Microsoft has had big showings for hardware at its last two E3 conferences, with the Xbox One S landing in 2016 and the Xbox One X being a big focus of the show last year. This year however, there are no new consoles to launch, with the focus being placed firmly back on new games, which is good news for both Xbox and PC gamers. This week, Microsoft announced when its E3 showing will take place, adding that it will be its “biggest E3 showing ever”.
Rather than taking up a chunk of the show floor inside of the Los Angeles Convention Centre, this year Microsoft will be taking over the entire Microsoft Theatre across the road. The company's E3 press conference will take place at 1PM Pacific Time on the 10th of June, which will be followed by the Microsoft Theatre show floor opening up for hands-on demos for press and fans alike.
Image credit: Microsoft
Microsoft moving to its own theatre for E3 this year was a decision made in collaboration with the ESA, so it will still be an official part of E3, but Microsoft will have its own building. This is a big move, and gives Microsoft much more space to show off its games.
Over the last few years, E3 has shifted from an industry focussed event, to one that focusses on keen hardcore fans in addition to press. We don't know exactly what Microsoft will be showing at E3 this year, but with Sea of Thieves coming this month and State of Decay 2 arriving in May, we can hopefully expect some new exclusives to bolster Microsoft's roster. Since Crackdown 3 is still has no release date, I'd expect that to make a final E3 appearance this year.
KitGuru Says: Microsoft seems to have big plans for E3 this year, which is very exciting. I do hope that we see more than just sequels this year though, Halo 6 or Gears 5 would be awesome, but something fresh and new would also be a big deal. Is there anything you are hoping to see at E3 this year?