E3 2021 – Here’s the entire schedule so far and everything else to look forward to

Last year’s E3 was pretty much a write-off long before the Electronic Software Assosciation announced that the show would not go on in 2020. Extraordinary circumstances and saw E3 skip out on having any presence whatsoever in 2020, but this year things are a little bit different. The ESA has put together an all-digital showcase, one that has a beefy number of names attached to it, ranging from the biggest players in the industry through to smaller but no less important brands.

In case you’ve forgotten, here’s the full list of partners for E3 2021:

E3 2021 Game Partners

• Nintendo
• Xbox
• Capcom
• Ubisoft
• Take-Two
• Warner Bros. Games
• Square Enix
• Koch Media
• Sega
• Bandai Namco
• Gearbox
• Turtle Beach
• Verizon
• Binge.com
• Devious Eye Entertainment
• Freedom Games
• Xseed/Marvelous USA

Not too shabby! This year’s event will most likely be comprised of trailers, gameplay previews, and Xbox starting every video with “WORLD PREMIERE”, and so far a lid has been kept nice and tight on the whole show. This is also turning out to be a year with many satellite events  preceding and following in the wake of E3, much to the joy of pharmacists who’ll be banking big on game journos needing to stock up on a few crates worth of No-doze pills to help cover everything.

Here’s everything that we know so far:

Summer Game Fest – June 2021

Hideo Kojima’s best friend Geoff Keighley is back with another Q3 of reveals! Just like last year’s imaugural Summer Game Fest, this year’s incarnation will “feature a more condensed schedule of events across less than a month”. Summer Game Fest worked in tandem with other events, so expect to see branding everywhere, as well as plenty of new game demos.

Kickoff Live! – June 10

Speaking of crossover, Summer Games Fest loans some of its promotional muscle to Kickoff Live!, which Keighley has hyped up as a “world premiere showcase”. WORLD PREMIERE!

Guerrilla Collective – June 5 and June 12, at 11:00 a.m. ET

Debuting last year, Guerlla Collective will take place across a pair of Saturdays and already has 80 games lined up for those two weekends. Innersloth, 505 Games, and All In! Games are just some of the many many game studios that’ll be showing their wares off, so if you’re in the mood for smaller and quirkier titles, you’re in for some good content!

Wholesome Direct – June 12

Keeping it indie, Wholesome Direct will roll out a selection of lo-fi chill vibes, and has 75 games on its docket. It’s basically a mental retreat to help you recharge your brain batteries, as opposed to the usual extreme 2000s energy of everything else during E3 season.

E3 – June 12 – 15

Daddy’s home, at long last.

Gaming’s Wrestlemania returns to its usual June timeslot, but with a few differences! As an all-digital event, E3 is flexing some AAA power with Xbox, Capcom, Ubisoft, Square Enix, and so many more names rocking up to the party for three days of non-stop activity. Curiously, big names such as Sony, Rockstar, Activision, and EA have not yet confirmed if they’ll have a presence, and an educated guess would be that some of the other big power players in the industry aren’t keen to share the spotlight. Easy money is on reveals from those brands coming through independent dedicated shows instead.

Ubisoft Forward – June 12

Ubisoft is no stranger to the big ol’ press conference, having delighted many a fan in the past with its annual event and baffling every journalist in attendance with the weird-as-heck Just Dance segment. Of the games that we do know about, you can probably expect more details on Far Cry 6 and Rider’s Republic, while the hugely successful Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Rainbow Six Siege should be receiving some updates.

Throw in some more love for Ubisoft’s brilliant Immortals Fenyx Rising amidst a few other reveals and that sounds like a good time for me. Splinter Cell fans, don’t expect anything new this year. Again.

PC Gaming Show + Future Games Show – June 13

PC Gamer and Games Radar are tag teaming this year for the PC Gaming show, which will likely be more of what last year had to offer: Games, lots of them, and some funny hosting between a number of new trailers.

Devolver Digital – June 12

Gods help us all, Nina Struthers is coming back. Devolver Digital usually makes good on its threats to host something to take the piss out of E3, and every year it hits the scene with a violent spectacle of hype and some damn good-lookin’ games. The future’s future!

Other events to keep an eye on

June’s a stacked month, but it’s merely the tip of the spear that is being chucked at your fleshy optical processors! Once the dust has settled from that month, July and August will also strike back with a bunch of shows to get excited for:

• Pax Online – July 15 – 18
• EA Play Live – July 22
• Game Developers Conference – July 19 – 23
• QuakeCon – August 19 – 21
• GamesCom Opening Night Live – August 24
• Gamescom – August 25 – 27

Last Updated: May 24, 2021