As of today all of the press conferences at E3 2014 are dated. Each of the big publishers and hardware manufacturers are ready to debut their latest products, and unveil the games they have invested millions into.
This will be the first E3 since the big three have all released their next-gen hardware. The game is on, and that means there’s a lot on the line. We’ll soon find out what the next 12 to 24 months will look like.
For the third-party publishers, we get to see if they’ve struck a deal with one of the big three, and how they’re utilizing new hardware to create bigger and better experiences.
Below you can view when the press conferences will begin , as well as get an idea of what they’ll be like. They’re listed in chronological order, by the way.
Microsoft – June 9, 9:30 AM PST / 12:30 PM EST
Phil Spencer recently took over as head of Xbox, and Microsoft’s Major Nelson has stated that they are “bringing the games”. Everything points to Microsoft coming out guns blazing at E3. With the Xbox One falling over two million sales behind the PS4, and already losing in North America, now’s the time to strike.
We expect to see a price drop to $399 which will likely remove the disc drive (making it 100% digital), or the Kinect. A white SKU, which many gamers have been asking for, is likely. It might be digital-focused with a 1TB hard drive.
Games that are certain to be shown include Halo 5, Gears of War 4 (CGI trailer), Sunset Overdrive, Fable Legends, and Quantum Break. But there are definitely other titles to be debuted, including a Halo 2 HD Anniversary Edition for Xbox One. Also, a Forza Horizon 2 is rumored to be coming during Fall of this year.
DirectX 12 is apparently a big deal, and should incorporated into the show in order to combat some of Sony’s success in the graphical progression side of the market. Additionally, indie developers should get some show time given their growing popularity with gamers and Microsoft’s Xbox@ID program.
EA shared its financials for the 2013 fiscal year last week and it was mostly positive news despite quite a few hiccups (hi SimCity). Its sports IPs, including NBA 2K and Madden, have continued to sell by the bucket loads. An EA UFC is definitely in the cards, too. If you enjoy sports games, there should be plenty of them at the show.
What you might not know is EA has confirmed that six new projects will be debuted during its E3 press conference. It’s done a good job keeping the lid tight on information so little is known. These games might include Visceral’s Star Wars game, the new Battlefield, and even Mass Effect 4. If we had to bet, Mirror’s Edge 2 could be the biggest of EA’s showings. Gamers have been excited for it, and EA is fully aware.
Ouside of rumors, Dragon Age: Inquisition, The Sims 4, and Star Wars: Battlefront are guaranteed.
It goes without saying that EA’s press conference will, as usual, be long and full of games.
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