2020 was a difficult year for many, many reasons. The video game industry faced particular difficulty with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, as developers were forced to adapt to working from home, and almost every major in-person video game event was canceled or adapted to virtual format. One of the showcases that was very quickly outright canceled was E3, which left multiple game developers and publishers scrambling to feature games in the many online showcases that took place last summer.

2021 promises to be different though, with the Electronic Software Association (ESA) announcing that E3 will be back in full force this year, as a digital showcase. Aimed at both games media and fans, E3's showcase will include the likes of Nintendo, Microsoft, Square Enix, Ubisoft, and Konami as confirmed attendees. While there were worries and rumors that E3 2021 would be behind a paywall, the ESA has since confirmed that the event will be free for all viewers.

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With E3 set to take place from June 12 to 15 this year, the show is obviously expected to flow very differently from previous years due to its online nature. However, there may be more that makes this E3 unique beyond this.

First E3 Of The New Console Generation

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One of the most exciting elements of E3 this year is that, now that Sony and Microsoft's newest consoles are out, it's time to start showing the games players can expect to play beyond the first year of the consoles' lifespans. While Sony has confirmed that it will once again not be attending the show, third-party publishers like Ubisoft and Square Enix are sure to come swinging with some announcements and updates for titles coming to the PS5 and Xbox Series X in the next few years.

This is without mentioning that Microsoft will presumably be back to host its next big press conference, as it did with the Xbox Games Showcase last year in absence of E3. While Microsoft has revealed almost all of the titles its developers are working on, things recently just got very interesting for the company, as it finalized its deal to acquire ZeniMax Media, and with it Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, Machine Games, Arkane, and Tango GameWorks.

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While many of these studios' games, such as Starfield, Deathloop, and Ghostwire: Tokyo have been revealed already, Microsoft has not had the opportunity to feature them in its own presentation. One very important game that has yet to be fully revealed is Starfield, the newest sprawling open-world RPG from Bethesda Game Studios. Microsoft's showcase this year will almost definitely be the first major gameplay reveal for Starfield, which is very likely a Xbox Series X/S exclusive title, with no consoles currently confirmed for the title.

In terms of third-parties as previously mentioned, Square Enix, Ubisoft, Capcom, Take-Two, Konami, and Warner Bros. all likely have games currently in development for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. While new announcements are also very likely, this means we will definitely see updates on previously announced titles such as Forspoken, Life is Strange: True Colors, Gotham Knights, Hogwarts Legacy, and perhaps even Final Fantasy 16. While many of these titles are also planned to come to last-generation consoles, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S owners are surely in for a treat at this year's E3 given how many games plan to take advantage of their power.

E3: A Digital Future?

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One very important factor as this year's E3 approaches is to consider that many companies have already abandoned E3 in favor of their own shows. In 2019, Sony skipped E3 for the first time in over 20 years, opting to host a 24-hour live stream which eventually revealed the release date for Death Stranding, during the same week as E3. In 2020, Sony hosted its Future of Gaming event the same week E3 was intended to be held before it was canceled. Nintendo's presentations have been absent from the show since 2013, despite its presence on the show floor. EA and Activision have also separated from E3 in recent years.

Last year almost every major publisher held its own digital showcase in the summer, which was enough to prove to some that E3 is potentially unnecessary. With a little more curation, something like The Game Awards host Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest could be the future of E3. Even Gamescom managed to put together a digital show full of surprise announcements and reveals from publishers all over the world.

This puts a huge amount of pressure on the ESA's shoulders this year to prove that E3 is here to stay, whether it's digital or in-person. Many fans were very disappointed in the scattershot manner of last year's showcases and presentations. If E3 can consolidate all of the industry's major announcements into one week, it could make people remember why the industry needs E3 going forward, and create an unforgettable show.

E3 2021 will take place from June 12 to June 15 2021.

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