E3 2020 may be gone, but for these publishers, the show must go on.
Like most events scheduled around these times, the coronavirus’ threat has put an end to them. Such was the hard decision made by the Entertainment Software Association when they announced that the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2020 was canceled. ESA tried exploring options for an online E3 event at some point, but the plans were eventually scrapped.
Still unabated
Instead of a joint developer conference, developers, publishers, and people like Geoff Keighley took it upon themselves to hold their standalone announcements throughout the summer. Publishers and streaming partners still need a way to present their games.
Here is a list of conference schedules known so far, in chronological order:
- PS5 Future of Gaming showcase – Thursday, June 4 (POSTPONED)
- IGN Summer of Gaming Debut – Friday, June 5
- Guerrilla Collective ‘E3 2020’ conference times – Saturday, June 6
- Paradox Insider ‘E3 2020’ conference times – Saturday, June 6
- PC Gaming Show ‘E3 2020’ conference times – Saturday, June 6
- Future Games Show ‘E3 2020’ conference times – Saturday, June 6
- Upload VR Showcase conference times – Monday, June 8
- World of Warcraft: Shadowlands stream times – Tuesday, June 9th
- Cyberpunk 2077 stream – Thursday, June 12
- EA Play 2020 conference times – Thursday, June 12
- New Game+ Expo (NGXP) conference times – Tuesday, June 23
- Marvel’s Avengers stream – Wednesday, June 24
- Tennocon 2020 conference – Saturday, July 11
- Ubisoft ‘E3 2020’ conference times – Sunday, July 12
PS5 Future of Gaming showcase – Thursday, June 4 (POSTPONED)
Sony scheduled The Future of Gaming to reveal details for the Playstation 5 for June 4, but recent events involving nationwide protests prompted the company to postpone the showcase until further notice.
The Future of Gaming was said to run for about an hour, and Sony was teasing some first-look at some games that would release alongside the PS5, and reports point to a release schedule announcement to the next-gen console’s release more specific than ‘holiday 2020.’
IGN Summer of Gaming Debut – Friday, June 5
IGN is hosting a series of streams throughout June with the Summer of Gaming. These shows will feature new trailers, gameplay, reveals, and charity streams. The Outsiders, Merge Games, and an unnamed studio was teased to reveal three big games and could include some exclusive gameplay sneak peeks.
Guerrilla Collective ‘E3 2020’ – Saturday, June 6
The Guerilla Collective is the first of many shows for June 6. This will be an Indie Showcase featuring reveals and updates on existing projects for acclaimed developers like 11 Bit Studios, Coffee Stain Studios, Raw Fury, Versus Evil, Rebellion, and Larian Studios.
Paradox Insider ‘E3 2020’ – Saturday, June 6
Paradox will be showcasing their big releases Crusader Kings 3, Empire of Sin, and Vampire: Masquerade Bloodlines. Expectations suggest new gameplay footage and possible release date announcements.
PC Gaming Show ‘E3 2020’ – Saturday, June 6
The PC Gaming Show has not confirmed any specifics on their plans for this yet, but it has established itself as an E3 staple and is one of those to be excited for with their solid previews and announcements from previous years.
Future Games Show ‘E3 2020’ – Saturday, June 6
The Future Games Show is a new addition to the E3 lineup teasing to feature new announcements, exclusive trailers, and an in-depth look at some existing indie and AAA titles, focusing on a wide variety of platforms including consoles, mobile, and streaming services.
Upload VR Showcase – Monday, June 8
For the VR aficionados, the Upload VR Showcase is one not to be missed. The showcase teased over 20 games and announcements for the VR realm.
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands – Tuesday, June 9th
Blizzard will focus this show on the latest World of Warcraft Shadowlands expansion, and will feature the newest content in development, and might include a release date as part of the show.
Cyberpunk 2077 stream – Thursday, June 11
CD Projekt Red will be showcasing Cyberpunk 2077 in a dedicated stream. We have not had much news on this release for a while, and this is one to look forward to.
EA Play 2020 – Thursday, June 11
EA has not attended E3 for several years now, but they have always held a stream to showcase their new titles around the same time as E3. EA is teasing news and a world premiere, but it is expected that they will showcase their sports offerings during the show.
New Game+ Expo (NGXP) – Tuesday, June 23
SEGA, SNK, Atlus, Spike Chunsoft, GungHo, Inti Creates, NIS America, Wayforward, and many others come together for a lengthy show in this new initiative.
Marvel’s Avengers stream – Wednesday, June 24
Marvel Avengers fans assemble, as Square Enix will showcase new gameplay and coop details in this dedicated event.
Tennocon 2020 conference – Saturday, July 11
Tennocon is a dedicated conference for Warframe, which has been a staple for several years now, and this year they are focusing on updates on the future of the game. There is a possibility of next-gen version announcements as well.
Ubisoft ‘E3 2020’ – Sunday, July 12
Ubisoft will come out in a bang with news and announcements for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Watch Dogs Legion, Gods and Monsters, Rainbow Six Quarantine, and more.
The big three
Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have always been a massive part of E3, and as of right now, we are yet to hear from them regarding their plans and projects for the rest of the year and the years to come.
E3 may not happen anymore, but publishers’ initiatives will fill the void to satisfy our appetite for news, previews, announcements, and surprises in the digital entertainment world.
Image used courtesy of Around The Clock/YouTube Screenshot