With last year's E3 being canceled due to Coronavirus, Microsoft and Bethesda's virtual press conference is expected to be chock-full of new game reveals, as well as eagerly-anticipated updates to previously announced titles such as Halo Infinite and Starfield. With Nintendo yet to set a date, and confusion surrounding whether Sony will even attend E3, Microsoft and Bethesda have the perfect chance to dominate proceedings through their joint press conference on June 13.
Set your alarms for 1 pm ET on that day, or better yet, sign up for E3 alerts on the official E3 website. The press conference will be available on a range of different platforms. For ease of access, make sure to visit the official Xbox channels on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch, where you can livestream the event. The press conference is expected to be ninety minutes long, an hour and a half which should be packed with new information throughout.
Since Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax for $7.5 billion last year, the two companies have become one and the same, so it makes complete sense for the publishers to hold a joint conference. However, this won't stop Bethesda from releasing new details for games developed for rival consoles, such as Deathloop - an upcoming action-adventure game set to be released for the PlayStation 5 and PC.
As for mainstream titles, Halo Infinite is pretty much guaranteed to be featured. The long-anticipated sequel in perhaps Xbox's most beloved franchise was originally supposed to be released by the end of last year, but was eventually pushed back to Fall 2021. The decision was likely reached due to the negative feedback Halo Infinite received in a 2020 gameplay reveal, with fans announcing their disappointment toward the game's graphical fidelity. E3 2021 is the perfect stage for Microsoft and 343 Industries to provide Halo fans with some reassurance and excitement for the upcoming sequel.
Starfield, Bethesda's next major release, is also likely to be featured. From the time Starfield was originally announced at E3 2018, Bethesda has played its cards close to the chest, with only minute details being divulged thus far. All we know for certain is that Starfield will be a single-player science-fiction game. You would assume the genre would be heavily RPG-oriented, much like Bethesda's most successful franchises, Fallout and Elder Scrolls. Yet, Bethesda have refused to confirm whether this will be the case. In all likelihood, these important questions will be answered on June 13.
Some lesser-known projects may be given the spotlight, of which there are plenty in development. Grounded, a survival game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios, will finally see a full release in 2021. Psychonauts 2, the sequel that has suffered many setbacks over the past few years, may also be detailed. Among the more popular titles, we may also learn updates surrounding Playground Games' Fable reboot, and possibly the latest installment of gaming's iconic racing series, Forza Motorsport.
Without any confirmation on which games will be showcased, this year's press conference is set to be one full of surprises. Sony and Nintendo may have to pick up the pace and finally release a date. Otherwise, Xbox will surely capitalize on the situation, and take the opportunity to dominate the gaming narrative.