom Opening Evening Reside – August 24

GamesCom, famously held in Cologne, Germany, might be held digitally, similar because it was in 2020, bucking preliminary plans to run as a semi-live occasion. The opening ceremony—a marquee occasion fittingly referred to as Opening Evening Reside—might be streamed globally. Like final yr’s occasion, Geoff Keighley will host. Anticipate “world exclusives” and “world reveals.”

Replace: Could 19, 10:25 a.m. ET: Included details about the kickoff occasion for Summer time Sport Fest.

Replace: Could 12, 6:00 p.m. ET: Up to date the date and time for Healthful Video games showcase, and added information for each Guerrilla Collective streams.

Replace: Could 11, 12:50 a.m ET: Added EA Play Reside.

Replace: Could 11, 10:55 a.m ET: Added QuakeCon. 

Replace: Could 6, 9:30 a.m. ET: Added information about further E3 exhibitors.

Replace: Could 5, 2:25 p.m. ET: Up to date textual content to replicate that GamesCom pivoted from a semi-live occasion to a totally digital one.