WHAT IS E3?

E3 – the Electronic Entertainment Expo. It’s the biggest event in the video game industry. Devised in 1993, E3 was the original result of the games studios and companies not wanting to share a convention with electronic manufacturers. It’s the pinnacle of major game announcements, especially from giants Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. Attended by industry professionals and the worldwide press, expect the biggest breaking news and major unveilings from the world of game.

WHERE IS E3 2016?

Image Source: Glenn Francis, PacificProDigital.com

E3 is held at the Los Angeles Convention Centre in California, USA. We realise it might be a little far for many to travel but don’t worry, we at Zavvi have you covered. The major conferences occur just before the convention opens and these are streamed live on YouTube. Zavvi will be live-tweeting the latest announcements minute by minute – if and when they happen.

WHAT TIME ARE THE 2016 CONFERENCES?

EA: 12 June, 9PM BST

Bethesda: 13 June, 3AM BST

Microsoft: 13 June, 5:30PM BST

PC Gaming Show: 13 June, 8PM BST

Ubisoft: 13 June, 9PM BST

Sony: 14 June, 2AM BST

*Nintendo will host a full day of events – Nintendo Treehouse: Live. This begins June 14th at 5PM BST.

WHO’S AT E3 2016?

Sony: Sony’s 2015 announcements will take some beating this year – The Last Guardian, the Final Fantasy VII remake and Shenmue stole the show in the year previous. This June, we are led to believe that hardware could be Sony’s focus this time around. With the release of the PlayStation VR arriving in October, virtual reality will probably take the driving seat yet this could be dwarfed by the possible release of a console upgrade. Rumours of an upgraded PlayStation 4 have been supposedly leaked however, nothing confirmed by Sony officially. We’ll witness Horizon: Zero Dawn and Gran Turismo Sport, but it’s the probable Naughty Dog release which has us all panting anxiously.

Microsoft: From what we’ve heard, we believe that Microsoft’s E3 conference this year will be hardware centered. Despite being kept in the dark by Microsoft, we could potentially see slim-line consoles, re-vamped controllers and some updates from the Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headset. It’s also been suggested that a new, more powerful, console could make a debut. In gaming, we’re expecting a new Gears of War and Forza unveiling which will please our Xbox addictions very nicely.

Nintendo: The Legend of Zelda and Pokémon Sun and Moon have been confirmed as Nintendo’s headline acts for 2016, and we can’t wait to see what else they have in store. Nintendo Treehouse, lasting an entire day, will expose the gameplay of these revamped classics. On Wednesday 15^th, Nintendo will also be showcasing Monster Hunter Generations and Dragon Quest VII. A New console may seem likely however; the alleged new emphasis on mobile gaming is enough to keep us well and truly animated if not.

Ubisoft: Ubisoft have been very open about their announcements prior to E3. This suggests they could be hiding something. For Honor and Ghost Recon Wildlands have all been confirmed which should soften the blow of an unlikely Assassin’s Creed title. Watch Dogs 2 could also be at E3, although it could be a while until we get our hands on it with a 2017 release speculated.

Bethesda: Their debut conference last year left us all wanting more, and we’re so glad Bethesda are back presenting in 2016. Dishonored 2 is one thing that we can guarantee to hear more about as it’s Bethesda’s only release announced in full. Bethesda’s current quiet behaviour hints at some major news this year with reports of Prey 2, Fallout 4 and an addition to the Doom series being circulated. We’d love to see a Skyrim remaster nevertheless, we feel this rumour may just be too good to be true.

Square Enix: Of course we’re expecting to hear about Final Fantasy XV, which is due for release in late September however, this isn’t the only Japanese role-playing game we’ve got to look forward to at E3 2016. Expect to receive a Kingdom Hearts III release date, an entire decade after the previous instalment became available. Finally, after releasing the latest Hitman title earlier this year, we’re hoping for new updates on this killer series

PC Gaming Show: As always, PC Gaming will keep us entertained by showcasing the most innovative and diverse gaming advancements from across the globe.

Others: Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 could potentially take us back to the Wild West, as well as Sega’s Warhammer 40,000: Dawn Of War III being reported. Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 is understood to be better than ever, attempting to bridge the popularity gap with EA’s FIFA. Could it be Konami’s year?

WHO ISN’T AT E3 2016?

EA: In a bold and controversial move, EA are waving goodbye to E3. Instead, Electronic Arts are holding their own fan-centred events titled ‘EA Play’ in both Los Angeles and in London. As an alternative to presenting on the Monday night, EA will be showcasing the year’s releases a day earlier than E3, on Sunday 12^th June. We’re expecting gamers to be trying out the likes of Battlefield 1, Titanfall 2, FIFA 17 and Mass Effect: Andromeda however, the buzzes surrounding potential new Star Wars releases have us all waiting in the greatest suspense. Battlefront 2 – perhaps? We can only pray.

Activision: We’re not expecting any surprising announcements from Activision this June instead; we’re expecting a much larger presence at Gamescom in August. With a Modern Warfare re-master and a new Spider-Man title in the pipeline, we can hardly wait to see their latest developments.