What will be on-stage at E3 2019's press conferences?

• 1 Microsoft

  

  Date: Sunday, June 9th
  Time: 2100 BST/1300 PT
  Watch here

  With no Sony at this year's E3, Microsoft more or less has free rein to dominate the headlines at the show. Last year saw the Big M showing off a huge 52 titles, including that blockbuster Cyberpunk 2077 reveal at the conference's close, as well as announcing the purchase of four studios, as well as the establishment of its new The Initiative development house in Santa Monica.

  For 2019, it's likely that the Xbox firm will be giving us further indications about what the future of the platform holds. We wouldn't be surprised to see some new developers joining the 13-strong Xbox Game Studios roster. There were rumours floating around that Microsoft was looking to buy Danish Hitman maker IO Interactive, which fits the profile of what the company appears to be after - mid-sized studios with a strong heritage, creativity and clout. Whether 47 and co join the Xbox firm is another matter altogether.

  The xCloud streaming service will no doubt make an appearance, too. Xbox boss Phil Spencer has indicated that the tech is now take-home ready - and has said he's been using it for some time - and the beta at the end of this year is fast approaching. Given that Google has tried to dominate the streaming conversation with its Stadia announcement at GDC - and more details promised next month - Spencer and co need to start telling us more about their own tech. Oh, and we'll probably get some stats about how well Game Pass is doing, too. PCGamesInsider.biz has heard rumblings of titles from third-party publishers joining Microsoft's first-party projects and ID@Xbox games in coming to the subscription service as soon as they launch, but we haven't been able to corroborate that information.

  In terms of what titles will be shown off on Xbox's stage, there's definitely a focus on first-party. Spencer has already said that there are going to be 14 first-party studio games on-stage - interesting given that the firm only has 13 developers in its Xbox Game Studios it's likely we'll see more of Halo Infinite. This opened last year's conference with a tech demo showcasing what's possible with 343's proprietary Slipstream Engine, with more details about what the Master Chief's next chapter holds. There will be more about the trio of Gears of War titles, too - including the Funko Pop mobile game that we had to fact check wasn't the subject of a fever dream we'd had.

  Other first-party goodness could include the Fable title that Playground is rumoured to be working on. Microsoft has confirmed that the Forza Horizon maker - one of the developers that joined its first-party line-up at last year's E3 - is working on an open-world RPG, which gives credence to the Fable rumours. Regardless, whatever the Leamington Spa-based studio is working on is likely to be at the show. The same is also likely true for whatever Microsoft's brand new Santa Monica-based outfit is working on. Given that the studio was only set up early last year and has been steadily staffing up since, it's likely we'll see some sort making-of type video with Darrel Gallagher and his astonishingly talented team talking in broad terms about the project alongside some concept art. It's still early days, but Microsoft will almost definitely want to show off its new toy.

  Turn10 will reveal Forza Motorsport 7, complete with an insanely expensive sports car being lowered from the ceiling in dramatic fashion in an astonishing feat of product placement that - while likely part of a licensing deal - vastly misses the mark in terms of what its the audience watching at home has to spend.

  But anyways.

  The Big M will also probably have new content to show off for on-going games like Sea of Thieves, State of Decay 2 and Forza Horizon 4. Speaking of Forza, Turn10 will reveal Forza Motorsport 7, complete with an insanely expensive sports car being lowered from the ceiling in dramatic fashion in an astonishing feat of product placement that - while likely part of a licensing deal - vastly misses the mark in terms of what its addressable audience has to spend. A tease of what Rare has planned next isn't out of the question, too.

  As always, third-party will be a focus for Xbox's showcase. With the megaton reveal of Cyberpunk 2077 at E3 2018, CD Projekt RED's eagerly-anticipated sci-fi RPG appearing at the Microsoft conference feels like a safe bet, as is

   

  
  

• 2 Ubisoft

  

  Date: Monday, June 10th
  Time: 2100 BST/1300 PT
  Watch here

  We can imagine that Ubisoft is going to have a lot to show off at this year's E3, but it's looking like we already know a fair bit about what is going to be on-stage.

  In the French firm's financial call last month, it said that it had three triple-A titles yet to unveil for the 2019/20 fiscal year, on top of the leaked Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint. A new Watch Dogs has since been leaked. Dubbed Legion, this is the long-rumoured entry in the franchise set in London but new details on Amazon suggest it's going to be set post-Brexit and users will be able to play as any NPC. (Update 5/6/19 - Ubisoft has since confirmed the game) 

  Watch Dogs isn't the only title to leak from Ubisoft's roster. The French publishing firm is reportedly announcing a title called Roller Champions, a Rocket League-esque take roller derby. As for the third unannounced game, our money is on something new. With the new consoles set to launch next year, it's incredibly likely that Ubisoft will be doing something new - as is a common theme in the French firm's strategy - much in the way it dove head-first into the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One generation with Watch Dogs. Speaking of new platforms, new details about Ubisoft's involvement with Google's Stadia platform will likely be emerging, following on from the tech and search giant's conference later this week. 

  Oh, and we'll likely see some more information about the future of Ubisoft's Uplay platform. An Ultimate Pass has been leaked, likely a subscription service like EA's Origin Access platform, and with the changing PC games storefront landscape, it'll be likely the firm will be doing more with its PC platform in the near future.

  Ubisoft also did some trademarking for Splinter Cell earlier this year, though it's possible this is more to do with the film starring Tom Hardy than a new game. CEO Yves Guillemot has said there's work going on for a new title in the series, but it's likely too early to see anything just yet.

  The long-awaited Beyond Good and Evil 2 is not going to be at Ubisoft's showcase, and with production now seeming to - maybe finally? - ramp up on James Cameron's new Avatar films, it's possible we might get a first glimpse at Ubisoft's project based on the IP.

  Aside from that, it's safe to expect Ubisoft to talk about new content for its on-going service-based games, such as The Division 2, Assassin's Creed Odyssey and The Crew 2. We'll also have that typical Ubisoft and very weird moment when loads of dancers take to the stage so that the French firm can talk about Just Dance. Perfection, every single year.

  
  

• 3 Bethesda

  

  Date: Sunday, June 9th/Monday June 10th
  Time: 1730 PT/0130 BST
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  Bethesda's E3 presence since 2015 has been a bit of a curious one ever since that debut.

  Back then, the firm revealed Fallout 4 to huge levels of hype, especially as the title launched just five months later. That was on top of new entries in the Doom and Dishonored series, alongside the surprised 'and it's out now!' launch of mobile title Fallout Shelter.

  It was a big year for the publisher, but every subsequent E3 has felt like something of a let-down. Last year saw the company reveal The Elder Scrolls VI as well as tease the long-rumoured Starfield sci-fi RPG.

  As for what Bethesda is going to announce this year, it's honestly looking like a weak year. The company's studio director has said that we shouldn't expect anything about Starfield of Elder Scrolls VI. So what leaves titles that we already know about, like Doom Eternal, and updates on service-based projects that are already out in the wild, like Fallout 76 and The Elder Scrolls Online. We're not saying that we shouldn't expect anything new from Bethesda; more that it's impossible to say what this could be. The firm has made an investment in first-party recently, bringing both BattleCry - rebranded a Bethesda Austin - and Escalation Studios into its portfolio.

  
  

• 4 Square Enix

  

  Date: Monday June 10th/Tuesday, June 11th
  Time: 1800 PT/2100 ET/0230 BST
  Watch here

  For the second year in a row, Square Enix is holding a conference at E3. 2018's showcase was mostly to talk about the long-awaited Kingdom Hearts 3, in addition to rolling out some interesting new games like The Quiet Man.

  This year, however, it's likely that headline event will be the Marvel games it is working on. Announced at the start of 2017, little has been heard about The Avengers project since, save that both Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal are working on it. There also rumours of a Guardians of the Galaxy game that is also in the works.

  It's possible we'll see more of the Final Fantasy VII Remake - not that that's relevant to the PC games audience - in addition to a new project called Outriders. This is a sci-fi RPG that the Japanese publishing giant has been teasing. We may also see what's next in the Nier franchise, with Square saying in 2017 financial calls that the game has franchise potential. If you see a guy wearing a moon face on-stage at the press conference, that's not your brain melting under the pressure of modern life and the increased expectations we have of ourselves thanks to social media, that's in fact Yoko Taro, Nier's director.

  It's also been a few years since we've heard much from Square Enix Montreal, the mobile-focused studio behind the Go series, as well as Hitman Sniper. If there was going to be a megaton 'and it's out now' moment, that would be it.

  Oh, and it's possible we'll be seeing something from the Deus Ex franchise, too. Though the series is on ice thanks to a worse than expected performance for 2016's Mankind Divided - and the fact that Eidos Montreal is working on The Avengers project - Square Enix has filed a number of Deus Ex trademarks in the last month or so - watch this space!

  One more thing it's possible to see on-stage at Square Enix's showcase is streaming. The firm has toyed around with the tech in the past with its Shinra platform - which was axed in 2016 - but given that this is one of the hot topics of the moment, it's entirely possible that Square will be looking into it once more. Bit of an out-there prediction, but it would make sense.

  
  

• 5 Devolver Digital

  

  Date: Sunday, June 9th/Monday June 10th
  Time: 1900 PT/2200 ET/0300 BST
  Watch here

  Honestly, who knows. Blood. Chaos. Some gifable moments.