Every Publisher Confirmed for E3 2020, and What It Could be Presenting

E3 2020 is four months away, and several publishers from around the world have already been confirmed to appear at the event in some capacity. Companies like Microsoft will be showcasing products already known to be in existence such as the Xbox Series X, while others alongside it will continue the annual tradition of new game reveals at E3 2020.

Sony has notably decided to skip E3 for the second year in a row which is especially surprising in the year that the PS5 is supposed to launch in. Although not a publisher, E3 Coliseum producer Geoff Keighley is also skipping the event, leaving the ESA-run event to do its own thing for now. With entities like these sequentially dropping out of the program, it’s clear that E3 2020 has major differences from events in the past. Regardless, there are still other companies that are holding live events throughout the show floor and there will still be traditional press conferences run by the usual list of companies that do it every year.

Two major companies that are holding events related to E3 2020 but are not taking place directly at the LA Convention Center are EA and Nintendo. Nintendo will do its Direct presentation as always while EA is sticking to its EA Play event that the company hosts close by to E3. Here are the rest of the companies confirmed to be there.

Bethesda

Bethesda is coming back to, presumably, host its fifth press conference at E3 2020. The company has been hit by a lot of criticism since the botched launch of Fallout 76, but it still has two highly anticipated projects that it could potentially show a bit of. Starfield was announced by Bethesda during E3 2018 and the company hasn’t given any updates on the game since. Even though it’s likely that the newest IP from Bethesda is still a few years away, if it did decide to show off a new trailer for the game, it would go a long way in terms of re-establishing some goodwill with the fans.

The same is true for The Elder Scrolls 6 which was also announced at E3 2018. A fresh look at the next generation of the beloved RPG series would make a lot of people forget about Bethesda’s recent troubles. Otherwise, some other things the company could announce include Switch ports of The Elder Scrolls Legends and The Elder Scrolls Blades. It could even announce some update or expansion to Doom Eternal which releases in March.

Nintendo

As of now, Nintendo doesn’t have as many announced games as Sony or Microsoft. There are a few noteworthy titles that will draw in large crowds, but unless Nintendo goes all out during its E3 2020 direct, it is at serious risk of getting left behind in the wake of the PS5 and Xbox Series X (which will most likely have games waiting to be announced at E3 2020). However, the company has frequently stated that it doesn’t feel the need to compete with Sony or Microsoft directly as the Switch is sort of on its own league but related to the consoles.

Some games that Nintendo could showcase during E3 include No More Heroes 3, Bravely Default 2, and ports of other recently launched games like Doom Eternal (launching in March) and The Outer Worlds which was recently delayed by the newest outbreak of coronavirus.

Of course, Nintendo could also show off something new from The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 2. The original title remains as one of the most critically and commercially successful games of all time so an update on the sequel would give Nintendo a leg up on its rivals. Recent rumors of Breath of the Wild 2 have suggested that Zelda will finally be playable but alongside Link, and Dungeons were also rumored to return to the game in a significant way.

Another huge announcement that Nintendo could drop at E3 2020 would be anything related to the Metroid Prime series (if it hasn’t already featured it in a Direct by then), as all four Metroid Prime games are expected to come to the Switch at some point even though Nintendo only confirmed Metroid Prime 4. The credibly rumored Metroid Prime Trilogy and the fourth entry are all titles that would blow fans away if Nintendo showcased them at E3 2020. A Nintendo Direct with Metroid Prime as a focus would also have the same effect.

Square Enix

Another gaming company that typically hosts a press conference at E3, Square Enix is also confirmed to be at E3 2020. With Marvel’s Avengers being delayed to September, it’s likely that Square Enix is going to show off one final trailer or gameplay demo to keep the hype rolling for months to come.

Additionally, if it wanted to entice players further, Square Enix could also potentially announce its plans for the future of the game, maybe in the form of a season pass. If not a pass, it could still announce some future paid expansion pack to come down the line which would be an attempt at retaining players, though its promise of free DLC characters is still enticing enough for many.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake is another game that Square Enix could discuss at the show. The game comes out in April, before E3 2020, meaning it could even be possible that Square Enix drops a content update for the game during the show. If the company really wants to blow fans away, it could show off a trailer for the next chapter in the FF7 remake’s saga.

Otherwise, Square Enix is likely to showcase Babylon’s Fall, the newest game from Platinum Games. A trailer that was released for the game in late 2019 indicated that more information on the game would be made available in the summer, meaning Square Enix’s E3 2020 press conference is likely going to feature this new hack-and-slash title. It will also more than likely showcase Outriders, a new Destiny-like shooter that’s built to be a game-as-service with RPG elements, developed by People Can Fly of Bulletstorm and Gear of War Judgement fame.

Ubisoft

For E3 2020, Ubisoft’s press conference is most likely going to focus on the next year’s worth of games from the company. Among some games that will probably appear at the show include Ubisoft’s five triple-A games that it stated would be released between the last few months of 2020 all the way through March 2021. Three of the games are, more than likely, Rainbow Six Quarantine, Gods and Monsters, and Watch Dogs Legion. These games were delayed in the past but seem to be releasing at some point within the next year, especially Watch Dogs Legion.

E3 is the marquee event for Ubisoft to showcase the newest Assassin’s Creed, so fans can expect Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok (if that’s what it ends up being called) to be heavily featured in the show. Though its release date is a little unclear, Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok will be released sometime this fall as Ubisoft stated that this is the year the franchise will see a new entry. This new title will also mark the start of a long series of downloadable expansions that will be released over the next year or so, if Assassin’s Creed Odyssey or Origins are anything to go by.

Otherwise, fans can expect the usual from Ubisoft. Just Dance 2021 will probably be announced and extensively shown off like every year. Far Cry 6 is also a possibility per the recent leak of its existence.

Xbox

Microsoft is in a special position for E3 2020. It once again doesn’t have to worry about Sony taking up its spotlight during one of the biggest events in the gaming year. However, what’s different from last year is the fact that the PS5 and Xbox Series X are launching this year meaning without Sony, E3 2020 will feature none of the back-and-forth that is typical among the start of a console generation. In any case, Microsoft is bound to have a big show this year.

The main focus of the show will undoubtedly be the Xbox Series X. Microsoft will in all likelihood be going more in-depth with details on the console during its press conference compared to, say, the announcement of the console at The Game Awards 2019. If it hasn’t already announced it by E3 2020, then Microsoft will probably reveal the price of the Xbox Series X.

Something that remains unclear is how many SKUs will be available to purchase. There have been rumors of a much less powerful next generation Xbox that is meant for streaming but Microsoft has only showed off the higher end of the Series X so far. Microsoft will also probably show off this lower end console at E3 2020 as well. With two new consoles to showcase, it’s fair to say that a lot of time will be spent on Microsoft’s new gaming technology.

The second biggest topic at Xbox’s E3 2020 press conference is bound to be Xbox exclusives like Halo Infinite. If not for Microsoft’s new consoles, Halo Infinite would probably take up the majority of time at the press conference. Fans can expect everything from a more in-depth look at the single-player campaign to how 343 Industries has evolved the multiplayer for the next generation of console gaming.

Speaking of 343 Industries, Microsoft is also likely to show off some new titles from its 15 first-party studios. Microsoft has been aggressively building up its first-party network for a few years now, all in an attempt to bolster the future of the Xbox Series X. With the new consoles now on their way, fans can finally start to see what some of these newly minted Xbox studios have been up to.

Fans can also look forward to a heavy stream of third-party games to be featured at Microsoft’s press conference because the lack of Sony means that third-party publishers without a press conference at E3 2020 should turn to Microsoft in order to get some on-stage time. Companies as big as Activision could potentially show off the next Call of Duty at Xbox’s press conference (even though it only hosted its own behind-closed-doors demo last year). Bandai Namco is likely to return to the Xbox stage to further showcase Elden Ring as is CD Projekt Red with Cyberpunk 2077.

Activision

Activision potentially has a lot of projects in the works. Recently, executives at the company have emphasized the company’s interest in continuing to remake classic franchises such as Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon. There were rumors recently claiming that remakes of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2 were already in development by Activision. Although the licensing for the music in those games would cause a headache, it does make sense considering Activision’s stance on remakes nowadays.

It could be possible that Activision brings some of its Blizzard-developed games like Overwatch 2 to the show but the company typically uses E3 as a vehicle to showcase the next Call of Duty game so that’s what fans can expect to see at least.

Bandai Namco

Two big games that Bandai Namco could bring to E3 2020 are Tales of Arise and Elden Ring. The new Tales game is designed to be darker in theme than the rest of the series but otherwise retains the same action RPG elements from before. Elden Ring initially gained some fame after it was revealed to be a collaboration between From Software director Hidetaka Miyazaki and A Song of Ice and Fire author George R. R. Martin. Miyazaki has described Elden Ring as the next evolution of the Souls series and the game will feature new mechanics like horseback riding.

WB Games

WB Games Montreal has been teasing a new Batman game for awhile now. Whether or not that new game is revealed at E3 2020 or before, the new Batman game is likely to appear at E3 this year in some capacity. As stated before, third-party publishers might have to rely on Xbox’s conference to showcase new titles which means that fans can potentially see it running live on the Xbox Series X. The new Batman game rumors going around have suggested things like this game kicking off a new gaming DC Universe and that there will be a playable Bat family.

Not much is known about Rocksteady’s newest project. Many have wanted the studio to make a new Superman game in the same style as the Arkham series, but the studio seems to be aiming for something bigger. Whether or not it will be making a Justice League game or otherwise, fans would appreciate seeing something from Rocksteady at E3 2020 but only time will tell if the studio shows up.