E3 2017 schedule: press conference and live stream times for Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, and others
We're less than a week away from the biggest event in gaming - E3 is almost here! 2017 is a big year for the show, with it being open to the public for the very first time.
It's not just a big year for the show, but a big year for games in general - we've got Nintendo's Switch console having a strong start out of the gate, Microsoft hedging their enthusiast bets on their souped-up mid-gen upgrade, and Sony continuously surprising us with numerous game announcements at the show. People always question the relevance of E3, and this year might end up being a very important time in terms of the show proving that it still matters.
On the RPG front we have a lot we're hoping to hear about. Final Fantasy VII Remake and Kingdom Hearts III are now getting up there in development time and lacking recent updates for fans, while Fallout 4 VR is still on the way. Bethesda might also have more RPG goodness beyond that, of course. Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is on the way, and Nintendo has Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Fire Emblem Warriors and Zelda: Breath of the Wild DLC to look forward to, plus the worst-kept secret Mario & Rabbids Kingdom Battle.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole is finally nearing release, too. Will Bioware finally show their new IP, or will Mass Effect Andromeda get DLC despite its performance? On top of all this we of course have the likes of Nippon Ichi, XSEED, Idea Factory, NCSoft, Obsidian - lots of companies attending or around the show that should bring a lot of excitement for RPG fans.
Before expo doors open for both the press and the public on Tuesday June 13th, we have the usual gamut of E3 stage presentations to get through. If you're new to E3 you might want to watch these, and if you're a veteran you know exactly why we say that: these enormous stage shows are basically excessive celebrations of video games that are sure to get you hyped for the coming year.
In order to help you to set up bunch of reminders (alarm clocks optional) about when to tune into the various livestreams or message boards to melt down or freak out with the rest of us, we've compiled the timings you really need to know below. Stick with us throughout E3 - we'll be covering the madness from the ground as it happens!
Electronic Arts at E3 2017 - Live Stream Schedule
EA Play – June 10th – 12pm PT, 4pm ET, 8pm BST, 9pm CEST
E3 (unofficially) starts off one day even earlier than usual thanks to Electronic Arts deciding to step out in front of the competition, potentially to escape the crowded newsfront of the show-proper.
EA is once again using the EA Play naming to highlight their E3 2017 presence. EA Play 2017 will be open to the public E3 visitors, but before that happens they’ll hold a press conference to talk about the playable games at the show plus make the usual conference splash of new announcements and gameplay presentations. You'll be able to stream this conference through EA's YouTube and Twitch channels.
On the RPG front, we're excited to potentially learn more about Bioware's newest RPG-lite IP, that reportedly borrows ideas from titles such as Destiny and the Division. We also know that despite Mass Effect Andromeda's rocky reception that a new Dragon Age title is still in production - so maybe we'll learn some more about a follow-up to 2014's Inquisition.
Microsoft at E3 2017 - Live Stream Schedule
Xbox / Microsoft – June 11th – 2pm PT, 5pm ET, 10pm BST, 11pm CEST
Microsoft slotted their conference back a day relative to last year, likely to snag a time that isn’t quite so early. Microsoft is the first of the hardware makers to announce their current lineup and strategies with the world, and one could argue that they have the most to gain or lose with their showing this year. We expect to finally see all the nitty gritty on the Xbox Scorpio, updates on long-awaited titles like the RPG-like (but not RPG) title Sea of Thieves, probably some Windows 10 gaming and focus on their newly-rebranded Mixer streaming service.
Ever since Fable was taken out back and finished off with the cancellation of Fable Legends Microsoft's first party offering has been devoid of RPGs - we hope to see them address that at E3 - as we do every year.
Hopefully, Microsoft can surprise us with some strong new game announcements that give us something to look forward to that can accompany their teraflops-pushing hardware. You'll be able to stream Microsoft's presentation on their Youtube and Twitch channels.
Bethesda at E3 2017 - Live Stream Schedule
Bethesda – June 11th – 9pm PT, 12pm ET, 5am BST, 6am CEST
Since their E3 showing last year, Besthesda has launched quality titles in both Dishonored 2 and Prey. We expect some focus on their VR initiative highlighted last year, with potential VR showing including DOOM, Fallout 4, and Skyrim. We'll likely see some footage about the progress of Elder Scrolls Online and its recent Morrowind Expansion.
As for new showings, we are hopeful to see a first official reveal of Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, and we're always hoping to get a first look at the next Elder Scrolls or whatever else the open world RPG king Bethesda Game Studios is working on. Some rumors even suggest that The Evil Within 2 might make an appearance. You should be able to stream their presentation at their Twitch channel.
Devolver Digital at E3 2017 - Live Stream Schedule
Devolver – June 11th – 10pm PT, 1 am ET, 6am BST, 7am CEST
To be honest. We really don't know what to expect from Devolver's Debut E3 showing. The indie mega-publisher is responsible for titles such as Hotline Miami, Broforce, and The Talos Principle. They've already teased a new announcement for tomorrow, June 6th, but outside of further details on this mystery title, this one's up in the air. It's pretty late, especially if you're in a time zone later than North America's west coast (statistically speaking, you almost certainly are), so prepare some late night caffeine if you're going to stay up for this one.
PC Gaming Show at E3 2017 - Live Stream Schedule
The PC Gaming Show – June 12th – 10am PT, 1pm ET, 7pm BST, 8pm CEST
The PC gaming show is a hard thing to predict, we never quite know what little tidbits and information we will be able to pull from this hodgepodge of developers and hardware manufacturers. We do know that some of the presenters for the show include Bohemia Interactive, Tripwire Interactive, Cygames, and Nexon. It's not exactly clear what all to expect from this odd duck of a show, but hey, you'll need something to pass the time before Sony's blockbuster event in the evening.
Live streams will be available at PC Gamer's Youtube and Twitch pages.
Ubisoft at E3 2017 - Live Stream Schedule
Ubisoft – June 12th – 1pm PT, 4pm ET, 9pm BST, 10pm CEST
Ubisoft is holding the middle conference slot during the Sunday triple header, and while it's not being hosted by Aisha Tyler, we're still pretty excited about it. We expect to finally see some official details about Assassin’s Creed Empire after the series finally took a year off in 2016. We will likely see new footage of both the recently announced Far Cry 5, plus racer The Crew 2.
On the RPG front Ubisoft has the oft-delayed South Park: The Fractured but Whole on the way, and we also expect to see official details of the heavily leaked cross-over project with Nintendo, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle - though this could be just as likely to show up at Nintendo's Live Stream Event. As always, we also hope for a surprise or two.
Ubisoft's E3 conference can be streamed on the company's Youtube and Twitch pages.
Sony at E3 2017 - Live Stream Schedule
PlayStation / Sony – June 12th – 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am BST, 3am CEST
As expected, Sony will show off their newest titles and trailers in the Monday evening slot before E3 proper. While some rumors have been circulating of some form of new Playstation hardware to make a surprise appearance at E3 this year, we expect this to be a software showcase of the currently leading console ecosystem that is, pardon me, just hitting its stride.
We’re certainly going to see more God of War, Spider-Man, and The Last of Us Part 2, but the most exciting parts of Sony's conferences are always about what we never expected to see. Playstation boss Shawn Layden has already stated that they'll have "some big announcements at E3" with respect to Japanese published titles, so of course we're excited to see what's in store.
Sony has the exclusive locked up on many Japanese third-party titles, including many top RPGs. If we see Final Fantasy VII Remake or Kingdom Hearts III at E3, this is proably where we'll see them.
If you're not planning to watch Sony's showcase on the big screen, Sony's press conference will be streamable through their Youtube and Twitch channels.
Nintendo at E3 2017 - Live Stream Schedule
Nintendo Spotlight: E3 2017 – June 13th – 9am PT, 12pm ET, 5pm BST, 6pm CEST
Nintendo hasn't held a traditional press conference in years, but that's not stopping them from putting on a show with what they are titling as “Nintendo Spotlight: E3 2017”, a pre-recorded E3 stream similar to last year’s E3 Nintendo ‘Digital Event’. Last year's E3 presence for Nintendo was a bit of an odd one, focusing almost entirely on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The unorthodox approach appears to have paid off for Nintendo in spades, with the title launching to both critical and commercial success and upping forcasts for the console's production.
This year, we already expect to see extended footage of Super Mario Odyssey, and hopefully Xenoblade 2. Will we finally see what Retro Studios has been up to since 2014's Tropical Freeze? Or a new Switch entry in the Metroid franchise? Is it still silly in 2017 to hope that those two things are one and the same? Will wee see some the rumored Pokemon Stars on Switch? Will they bring back Golden Sun? (The answer, sadly, is probably no). We also hope to see details about the long-rumored switch re-release of the Super Smash Brothers series as well as some potential for other late Wii U - to - Switch ports. We also have Zelda DLC details to look forward to, surely.
In addition to their event being streamed at Nintendo's website, Youtube page, or Twitch channel, Nintendo's signature "Treehouse Live at E3" will continue on after, highlighting various gameplay and interviews throughout the week.