E3 2020: What to expect from the biggest video game expo of the year

E3 2020: What to expect from the biggest video game expo of the year
E3 2020 may still be a few months away, but the talk of this year's biggest game show is already starting. With Sony's decision to pull out of the series for the second year in a row and two next-gen consoles launching soon after, there are plenty of changes to be made, and E3 is at the heart of it. Why is E3 2020 so important? As a place where Microsoft and Nintendo, who will be in attendance this year, tend to announce new hardware and titles, along with countless third-party publishers showcasing their wares to the fans, gamers, and media gathered for the event. , E3 tends to hold massive announcements that shape the conversation around the games of the year for many months afterward. There's little confirmation for this year's show, though we've rounded up the announcements the biggest names in gaming have already made, and what you can expect to see at E3 2020.

Okay, but what exactly is E3?

The name E3 stands for "Electronic Entertainment Expo," and it's been operating in one form or another since 1995. Hosted by the Entertainment Software Association, E3 is a three-day convention to celebrate and showcase all things gaming, usually to make Get a taste of the games and consoles to come, with a handful of panel discussions and keynotes along with some showroom excitement. E3 2020 will be the 26th time the event has taken place. Although traditionally it has only been an industry-only event, the ESA has been more willing to allow members of the public to participate in the event. event, and increases the number of public tickets available from 15,000 (in 2019) to 25,000. An additional day exclusively for industry members, to minimize downtime, and downtime 39, wait, have also been discussed, but this remains to be confirmed.

e3 2019

(Image credit: Martin Garcia / ESPAT Media / Getty)

E3 dates: when is the exhibition?

The E3 expo comes every year in June and will take place this year from June 9 (Tuesday) to June 11 (Thursday) at the Los Angeles Convention Center (home of E3 since 2009). It starts on Tuesday, but the weekend before, the major console manufacturers and publishers will host their own press conferences where most of the announcements will take place.

(Image credit: Sony)

Sony at E3 2020, or not?

Sony hasn't made it to E3 2019, nor will it make it to 2020. PS5 makers seem happy to show off their wares at other events throughout the year. #39; year, as revealed by the inert logo at CES 2020, rather than vying for attention at an event that also hosts Xbox and Nintendo. This is clearly a different strategy from the PS4 console, whose design was officially unveiled at E3 in 2013. Kotaku editor Jason Schreier suggested that Sony go for it due to disagreements with ESA, but for whatever reason the PlayStation won't have a presence, beyond from third-party developers and publishers working on PS4 and PS5 games.

One juicy surprise I heard last year was that the main reason Sony had skipped E3 was disagreement / tension / conflict with the ESA, which is probably the determining factor here as well. January 13, 2020

Xbox at E3 2020

But don't worry, the Xbox will still be there. Phil Spencer was quick to assure fans that they wouldn't be going down the same path as Sony, and you can expect to see a lot of Xbox Series X at the event. We'll likely have more information on these rumored consoles, the Lockhart and Anaconda, possibly offering cheaper or discless alternatives to the mainstream offering. (However, they will probably be called something boring.) We expect to hear new announcements for games, especially exclusives, that are aggressively promoted by the Xbox brand, and perhaps more third-party studios under the overall Xbox umbrella. We'll likely have more gameplay footage of the upcoming Halo Infinite, and more information on its multiplayer and story, though a playable demo may (unfortunately) be a bit further away. His press conference took place last Sunday, making June 7 a probable date this time.

(Image credit: future)

Nintendo at E3 2020

and nintendo? Mario's House will be jumping and laughing at E3 as usual, though it's unclear if any new material will be featured. There have been discussions of a Nintendo Switch Pro for quite some time now, and E3 would be a great time to show it off, especially without Sony calling attention to itself. . We also got the first trailer for the Zelda BOTW suite at E3 last year, so we're hoping to get more of an official presentation, perhaps with a title and an idea for the game's release date. Metroid Prime 4, too, received only the shortest of trailers last year, so a better understanding of what the game will actually look like and when we can wear Samus' costume again would be greatly appreciated. Here's hoping Super Smash Bros Ultimate continues to dominate Nintendo's media channels, possibly with information on new DLC fighters. Nintendo no longer holds a press conference, but usually posts a video presentation on Tuesday, June 9, just before the E3 show opens.

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

E3 2020 games: what will be presented?

In addition to the big three, there will be plenty to keep on the floor, on keynotes, or to view from a distance. As for upcoming games, there are plenty of titles with vague release dates in 2020, so it's highly possible that we'll see more images, trailers, announcements, or release dates. Release for the likes of Ubisoft Gods and Monsters, Little Nightmares 2, No More Heroes III, Bayonetta 3, Super Meat Boy Forever, Everwild, and Hollow Knight: Silksong (released the day after E3 on June 12). Bethesda still has a decent showing and will likely resume its press conference on Sunday June 7, though no one will know after Doom Eternal. Starfield sci-fi RPG? Elder Scrolls VI? Since neither of them have shown themselves in the last year, either one would be great this time, both of them, if we're unbelievably lucky. With Google Stadia, announced just before E3 last year, now also available to play, we may see a bigger Google presence this time around. Maybe other games besides Destiny 2 to play? We'll certainly see new announcements, but you can see a full list of the ones we know about in our best game guide.

E3 2019: what happened last year?

Even without Sony, there was still a lot going on to make 2019 a great year for E3. We got this wonderful appearance by Keanu Reeves, and the news that he appeared in Cyberpunk 2077, new specs for Xbox Series X, and this brilliant BOTW 2 teaser. We also got a full reveal of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Apex Legends Season updates. 2 from EA, and the announcement that Dark Souls dev From Software and Game of Throne's George RR Martin are collaborating on the upcoming game Elden Ring. Square Enix had one of the best press events we haven't seen at E3 2019, which contains a lot of new information about Marvel's Avengers, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and Final Fantasy 8 Remastered. However, this was not good news. , since Animal Crossing: Horizons was delayed and the long-awaited Dragon Age 4 did not receive as much mention. Ubisoft also didn't unveil a new Splinter Cell game (cowards!) or its delayed Beyond Good and Evil 2, though it did find time for Just Dance 2020 and the Gods and Monsters trailer. Here's a slideshow of the top 15 E3 games. in 2019, and the full list of everything announced below: Image 5 of 15

Dying Light 2

Image 15 of 15

Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot

Nintendo Microsoft Interactive Games Take-Two / 2K Electronic Arts and EA Sports CD Projekt Red Konami Bethesda Square Enix Ubisoft Sega Bandai Namco Different

You might also be interested ...