1. The Press Conferences
Think of an Apple press conference, then add seat-rattling explosions, car chases, and a whole lot of t-shirt/blazer combos; THEN multiply that by multiple developers and publishers. All of these press conferences, where larger developers and publishers announce upcoming games and expansions to existing ones, are available to watch live online! Here’s the schedule:
- Bethesda: Sunday, June 14, at 10 p.m. EST (competing with the Game of Thrones finale is a bold move, but more Fallout 4 news might well be worth skipping it).
- Microsoft: Monday, June 15, at 12:30 p.m. EST (can’t wait to see what brand new IP they announce aside from the usual sequels).
- EA: Monday, June 15, at 4 p.m. EST (Crossing my fingers for some well-placed FIFA jokes!)
- Ubisoft: Monday, June 15, at 6 p.m. EST (Looking forward to another Aisha Tyler-helmed conference!)
- Nintendo: Tuesday, June 16, at noon EST (Hoping against hope that Mario Maker adds a music creator a’la Mario Paint to go with your custom levels).
- Square Enix: Tuesday, June 16, at 1 p.m. EST (More Final Fantasy? Kingdom Hearts? Who knows?)
- PC Gaming: Tuesday, June 16, at 8 p.m. EST (The first E3 press conference devoted to all of you PC gamers out there.)
In addition to the announcements, E3 is about showcasing those games on the show floor of the Los Angeles Convention Center. New Times will be there with bells on, giving you some of the sights, sounds, and best cosplay on the show floor. Things we’re excited to check out? The return of plastic instruments in the form of Harmonix’s Rock Band 4 and Activision’s Guitar Hero Live!, Nintendo’s Mario Maker (where you can design and share your own Mario game levels), and the myriad independent developers showcasing their innovative contributions, whether bolstered by major publishers or on display at E3’s IndieCade showcase—not to mention those that have yet to be announced!
3. Cheering on Miami at the Nintendo World Championships!
The Nintendo World Championships are a nationwide competition pitting eight Nintendophiles against each other in a battle of speed and skill. One of the qualifying rounds was held right here in Miami (Doral, to be exact), and Miami’s own Fernando Terracuso won the chance to compete in the finals at E3 in LA. The finals are on Sunday, June 14th at 6 PM EST, and you can watch them live at e3.nintendo.com. We look forward to cheering him on and seeing him bring back the championship! Might be the only one the city gets this year. No pressure, Fernando.
E3 runs from Tuesday, June 16 to Thursday, June 18, with major announcements starting Sunday night. What games are you hoping to see next week?