E3 2021 schedule announced

After a year off, E3 returns in 2021 as a “reimagined, all-virtual” event. This year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo runs June 12-15, and promises appearances from Nintendo, Xbox, Capcom, Ubisoft, Square Enix, Take-Two Interactive, Warner Bros. Games, Sega, Bandai Namco, and more.

While the show won’t have a physical presence, the upside is that anyone and everyone can attend E3 by watching the press conferences, digital showcases, and other livestreams that will take place in June (and beyond). The Entertainment Software Association, the trade group that runs E3, has built a web portal and app for E3 that anybody can use to watch everything unfold — fan registration is now live.

Here’s a guide to the events of E3 2021 that we know of so far.

Saturday, June 12

E3 organizers say that the event will officially kick off Saturday with a broadcast pre-show at 1 p.m. EDT/10 a.m. PDT. Ubisoft and Gearbox Entertainment will hold press conferences that day.

Ubisoft Forward

Ubisoft Forward 2021 will showcase a variety of upcoming (but unspecified) Ubisoft titles on Saturday, June 12, at 3 p.m. EDT/12 p.m. PDT. Expect appearances from announced games, like Far Cry 6 and Riders Republic, and hopefully updates on other projects, like Tom Clancy’s The Division Heartland, Rainbow Six Quarantine (aka Rainbow Six Parasite?), and Ubisoft Massive’s Avatar and Star Wars games.

Gearbox Entertainment

Borderlands developer Gearbox Software will hopefully have plenty to show during a press conference Saturday.

Sunday, June 13

On Sunday, E3 2021 viewers can expect presentations from Square Enix, Warner Bros. Games, and 24 Entertainment.

The PC Gaming Show and Future Games Show also stream Sunday. A broadcast pre-show starts at 11:45 a.m. EDT/8:45 a.m. PDT.

Square Enix’s event, Square Enix Presents, will begin at 3:15 p.m. EDT/12:15 p.m. PDT. The 40-minute show will feature the announcement of a new game from Deus Ex developer Eidos Montréal, an update on PlatinumGames’ Babylon’s Fall, a closer look at Life is Strange: True Colors and Life is Strange Remastered Collection, and details on the Black Panther – War for Wakanda expansion for Marvel’s Avengers.

Xbox & Bethesda Showcase

Microsoft will hold its E3 games showcase on June 13 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. The Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase will be streamed live on Xbox’s Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook channels, and will focus “on games from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, and many game creators from our partners around the world.”

Monday, June 14

E3’s Monday show kicks off with a broadcast starting at 11 a.m. EDT/8 a.m. PDT. Capcom, Take-Two Interactive, Mythical Games, Freedom Games, Razer, and unannounced indie developers will have presentations throughout the day.

Capcom and Take-Two Interactive

Capcom will deliver a presentation on Monday, focusing on its upcoming slate of games. Officially, Capcom has the Great Ace Attorney Collection, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, Resident Evil 4 for Oculus VR, and Pragmata on its release list. But Capcom also reportedly has more Ace Attorney and Resident Evil games in its plan, according to a leak.

Take-Two Interactive will also have a showcase, with details forthcoming.

Tuesday, June 15

The final day of E3 2021 kicks off at Tuesday with a broadcast pre-show that starts at 11 a.m. EDT/8 a.m. PDT. Nintendo, Bandai Namco, and others will have events.

Nintendo Direct & Treehouse Live

Nintendo will hold a new Nintendo Direct presentation at E3 2021 on June 15, where the company plans to reveal new details on upcoming Nintendo Switch games. Nintendo will then offer a longer look at its Switch lineup in a new Nintendo Treehouse Live immediately following the Direct livestream.

Nintendo’s E3 2021 Nintendo Direct will air at 12 p.m. EDT/9 a.m. PDT on Tuesday, June 15, the company announced Wednesday. The presentation will run “roughly 40 minutes” and focus on Nintendo Switch software “mostly releasing in 2021.”

Bandai Namco

Bandai Namco will also have a showcase, with details forthcoming.

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Thursday, July 22

EA Play Live

Electronic Arts will hold a presentation on Thursday, July 22 — well after E3 2021 concludes. Details are forthcoming.