Over the last several decades of gaming, the month of May has always been a precursor to the world’s largest video games exposition: E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo). Rumours and leaks would often fuel the anticipation of the event, building up to a wondrous crescendo as it arrives for all to enjoy in early June. Of all of the gaming events dates 2020, it is by far the one everyone was looking forward to. I (Hans) have had the privilege of attending E3 several times, to much exhaustion and elation. For 2020, courtesy of COVID-19, the event has been cancelled – well, the physical portion of it anyway. Thankfully, there is some good news at the end of this dark virus laden tunnel.

During traditional week long E3 events, publishers and developers would release a bevy of news and announcements for gamers to consume. Think of it as an all consuming whirlwind of information. At best it confirms rumours and satisfies the curiosity of gamers, at worst the overload of information causes some games to be swept under the rug in favour of bigger news releases. For 2020, every single publisher and developer has been forced to change gears. The result will be a week’s worth of content being spread over several months, therefore ensuring every game gets the limelight it deserves and allowing gamers to enjoy ever facet of the industry at their own leisure. With this in mind, most publishers and developers are preparing digital variants of their press conferences.

Below we have outlined all of the major video gaming event dates 2020 has to offer. We will continue to keep this article updated as events take place and are announced – including links to the livestreams to enjoy. So be sure to bookmark this page for future reference!

Microsoft Xbox

Date: Monthly. See Inside Xbox as new episodes release.

Microsoft has promised a series of monthly streams leading up to the launch of Xbox Series X. The first Inside Xbox 20/20 stream took place on 7 May. It has also been confirmed that another is scheduled for sometime during the usual Electronic Entertainment Expo week, with additional streams in July – namely the first party title showcase. We will update this segment accordingly as the streams become available, and we have embedded the Inside Xbox playlist below for your convenience.

Sony PlayStation 5 – Future of Gaming

Date: 11 June 2020, 9 pm BST

While Sony has long confirmed their on-stage absence for what would have been E3 2020, there is no denying the company will be showcasing first party titles and hardware sometime during the E3 week. The company is due to give fans a good look at the PlayStation 5! The stream is dated for 11 June 2020, and will be showcasing all-new looks at video games and the console all Sony fans have been waiting for.

Nintendo

Date: TBA

Nintendo has been doing the online-only thing for quite a while now, and this year will be no different. Usually, the company reserves a nice and open Tuesday morning (PDT) slot for their E3 Direct showcase. Recent rumours, however, indicate the company may be forgoing their usual Nintendo Direct stream this year in favour of trickling more concise streams to fans over a longer period of time. We will update this segment with the latest up and coming Nintendo Direct streams.

Bethesda

No keynote planned.

Sad News Update: Bethesda has announced that there will be no planned keynote to replace their usual E3 spot for 2020. Instead, the company will trickle out news and updates as they become available from both first-party and third party studios who work with the Elder Scrolls publisher.

Original post: Bethesda VP of communications and marketing, Pete Hines, has stated that the company may not be planning anything for E3, regardless of it going digital. Hines slates “many challenges” due to the pandemic as a reason. While a bummer indeed, we are still hoping to see something. As such, we will be keeping this segment here and keep it updated as news becomes available.

CD Projekt RED

Date: 25 June 2020, time TBA

As usual, CD Projekt RED has a massive stage performance lined up… only this time it will be online! Cyberpunk 2077 Night City Wire will showcase new details about everything CD Projekt RED has cooking. Naturally, this means we will see more of Cyberpunk 2077. Can. Not. Wait!

Devolver Digital

Date: TBA

Devolver Digital has been a fan-favourite staple at E3 for a while now. The studio and publishing house has confirmed that they will be planning a Devolver Direct livestream, press conference “and possibly more” for their players and fans. Naturally, the links and embedded video will appear here once dates and times have been established.

EA Play Live

Date: 19 June 2020, 12am BST

The yearly EA Play has not faltered! This year, it is going digital with a brand-new EA Play Live 2020. Electronic Arts says it will be all about connecting players around the world and bringing them closer to the franchises they love. Fans can expect live showcases, community content, and “more”.

Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest

Date: 20 July 2020 – August. Exact dates and times TBA.

Industry pundit Geoff Keighley usually hosts his own rewards show called The Game Awards. In the wake of the Novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, Keighley has decided to “bring the world together to celebrate video games from the comfort of home”. As such, starting in May and going all the way through to August, Keighley will be hosting a “season of digital video game events” that include showcases from publishers, select playable content, in-game events, and “more”.

IGN’s Summer of Gaming

Date: 10 June – 25 June 2020

IGN is planning on keeping gamers entertained throughout what would have been the Electronic Entertainment Expo week for 2020. The media company has a lot of streams planned aimed at showcasing new, as of yet unrevealed video games; charity streams, and more. The live streams will start on 10 June 2020, and will run regularly throughout the month. There will be a much larger focus on new games during the E3 2020 week, but gamers can expect a lot of fun happenings. Full playlist embedded below.

Square Enix

No keynote planned.

Sad New Update: Square has revealed that it will be very challenging to create a keynote surrounding all future announcements due to COVID-19. As such, the publisher will be hosting smaller conferences such as the Avengers War Table with the aim of focusing on specific titles throughout the coming months. The Avengers War Table will stream on 24 June 2020.

Original post: In 2019, Square Enix held its own conference at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. This year, they may very well have to run their own conference entirely. So far, the only news we have from Square is that they are saddened by the cancellation of E3 2020, but that they are thankful for their fans for sticking through it. We are fairly certain the company will plan another Nintendo Direct-lookalike this year, however, so keep an eye out for that!

Ubisoft Forward

Date: 12 July 2020, 8 pm BST

Ubisoft was one of the first companies to come out and say that they were making plans to go digital. Since then, however, they have been mum about particulars and details. While we are eagerly awaiting further developments, we can rest assured that their online showcase will be nothing short of spectacular. After all, they always have the most colourful and lively on-stage presentations by far.

Warner Bros.

Date: TBA

In what is a first for Warner Bros., a rumour from Bloomberg journalist, Jason Schreier, suggests that we will be seeing a lot of this publishing house and development studio around the time that E3 2020 would have been going on. Games fans are eager to learn about are the mysterious new Rocksteady title, the New WB Batman title, and even a Harry Potter title!

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Owner, founder and editor-in-chief at Vamers, Hans has a vested interest in geek culture and the interactive entertainment industry. With a Masters degree in Communications and Ludology, he is well read and versed in matters relating to video games and communication media, among many other topics of interest.

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Junior Editor at Vamers. From Superman to Ironman; Bill Rizer to Sam Fisher and everything in-between, Edward loves it all. He is a Bachelor of Arts student and English Major specialising in Language and Literature. He is an avid writer and casual social networker with a flare for all things tech related.