Once again it’s that time of year where all (well, most) of the biggest names in video games come together to reveal new games, services and maybe - just maybe - some potential new hardware, too.
After all, while the PS5 and Xbox Two are currently slated to be released next year, some information reveals at E3 2019 cannot be completely ruled out, and especially from Microsoft who unlike Sony have yet to break cover with any concrete details about its next-gen flagship console.
Don’t worry if you’re new to the pomp and grandeur of E3 (or the Electronic Entertainment Expo as it’s known to its friends and family), it’s the biggest event on the western gaming calendar where platform holders, publishers, developers and hardware makers convene at the Los Angeles Convention Center to show off new games and reveal more details about the ones we already know about.
While some publishers are holding their own events outside of the normal calendar - with Sony choosing to opt out of a keynote altogether this year - most will hold their own presentation, complete with trailers, gameplay demos and the occasional awkward celebrity appearance. There’s usually a big reveal or two no one was expecting (although some do get leaked ahead of time).
So to get your primed and ready for the big show in June, we’ve scoured every source to bring you all the important details you need in the run-up to E3 2019. From when and where, to the big rumours currently doing the rounds, this is the place for all the latest on the show.
Enjoy!
E3 2019: what is it?
E3 (or the Electronic Entertainment Expo as it’s known to close friends and family) is the biggest gaming expo of the year. It’s open to the public and combines show floor demos of new games, and ‘keynotes’ where developers, publisher and platform holders show off their latest titles.
E3 2019: event date and location
E3 2018 takes place from Tuesday 11th June to Friday 14th June 2019 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. The keynotes, however, take a few days earlier from 9th June to 11th June.
More information about the show's dates and tickets can be found at E3 2019's official website.
E3 2019: keynote dates and times
There are eight main ‘keynote’ presentations to look out for this year, and all of them will be taking place in Pacific Standard Time (PT) so expect to stay up late for some of them if you’re watching from outside the United States. Keep in mind Sony does not have its own keynote this year.
Here’s the schedule below:
Electronic Arts (EA) Play: Friday 7th June to Sunday 9th June. Multiple live streams (exact times yet to be confirmed)
Microsoft: Sunday 9th June - 1:00pm PT/4:00pm ET (9:00pm GMT)
Bethesda: Sunday 9th June 10 at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET (1:30am GMT)
PC Gaming Show: Monday 10th June at 10:00pm PT/1:00pm ET (6:00pm GMT)
Limited Run Games: Monday 10th June at 12:00pm PT/3:00pm ET (8:00pm GMT)
Ubisoft: Monday 10th June at 1:00pm PT/4pm ET (9:00pm GMT)
Square Enix: Monday 10th June - 6:00pm PT/9:00pm EDT (2:00am GMT)
Nintendo: Tuesday 11th June - Nintendo has yet to confirm the time of its pre-recorded presentation
E3 2019: EA Play
Much like Sony, EA has decided to avoid a traditional keynote for E3 2019. However, EA will still have a presence at the show, just not in the usual format. The publisher will instead by holding a number of live streams direct from Los Angeles showcasing existing games and revealing new ones.
“We’re skipping the press conference this year and are replacing it with multiple live streams that will air during the first two days of the event,” EA recently commented, “bringing you more of what you’ve told us you want — more gameplay and insights from the teams making the games.”
Considering its planned November 2019 release date, we’re likely to see much more of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, the new third-person single-player story from Titanfall and Apex Legends developer, Respawn. We haven’t seen any gameplay yet, so expect to see this Jedi Knight-style adventure get creative with the Force.
Considering it took a year off last year, we’re expecting to see a new entry in the Need For Speed series. A new entry was confirmed in a financial report to investors back in February, alongside a new Plants Vs Zombies entry. Whether this will revert back to its mobile roots to continue the online multiplayer of the Garden Warfare games remains to be seen.
Also expect the usual updates on EA’s run of sports sims, including FIFA 20, Madden 20 (which has dropped its Longshot story mode in favour of a new Face of the Franchise career mode) and NHL 19. It seems unlikely EA will bring back a new PGA title (especially now that the licence sits with The Golf Club series), but stranger things have happened.
E3 2019: Microsoft
With next generation of consoles already long into development, and Sony already having jumped the gun by revealing hardware details on PS5 back in April, there’s a good (but as yet unconfirmed) chance Microsoft will at the very least tease what the next Xbox will be capable of. It did something similar with Project Scorpio - which eventually became the Xbox One X - so such a tactic would be in keeping with the Big M’s previous tactics.
Regardless of whether any new hardware is showcased, we’ll definitely be seeing more of what Microsoft’s first-party studios have been working on. It’s been three and a half years since Halo 5: Guardians already, so a proper gameplay reveal of Halo Infinite (which is believed to be Halo 6 in all but name) could be on the cards. Unless Microsoft would rather hold off and release it as a launch exclusive on its next console.
Gears 5 from Black Tusk Studios is also likely to get a good showing in time for its rough ‘2019’ release date. Gears 4 was a step in the right direction for the series, so we’re hoping for more changes and updates to a franchise that helped turn the Xbox 360 into the colossal hit it became.
And with Microsoft having purchased so many studios in the previous 12 months - including Obsidian Entertainment and Playground Games - there’s a good chance we’ll see what The Outer Worlds in action and a much less assured chance we might see the eternally rumoured Fable 4. There’s also the opportunity to hear from Ninja Theory post Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice and what Microsoft’s newly formed The Initiative has been cooking up.
We’re also likely to see more of Project xCloud, Microsoft’s new game streaming service. Whether streaming full games is still a little ahead of its time - just look at how PlayStation Now has struggled as a service - we’re intrigued to see what Microsoft has to offer in this area.
E3 2019: Bethesda
Bethesda continues its annual showcase at E3 2019 with the tagline of ‘Be together’ tying its overall theme together. With DOOM Eternal on the horizon - including a port for Nintendo Switch being developed at the same time by DOOM and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus studio, Panic Button - we’re likely to see a lot of more id Software’s next big shooter (including more of its modes outside of the single-player story).
MachineGames is almost certainly going to be on hand to showcase the next Wolfenstein - Wolfenstein: Youngblood - which continues the series’ alt-history vibe into the ’80s with BJ Blazkowicz’s daughters now leading the fight against the Reich. We haven’t saw much of it in action, so we’re expecting a decent amount of gameplay.
While we’re not holding out much hope for The Elder Scrolls VI or Starfield - Bethesda’s first homegrown IP in 25 years (although never say never) - we do expect to see a big push for The Elder Scrolls Online’s latest big expansion, Elsweyr as its releasing on consoles on the 4th June. We may even get an update on the supposed ports of The Elder Scrolls: Blades and The Elder Scrolls Legends for Nintendo Switch.
E3 2019: Square Enix
While last year’s show was something of a letdown, we’re hoping Square Enix is ready to show off some of the projects that it’s got cooking up behind the scenes. For a start, there might be riots on the virtual streets if we don’t get some proper new gameplay footage of the Final Fantasy VII Remake, and an actual release date. It’s becoming a bit of running joke just how long this remake is taking, but we’re at least praying for some gameplay for this beloved game in action.
A few years back, Square Enix signed a deal with Disney to produce a new raft of triple-A games based on the Marvel franchise. We know for sure that Crystal Dynamics - the studio that handed off full-time development duties on Tomb Raider to Eidos Montreal for last year’s Shadow of Tomb Raider - has been working on an Avengers game so this would an ideal time to unveil it.
With no news as yet on what Batman Arkham developer Rocksteady is working on (and with Marvel love being at an all-time high following Endgame), the goal is wide open for CD to showcase a new virtual take on Cap, Iron Man and co.
There’s still a chance Square Enix could unveil an unexpected sequel or a new IP, but the commercial failure of The Quiet Man earlier this year might make the already risk-averse Square Enix even more cautious. Although we’re holding out hope for a follow up to the brilliant Nier: Automata...
E3 2019: Ubisoft
With Assassin’s Creed taking a break this year, we’re unlikely to see anything on it this year (unless there’s another unfortunate leak of marketing materials, like the one that forced Ubi to prematurely confirm the Ancient Greece setting for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey last year. In its place, we’re very likely to see a lot more of the game that spun out of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Skull & Bones. Its online piracy premise sounds incredible, but it’s been very quiet of late so E3 2019 seems the perfect place to promote it to the hilt.
Beyond Good & Evil 2 is also on the horizon, so we’re expecting another big gameplay reveal to show how this expansive space adventure has progressed in the last 12 months. It’s one of Ubisoft’s most ambitious projects to date, so we’re keen to see more. There’s an Avatar game in development as Massive but we’re very unlikely to see that just yet.
Watch Dogs 3 - which is rumoured to be set in London - has also been heavily rumoured, and with no AC this year this could fill the open-world void Ubi has for its winter release slate. While we’re almost certainly going to forced through another painful Just Dance confirmation, there’s still the hope that Ubi might finally pull the trigger on a new Splinter Cell. And with Mario & Rabbids: Battle Kingdom having proved such a hit on Switch, there’s always the chance Nintendo might surprise us with another collab.
E3 2019: Nintendo
Nintendo couldn’t be a better position coming into E3 2019. Over two years after its release, Nintendo Switch has grown into more than a games console. That hybrid platform has somehow found a middle ground between Wii’s commercial success and N64’s creative authenticity. And with some already huge games set to release before the end of the year, that strong position looks set to strengthen even more.
Rumours persist that Ninty is getting ready to unveil a new iteration of the Switch this year, but president Shuntaro Furukawa has ruled out the firm showcasing any new hardware at E3 2019. Instead, we’re much more likely to see more of the games we definitely know are coming including Pokemon Sword and Shield, Animal Crossing, Mario Maker 2 and the The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening remake that turned so many heads when it was unveiled earlier this year.
Considering its development was effectively reset this year, we’re almost certainly not going to hear anything about Metroid Prime 4, but the heavily rumoured Metroid Prime Trilogy remaster could help ease that absence. We’re hoping to see more of Astral Chain from Platinum Games and, if we’re lucky, a glimpse of Bayonetta 3. And that’s just the games we know about. Who knows what the Big N has bubbling away in time for June?
E3 2019: Cyberpunk 2077
Ever since Cyberpunk 2077 was debuted at E3 2018 with a spectacular launch trailer, the hype surrounding this awesome-looking FPS RPG from The Witcher makers CDProjeckt has been in a permanent state of increase.
And when CDProjeckt then followed up that launch trailer with a simply jaw-dropping 48-minute gameplay reveal video, gamers simply lost their minds, with a truly spectacular gaming experience shown off that just screamed "next-gen".
Now, at E3 2019 a year later, Cyberpunk 2077 is confirmed to return, with the maker's official game Twitter account confirming the news back in February.
For those of you asking, yes, we will be at E3 this year.February 28, 2019
As to what we can expect from this new Cyberpunk 2077 reveal, further gameplay footage seems nailed on, however we may also get information regarding launch window, too, which in turn will help us identify if this game is being produced with the PS5 and Xbox Two launches next year in mind.
Here at T3 we're also dying with anticipation for any news regarding a Cyberpunk 2077 special collector's edition, which again has been talked about by CD Projekt but not confirmed. If any game deserved a really special collector's edition then it is Cyberpunk 2077, so let's hope the maker has something tucked up its E3 2019 sleeve.
