E3 2018 is just around the corner. This weekend, the press conference slate for the 2018 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles kicks off. Dozens of new games will be announced, along with debut trailers, gameplay videos, and more of all of the hottest games coming to every gaming platform. Then from Tuesday through Thursday, the Los Angeles Convention Center’s show floor opens up to thousands of fans on the expo floor with boots, demos, and interview stages featuring the industry’s biggest names.
It’s like Christmas for the gaming world and it’s just a few days away from getting started. We’ve collected a list of every press conference, what time it airs, how to watch it, and exactly what you should expect to see during each show. There’s a lot going on over the next few days, so buckle in tight.
Note, we’re basing our press conference schedule off of the PT (Los Angeles, UTC-7) timezone. This handy chart full of alternate time zones created by Cheesemeister3k on Twitter.
Electronic Arts E3 2018 Press Conference
Saturday, June 09 at 11:00 AM
The powers that be of the game industry seem to determined to extend E3 as much as possible, so Electronic Arts (EA) have once again scheduled their press conference for the Saturday before the expo officially begins. Since EA hosts its own “EA Play” event down the street from the LA Convention Center they try to play by their own rules.
This year we can expect to see more in-depth gameplay details for Anthem, the new Bioware title that was announced last year, more ongoing content for Star Wars Battlefront II, likely attached to the Solo film, as well as previews of yearly sports titles like FIFA and Madden. The past few years EA has also tried to shine a spotlight on more indie projects, so we’ll likely get a glimpse of a few of those during the show. The big title they’ll likely focus on the most is Battlefield V, which was just recently revealed. Fingers crossed for a Star Wars game with an actual storyline, but I won’t hold my breath.
Microsoft E3 2018 Press Conference
Sunday, June 10 at 1:00 PM
https://mixer.com/xbox
After the lackluster launch of Sea of Thieves and bug-ridden release of State of Decay 2, Microsoft is coming into E3 this year with a bit of a limp. Over the last few shows they’ve likely learned their lesson that software sells hardware and being several million units behind Sony at this stage of the Xbox One’s lifecycle hopefully means a shift to focusing on more big games.
As a result, expect a powerhouse lineup of titles at Microsoft’s press conference this year. In addition to Forza Horizon 4 and Halo 6 more than likely, there is probably also going to be a new Gears of War game on the slate, hopefully, news on Crackdown 3, and if we’re lucky, maybe a new Killer Instinct game as well. Cyberpunk 2077 (the next game from the developers of The Witcher series, CD Projekt RED) could make an appearance at Microsoft’s show as well, although it’s not guaranteed. This could go in a lot of different directions, so it will definitely be one to keep an eye on.
Bethesda E3 2018 Press Conference
Sunday, June 10 at 6:30 PM
This year will mark Bethesda’s fourth consecutive year in which they’ve hosted their own press conference. As the publisher continues to grow in size with a healthy stable of capable developers, expect their E3 footprint to continue growing as well.
The two major games we already know for sure will be on display are the newly announced Fallout 76 and RAGE 2. Other than that, it’s mostly a mystery. You can probably safely assume new releases/updates for The Elder Scrolls: Legends digital card game and a spotlight for The Elder Scrolls Online, which just got a new expansion with Summerset. I’ve heard some rumors swirling of a teaser for a new DOOM follow-up, but that’s unlikely this year. I’d put money on some DLC for The Evil Within 2, which released last fall, and hopefully something Dishonored related as well. I’m also expecting one or two VR announcements (like Fallout 4 on PSVR) as well as perhaps a Fallout 3 Special Edition port for current generation consoles, similar to what Skyrim got late last year.
Devolver Digital E3 2018 Press Conference
Sunday, June 10 at 8:00 PM
This press conference is the biggest wild card of the entire week. Last year marked Devolver’s first attempt at a “press conference” and it yielded some hilarious results (video above). The whole thing was actually just a parody of press conferences and the game industry as a whole, so we expect more of the same this year. Also lots more fake blood and screaming.
In terms of actual announcements, the company is reportedly promising actual game news for real this year, but I wouldn’t put too much stock in that. However, this is the year that we better learn some more about Serious Sam 4. Croteam has been working on that game for what feels like an eternity at this point. SCUM is another likely game to make an appearance, which is a hardcore survival game with some of the most realistic water and wetness systems I’ve ever seen.
Square Enix E3 2018 Press Conference
Monday, June 11 at 10:00 AM
Out of all the E3 press conferences this one might be the easiest to predict unless they include some major curveballs. Most of their major lineup is already known or can be easily presumed based on time and industry trends.
For starters, Kingdom Hearts 3 will absolutely be a major focus. Media just got the first ever hands-on demonstration not long ago, so expect the press conference to extrapolate off of that heavily, most likely with a focus on plot points in a new trailer. Then there’s Shadow of the Tomb Raider, which has already been to a playable demo event as well. Dragon Quest XI is basically a guarantee as well since it was already at PAX, in addition to other Japanese RPGs like the Final Fantasy VII remake, Switch exclusive Octopath Traveler, and maybe Dragon Quest Builders 2. Personally, I’ve got my fingers crossed for a Just Cause 4 teaser or announcement too.
Limited Run E3 2018 Press Conference
Monday, June 11 at 12:00 PM
Correct me if I’m wrong here, but I’m fairly certain that this is the first time Limited Run games has hosted a press conference of any kind. For those that don’t know, Limited Run is a boutique publishing house that specializes in manufacturing limited edition re-releases of popular indie games that were previously digital-only purchases. Some of their stuff is absolutely beautiful, too.
This conference is a big mystery for a lot of people. So far this year they’ve done physical releases for Cosmic Star Heroine, PixelJunk Monsters 2, and several others. My best guess is honestly just some new physical releases announced for PS4, Vita, Switch, and maybe Xbox One too, plus there’s always the possibility that they could brand out into publishing original titles as well, meaning, not just repackaging existing games for physical releases.
Ubisoft E3 2018 Press Conference
Monday, June 11 at 1:00 PM
Ubisoft has found a lot of success as of late, specifically with updates and continued support for their existing games like The Division, Rainbow Six Siege, For Honor, and Ghost Recon: Wildlands.
For this year, expect to see a small handful of new games, but mostly a focus on the titles we already know about. Guaranteed titles that will make an appearance include Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, The Division 2, and The Crew 2, as well as some new Just Dance game more than likely, plus games they announced last year but haven’t released yet like Skull and Bones and Starlink. I’d be shocked if we didn’t learn about new Far Cry 5 DLC and saw more Beyond Good & Evil 2 gameplay as well.
PC Gaming Show E3 2018 Press Conference
Monday, June 11 at 3:00 PM
Over the last few years this show has become a bastion for news on budding indie games and the more techy side of the game industry. This year will likely be no different.
We’re expecting to see some new announcements and VR games from Oculus at this event, as well as updates from Stardock Entertainment and Tripwire Interactive — perhaps new Killing Floor 2 content? Elite: Dangerous will have some updates to talk about, a smattering of MMO news drops, as well as the big new battle royale game from Improbably, Mavericks. Honestly, this show could include just about anything and we wouldn’t be too surprised.
Sony E3 2018 Press Conference
Monday, June 11 at 6:00 PM
Sony is still riding high from the stellar reception God of War has received, despite the mixed results with Detroit: Become Human. There is still a lot on the horizon for Sony, leaving plenty of room for their showcase a ton of games in their show.
The Last of Us 2 will certainly be a major landmark of the conference, ideally in the form of the first real gameplay footage. Days Gone hasn’t gotten the best previews, but that is slated for an early 2019 release so it should still be mentioned. Spider-Man from Insomniac releases later this year and is expected to occupy a large chunk of Sony’s conference. Other titles include Destiny 2’s new expansion and Black Ops 4, given the prior relationships with Activision. We’re crossing our fingers for a PUBG on PS4 announcement. Finally, Ghosts of Tsushima, Dreams, Kojima’s Death Stranding, and a slew of indies and PSVR titles will probably round out the show. We better get some news on Red Dead Redemption 2 as well, given the timed-exclusive deals with Rockstar.
Nintendo E3 2018 Direct Video Presentation
Tuesday, June 12 at 9:00 AM
Finally, there’s the Nintendo video presentation. It’s slated for the first official day of the show floor opening, well after everyone else’s conferences. The Big N stopped doing formal conferences at E3 itself a few years ago and instead host livestreams and post pre-recorded video announcements.
Smash Bros. Switch is already confirmed to be one of the major games shown this year, as well as Metroid Prime 4 and Mario Tennis Aces. Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu! and Eevee! are both locks to get featured slots as well following their recent announcements. Part of me feels like there could be Super Mario Odyssey DLC on the way as well following the success of Zelda’s DLC releases. To round things out we’re expecting a great collection of new indie titles, more Labo creation kits, as well as more details on the new Switch Yoshi game.
