Microsoft at E3 2021
As E3 2021 approaches with ever larger strides, more and more rumors and speculations are making the rounds. The latest news of this kind revolves around Microsoft. The company is apparently planning a bigger surprise for this year's E3 - namely the announcement of another studio takeover.At least that's what the insider and journalist Jez Corden claims. During a conversation on Windows Central's Discord server, Corden said that Microsoft recently allegedly took over a studio and a well-known brand of gambling machines. In doing so, he cites a source that is not specified, but which he describes as "very good". This takeover is supposedly not on the same level as the big Bethesda deal. However, it is probably not a small fish either. There is also talk that Microsoft will present this new acquisition to the public at E3 2021. He did not reveal any further details.
Recommended editorial content At this point you will find external content from [PLATTFORM]. To protect your personal data, external integrations are only displayed if you confirm this by clicking on "Load all external content": Load all external content I consent to external content being displayed to me. This means that personal data is transmitted to third-party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy . External content More on this in our data protection declaration. That leaves a lot of room for speculation, of course. This inevitably raises the question of which developer studio Microsoft has taken over. The company had already announced its intention some time ago to keep an eye out for potential takeover candidates in the future. So far, however, there have been no specific details. We should be a little smarter by next weekend at the latest. The big E3 showcase event from Microsoft and Bethesda will take place on June 13, 2021. The starting shot will be given at 7:00 p.m. German time, the stream can be seen on Twitch and YouTube.
Source: Twitter
E3 2021 schedule: Every announcement and live stream to watch
© Provided by Windows CentralEvery announcement from E3 2021 so far, and the schedule of what's ahead.
This summer brings the biggest video game announcements of the year, with the world's top publishers partnering up with various conferences, talking about what's ahead for 2021 and beyond. It's all tied up in the Electronic Entertainment Expo, better known as E3, making a comeback this year as an all-digital affair. The online event brings various live shows to catch throughout June, shaping up as a must-watch for any video game fan.
E3 2021 has been reworked for the current world, with its organizer coordinating a virtual experience with the same heavyweight announcements we've come to expect. Xbox and Nintendo will host their respective showcases, bringing updates on their gaming consoles and in-house video games. Publishers and developers have also partnered with the E3 event, with Ubisoft and Square Enix among the big names hosting dedicated conferences. That's only a slice of the lineup, making for a week packed with world premieres and exclusive insights.
E3 2021 and other live shows this June look set to deliver the most important gaming event of the year. It comes only shortly following the launch of the Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft's newly launched Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles. And while the past year saw many developers delay projects, adapting to working from home, E3 will pass the spotlight to those titles making their return.
While the main event includes many conferences scheduled from June 12 through June 15, that's not the only place for video game news. With only a select list of partners on the schedule, companies like Sony and Electronic Arts are expected to break away from E3 2021 but still presenting announcements through the summer season.
But with E3 2021 approaching at a rapid pace, it can be hard to track what to watch and the biggest announcements along the way. We're keeping a schedule of all the must-watch presentations, plus the top news as it happens.
E3 2021 schedule: All the biggest eventsWith E3 2021 and the world's top publishers shifting to digital events, we'll see more showcases than ever, spread across several months this summer. Many publishers and developers have carved out dedicated slots to drop their announcements for the season, all available through live broadcasts on YouTube and Twitch.
While E3 2021 formally takes place from June 12 through June 15, companies have spread into the surrounding weeks, packing the month of June with showcases and presentations. We've rounded up the big events all in one place, coupled with their respective dates and start times so far.
Event DateEventStart TimeJune 5Guerrilla Collective (Day 1)11AM ET / 8AM PT
4PM BST / 5PM CEST
June 10Summer Game Fest Kickoff Live2PM ET / 11AM PT
7PM BST / 8PM CEST
June 11Koch Primetime3PM ET / 12PM PT
8PM BST / 9PM CEST
June 12Guerrilla Collective (Day 2)11AM ET / 8AM PT
4PM BST / 5PM CEST
June 12Ubisoft Forward3PM ET / 12PM PT
8PM BST / 9PM CEST
June 12IGN Expo4PM ET / 1PM PT
9PM BST / 10PM CEST
June 12Gearbox EntertainmentTBAJune 13Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase1PM ET / 10AM PT
6PM BST / 7PM CEST
June 13Square Enix Presents3.15 PM ET / 12.15 PM PT
8.15 PM BST / 9.15 PM CEST
June 13Future Games Show7PM ET / 4PM PT
12AM BST / 1AM CEST
June 13PC Gaming ShowTBAJune 14CapcomTBAJune 15BANDAI NAMCOTBAJuly 22EA PlayTBAWhile details on E3 2021 announcements have started to leak, as is the norm with many large events, we're still expecting major news and surprises over the week ahead. This page will round up the top news of the day and other notable events as they happen.
We'll continue to update this schedule as new details on conferences emerge.
June 10Summer Game Fest Kickoff
© Provided by Windows CentralWhere: Summer Game Fest on YouTube, Summer Game Fest on Twitch
When: June 5 @ 2PM ET / 11AM PT / 7PM BST
Summer Game Fest, first established in lieu of E3 last year, returns with a wave of new video game announcements over the coming months. While the event captures the whole season of showcases, including a crossover with many E3 2021 conferences, the main event comes with a dedicated kick-off live stream, including news from third parties.
Unlike E3 2021 conferences hosted by game publishers, the Summer Game Fest Kickoff will serve a varied lineup of titles from developers across the globe. It'll be presented by Geoff Keighley, with video game premieres on the docket, coupled with musical performances throughout the afternoon.
June 11Koch Primetime
© Provided by Windows CentralWhere: Koch Media on YouTube, Koch Media on Twitch
When: June 11 @ 3PM ET / 12PM PT / 8PM BST
Koch Media also looks to host its dedicated conference at E3 2021, with the publisher and its lineup of creative teams gearing up for a live show packed with announcements. The company, housing names like Deep Silver and Gaya Entertainment, is expected to drop news regarding its broad lineup of franchises on June 11.
Koch subsidiary Deep Silver brings various top game franchises, including Saints Row, Dead Island, Maneater, and Metro. While most of the showcase remains a mystery, we're hoping for the latest on the aforementioned series, including ongoing development on the fifth Saints Row entry and clarity around the absence of Dead Island 2 since its 2014 reveal. Other titles may include Chorus, Iron Harvest, King's Bounty II, and upcoming console releases of past PC hits.
We're not expecting huge updates around the future TimeSplitters game, with developer Free Radical Design only recently reforming for the project in early 2021. With development still in the early stages, we're not expecting much for at least a few years.
June 12Guerrilla Collective (Day 2)
© Provided by Windows CentralWhere: Guerrilla Collective on YouTube, Guerrilla Collective on Twitch
When: June 12 @ 11AM ET / 8AM PT / 4PM BST
If indie games are your thing, don't miss out on Guerrilla Collective's dedicated games showcases throughout June. The digital show breaks away from the industry titans, and returns for its second showcase on June 12, packing another lineup of titles from its partnered developers and publishers. The show's format remains unchanged, only this time featuring more games and announcements that didn't fit the first installment. Titles that feature include Hello Neighbour 2, Ghostrunner, Sable, and many more upcoming indies.
Ubisoft Forward
© Provided by Windows CentralWhere: Ubisoft on YouTube, Ubisoft on Twitch
When: June 12 @ 3PM ET / 12PM PT / 6PM BST
Ubisoft Forward joins E3 2021, once again switching out the traditional conference for an entirely digital presence. The company is expected to detail its portfolio for 2021 and beyond, recently hit by various delays amid working-from-home and internal reshuffle. You can catch a full rundown on what we expect to see from Ubisoft Forward at E3 2021 in our full roundup.
We'll hear more on Far Cry 6, one of its most anticipated launches targeting a launch this year. We're also expecting the latest on Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Quarantine, reportedly renamed amid the ongoing global pandemic; massively multiplayer sports game Riders Republic; and the details on its new free-to-play project, Tom Clancy's The Division: Heartland. Ubisoft also has various projects brewing, now several years in the pipeline, which could return this June.
IGN Expo
© Provided by Windows CentralWhere: IGN website, IGN on YouTube, IGN on Twitch
When: June 12 @ 4PM ET / 1PM PT / 9PM BST
IGN is slated to host its virtual show on June 11, hosted just ahead of E3 2021 and packed with game announcements and new gameplay debuts. IGN has promised 'plenty of exclusive content' throughout the event. Although unlikely to drop huge industry-shaking news, we could catch an exclusive insight into upcoming titles, plus announcements across projects in development. Whereas IGN Expo saw multiple installments in 2020, this year's event is condensed into one singular show.
Gearbox EntertainmentWhere: TBA
When: June 12, TBA
E3 organizer, the ESA, recently dropped a list of show attendees, outlining a dedicated presentation from Gearbox Entertainment, best known for the Borderlands series. While the company is yet to discuss its E3 plans, we're expecting to hear more on a previously-teased new Borderlands entry, potentially alluding to a rumored Tiny Tina spin-off, over a full mainline sequel. We may also the latest on current publishing deals, like the previously-announced Homeworld 3 and Tribes of Midgard.
June 13Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase
© Provided by Windows CentralWhere: Xbox on YouTube, Xbox on Twitch
When: June 13 @ 1PM ET / 10AM PT / 6PM BST
Microsoft returns with another annual showcase this June, delivering the latest projects under the Xbox family and various third-party partners. The Xbox Games Showcase at E3 2021 stows the top announcements of the year for Xbox fans, likely focused on the best Xbox games headed to the latest Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, and its Xbox Game Pass subscription service.
E3 2021 could prove huge for Microsoft, following steady momentum into the newest console generation. It has titles like Halo Infinite, /age-of-empires-iv, Psychonauts 2, and the rumored Forza Horizon 5 headed to market later this year, all likely to receive public showings during the live show. Xbox Game Studios talent also works away on anticipated sequels, while reports suggest high-profile projects lie ahead for its publishing arm. Microsoft's bombshell Bethesda acquisition in 2020 also puts dozens of titles from its studios on the stage, including anticipated RPGs, Starfield, and The Elder Scrolls VI.
Our own Xbox editor, Jez Corden, and Miles Dompier have already published an extensive deep dive into what to expect from Microsoft's E3 2021 media briefing, packed with leaks and predictions. It's the first major public showing after a busy year for Microsoft, likely to stow a few surprises from internal studios and its partners too.
Square Enix Presents
© Provided by Windows CentralWhere: Square Enix on YouTube, Square Enix on Twitch
When: June 13 @ 3.15 PM ET / 12.15 PM PT / 8.15 PM BST
Square Enix is also expected to have a big showing this E3, carving out its dedicated slot in the schedule for a press conference. The publisher was among the last announcing plans, set for June 13, with an expected lineup of titles already in the wild. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy looks to be an anticipated new venture for Eidos-Montreal, a presumed single-player role-playing game set in the beloved universe. While Marvel's Avengers suffered poor reception, new updates continue to hit the title, with the new Black Panther: War For Wakanda DLC likely to show at E3.
Other highlights will include Babylon's Fall, the new project from Platinum Games, known for past releases like Bayonetta and NieR:Automata. While first unveiled in 2018 for PlayStation consoles and PC, we're expecting a long-awaited update this summer. Life Is Strange: True Colors will also feature, scheduled to launch in late 2021, while Final Fantasy Origin rumors circulate, pitching a 'Souls-like' action game from Nioh and Ninja Gaiden developer Team Ninja.
Future Games Show
© Provided by Windows CentralWhere: GamesRadar on YouTube, GamesRadar on Twitch
When: June 13 @ 7PM ET / 4PM PT / 12AM BST
The Future Games Show returns for E3 2021, with the promise of over 40 multi-format games, coupled with exclusive gameplay debuts and insight from across the industry. Troy Baker and Laura Bailey will host the show, voices behind some of gaming's biggest icons, although details are scarce on which games to expect.
PC Gaming ShowWhere: TBA
When: June 13, TBA
While Nintendo and Microsoft each host respective conferences geared around their gaming platforms, PC gamers aren't left in the dark. The PC Gaming Show returns for another showcase this June, broadcasting news from various partners. Details on the latest PC Gaming Show will remain relatively scarce, but it could bring some unmissable announcements for those who favor the keyboard and mouse.
June 14CapcomWhere: TBA
When: June 14, TBA
Capcom is also slated for E3 2021, although again, with details limited, we're unsure what to expect. However, talk of Resident Evil Village DLC should please fans of the newly-launched horror title, with rumors of a Dragon's Dogma sequel also circulating. We also hope to see more on Pragmata, the briefly-teased new IP, first debuted at Sony's debut PlayStation 5 showcase in 2020. Don't forget Capcom also has the Street Fighter and Monster Hunter brands in-house, in case of future surprises.
June 15Bandai NamcoWhere: TBA
When: June 15, TBA
While Bandai Namco Entertainment has a diverse portfolio headed into E3 2021, the focus sits with Elden Ring. The anticipated new IP first appeared in 2019, developed by Dark Souls creators FromSoftware, and written with aid from George R. R. Martin. This year, many hope for its return sometime, likely providing a new trailer or a potential glimpse at gameplay. Other big titles to watch include Tales of Arise and Scarlet Nexus, both expected to release in 2021.
July 22EA Play LiveWhere: TBA
When: July 22, TBA
While Electronic Arts won't be skipping E3 2021 entirely, its main EA Play Live event kicks off one month later in July. With the next Battlefield game scheduled for an unveiling on June 9, EA Play should provide more context around the game and improvements made for the sequel. Other Electronic Arts sports titles, likely to skip E3 2021, could debut at this conference.