It's that time of year again. If you sit very still, you can almost hear the excitement building, for E3 is just around the corner. Due to begin next week on Monday the 15th June, the games industry's annual extravaganza of press conference, surprises, game announcements and crazy all night parties is just a few days away - and we've got all the details you need to get up to speed.
If you've never heard of an "E3" before, or you've stayed on the edge of the culture that is gaming, it won't take too long to get you up to speed. E3 is an annual event that takes place every June, and is an almost religious celebration of the culture of the gaming world. Developers, journalists, marketeers and anyone and everyone who has anything to do with games will be flying out to LA for three days of huge announcements and crazy shenanigans. The chance for studios around the world to show off their latest work to the whole world, and lift the lid on new games, new ideas, new tech (or perhaps just more remasters) - E3 is basically like Christmas come early for nerds like us.
But you don't need to fly out to America to keep in touch with the goings on. In fact, you'll be able to keep abreast of developments from the comfort of your own home - both by checking back at your favourite gaming site (that's us!), and by watching the opening gambit, the press conferences, live over the internet. Over the first few days of E3, everyone who's anyone hosts their own press conference, stepping into the spotlight to share their latest games. This year Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo have been joined by a few more publishers, keen to steal some of the glory for themselves - so here's the order of events, so you can keep up at home:
June 15th
Bethesda - 3am GMT / 7pm PT
Yes, that's 3 am GMT - the Americans don't care much for us Brits. This is actually the first time Bethesda will be holding a press conference, so you can guarantee they'll have a lot to show. From the recently announced post-apocalyptic role playing game Fallout 4, to online fantasy fest the Elder Scrolls Online, and even the return of an old favourite shooter in DOOM, this is one where we may see a few surprises. If we're up at that time in the morning.
Microsoft - 5:30pm GMT / 9:30am PT
The Xbox One will be taking centre stage in Microsoft's show, as the company pulls out the big guns. Expect more of sci-fi shooter Halo 5, along with more from free to play role playing game Fable Legends, and the mysterious Scalebound. With Windows 10 around the corner we may also see the features of the new system as well. The real question is - will we see anything new from UK studio and Banjo Kazooie creators, Rare? We can but hope.
EA - 9PM GMT / 1pm PT
Along with the usual snore fest of yearly sequels (FIFA 16, Madden, NHL, NBA), EA have a few more interesting titles they'll be showing more of this year. Perhaps the one we're most excited for is Star Wars Battlefront 3 - a game that's set to be a huge hit in a year that's going to be rather Star Wars centric, but we can also expect more of free running parkour sim Mirror's Edge, and maybe even a new Plants vs Zombies.
Ubisoft - 11pm GMT / 3pm PT
With yet another Assassin's Creed instalment on the line as well as an upcoming movie spin off you can bet there will be cloaks and hidden sleeve daggers at every turn.
June 16th
Sony - 2am GMT / 6pm PT
While Sony have admitted their Playstation 4 line-up's looking a bit slim this year, the conference should still have plenty for players to sink their teeth into. Teenage survival horror Until Dawn, Tomb Raider alike Uncharted 4 and the Uncharted Collection are all guaranteed to show their faces - but we'll be holding out for more of ambitious space exploration game No Man's Sky, and maybe something from story centric developers, Quantic Dream, whose last game, Beyond: Two Souls left us impressed.
Nintendo - 5pm GMT/ 9am PT
If we don't see any new footage of Zelda U, we will cry - although with the recent rumours of a delay (and potential shift of platform, to Nintendo's new, top secret home console, the NX), it may not be as much of a guarantee as we might hope. A new Pokémon game is a shoe in too, surely?
Square Enix - 6pm GMT / 10am PT
Square Enix are another newcomer to hosting their own press events, and will likely have a few treats hidden up their sleeves in the form of the new expansion for their popular online adventure Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward, the new "grittier" Rise of the Tomb Raider (boo! - Ed), and, most excitingly, some more footage of mega role playing games Final Fantasy XV and the Disney inspired Kingdom Hearts 3.
PC Gaming Show - 1am GMT / 5pm PT
If you're a part of the PC Master Race this is the conference for you. It's all things PC gaming from exclusive digital games, Steam, graphics cards and more FPS than you can shake a FRAPS at. If you happen to be UK based like ourselves, there are some late hours - with E3 very much an American centric event, and with far too many press conferences to fit in, the 8 hour time difference doesn't do us much favours. Still, that won't stop us! It's time to drink down that caffeine and stay up all night for the greater good of gaming! We'll be keeping you updated next week - make sure you keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter accounts, and the site in general for all the news and opinions about the games that matter to you!
