This Saturday, June 12, the ESA will host its first-ever all-digital E3. While we won’t get to see theaters full of excited fans, we’re still getting plenty of exciting presentations from the top names in gaming. The four-day event will feature new announcements from Nintendo, Microsoft, Square Enix, and much more.
The full schedule of events is a little intimidating. The ESA shared a handy day-by-day breakdown that includes 28 live presentations. In addition to the big companies, that includes keynotes from companies like Verizon, presentations from video game websites, and deep dives into specific titles. With so much to watch, E3 might seem intimidating this year. To alleviate some stress, here’s every can’t-miss livestream happening over the next few days.
Ubisoft Forward
The first day of E3 might not be the exciting kickoff fans have come to expect. It’s the lightest day when it comes to scheduling, with only four events planned, including a pre-show. Still, there’s at least one important moment that day: Ubisoft’s Forward event. The publisher will host a big digital event complete with an hourlong pre-show. Ubisoft’s presentations are usually loaded with content, so we can expect a lot of games out of this.
What exactly will we see? The biggest game currently scheduled to appear is the recently announced Rainbow Six Extraction. That’ll likely be the central pillar of the show alongside upcoming games like Riders Republic and Far Cry 6. There’s plenty of mystery beyond that though. Will we see more Beyond Good & Evil 2? Is this the year we get a release date for Skull & Bones? There’s plenty that Ubisoft could expand on, so it’ll be an exciting kickoff.
Here’s how to watch Ubisoft Forward
Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase
The show really picks up on Sunday with the biggest event of the entire expo. Microsoft and Bethesda will hold a 90-minute presentation detailing their upcoming slate of games. Microsoft previously hinted that a joint stream would happen back when it acquired Bethesda, so fans have been anticipating this for a long time. It’ll hopefully offer more clarity on what Bethesda games will be exclusive to Microsoft consoles moving forward.
This event is particularly exciting because Microsoft hasn’t confirmed much about what games will appear. We can assume Halo Infinite is going to appear based on the event’s promo art, but it’s anyone’s guess from there. Presumably, Bethesda’s software will be a big focus of the show. Fans expect to see some details on Starfield, which has quietly become one of the most anticipated games of the show. Other game possibilities include Fable, Psychonauts 2, and The Elder Scrolls 6, so this is a particularly loaded event.
Here’s how to watch the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase
Square Enix Presents
Directly following the Xbox show on Sunday, we’ll get a Square Enix Presents showcase. Considering how enjoyable the publisher’s last stream was, this should be a compact but exciting show. We know we’ll get another look at Life is Strange: True Colors here, as well as some new information on Marvel’s Avengers. Other than that, the PlatinumGames title Babylon’s Fall will be the big game to watch this time around.
The most mysterious part of this show is that Square will unveil an unannounced title from Eidos Montreal. The studio is primarily known for the Deus Ex franchise, but fans speculate that this is an entirely new project. There could be more surprises in store too. Recent rumors pointed to a new Dark Souls-inspired Final Fantasy game appearing during E3. Square hasn’t teased anything about the project itself, so there’s no guarantee it’ll show up, but that certainly adds some mystique.
Here’s how to watch Square Enix Presents
Capcom
It’s been a really strong year for Capcom, and it’ll push that momentum further at E3 this year. The publisher will hold Monday’s biggest presentation. There’s a lot to get excited about as Capcom will give some new details on 2021 hits like Resident Evil Village and Monster Hunter Rise. Upcoming titles like Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin and The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles will be on display as well.
While we don’t know if Capcom has any secrets up its sleeve, there’s a lot of potential here. After all, the company is responsible for franchises like Mega Man, Devil May Cry, Street Fighter, and more. There’s a good chance to we see at least one genuine surprise here in between the expected titles.
Here’s how to watch Capcom’s E3 stream
Nintendo Direct & Treehouse Live
Nintendo is always a huge part of E3, even when it’s not physically there. The company’s Direct presentations are arguably the biggest water cooler moments of the show, for better or worse. Sometimes they feature E3’s most exciting announcements, like Breath of the Wild 2 or Metroid Prime 4, while other times they underdeliver.
It’s impossible to know where this year’s show will land, especially when expectations are already too high. We’re sure to see games like The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD and Pokemon Legends Arceus during the show. But naturally, Breath of the Wild is the question on everyone’s mind. Will we finally see another glimpse at the next Zelda adventure this year? The odds are 50-50 at this point, so fans can’t miss a second of this 40-minute presentation.
Here’s how to watch Nintendo’s E3 Direct
Bandai Namco
Two words: Elden Ring. Sure, Bandai Namco is a major publisher with plenty of games it could show during its E3 presentation, but there’s really only one reason fans are anticipating this. Elden Ring has become a meme over the years as it’s dodged event after event without showing so much as a new screenshot. This year, it made a surprise appearance at Summer Game Fest with a new gameplay trailer and a January 21 release date. We expect to see a more in-depth glimpse at the action RPG during Bandai Namco’s show.
Those are just a few of the shows happening this year, but there’s plenty more on the horizon. Make sure to check out the full schedule and familiarize yourself with the digital portal that will house all the big announcements.
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