Happy period-previously-known-as-E3! Los Angeles’s mammoth gaming trade show may be no more, but the tradition of various bodies holding gaming showcases and conferences in this period certainly hasn’t changed. They’ve just gone predominantly online, making it easier for fans to share in the excitement right as announcements and reveals happen.
You can find a comprehensive breakdown of the next week’s gaming presentation schedule here (and here, which covers all the way to August), but below we’ve singled out what we’ll be watching.
For the record, for South Africans wanting to plan their viewing, know that thanks to Daylight Savings Time in Europe right now, we can use CEST times as is (no calculations and hour additions required).
Guerrilla Collective (Thursday, 6 June)
10 AM PST / 1 PM EST / 7 PM CEST (SA time)
First up is Guerrilla Collective, organised by the Media Indie Exchange (The MIX). Guerrilla Collective is a handy way to discover an eclectic range of upcoming indie games spanning all genres. Watch on YouTube here.
Summer Game Fest (Friday, 7 June)
2 PM PST / 5 PM EST / 11 PM CEST (SA time)
The umbrella grouping many of this week’s gaming events is Summer Game Fest. That said, Summer Game Fest has its own two-hour livestream too, presented by organiser Geoff Keighley (who is also behind December’s popular The Game Awards). While Summer Game Fest is known for its big announcements from major publishers, and celebrity guests, Keighley has already asked viewers to moderate their expectations this year. Watch on YouTube here.
For the record, Summer Game Fest is immediately followed by one-hour indie showcase Day of the Devs (4 PM PST / 7 PM EST / 1 AM CEST on 8 June). And then the always delightfully unhinged Devolver Direct (5 PM PST / 8 PM EST / 2 AM CEST on 8 June) dedicated to games being released by the specialist indie publisher. Again, these are excellent opportunities to discover exciting, inventive independent games on the horizon.
Wholesome Direct (Saturday, 8 June)
9 AM PST / 12 PM EST / 6 PM CEST (SA time)
Moving on to the Saturday, our standout pick is the one-hour Wholesome Direct, where the team behind Wholesome Games spotlight 70+ indie titles that can be considered “cosy” games i.e. they’re family-friendly, typically relaxing, upbeat and emotionally resonant. There are normally a few surprise instant release announcements during the presentation too. Watch on YouTube here.
Also streaming today as part of Summer Game Fest are some special inclusivity-minded events, like Latin American Games Showcase (10 AM PST / 1 PM EST / 7 PM CEST) and Women-led Games Summer Games Fest (11:30 AM PST / 2:30 PM EST / 8:30 PM CEST).
Xbox Games Showcase (Sunday, 9 June)
10 AM PST / 1 PM EST / 7 PM CEST (SA time)
PlayStation already held their latest State of Play on 30 May. Come this Sunday, it’s Xbox’s turn! The Xbox Games Showcase 2024 forms a double feature with the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Direct, a deep dive into the next COD instalment, which will directly follow the primary stream. You can expect the entire presentation to run around two hours, and cover games from Xbox’s various studios under the banners of Activision, Blizzard, Bethesda, and Xbox Game Studios, in addition to titles from third-party partners. Watch on YouTube here.
For the record, while we’re talking about the big three console makers, Nintendo has yet to announce the date of their next Direct.
Ubisoft Forward (Monday, 10 June)
12 PM PST / 3 PM EST / 9 PM CEST (SA time)
If you haven’t fatigued by Monday, there is one final major online showcase, courtesy of powerhouse AAA publisher Ubisoft. The latest Ubisoft Forward promises fresh looks at the Star Wars Outlaws, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the recently released XDefiant and more. Watch on YouTube here.
P.S. If you watch on Twitch, whether on Ubisoft’s channel or through anyone co-streaming through the “Special Events” category, you can earn up to nine Twitch drops.
