In the absence of E3, many outlets have decided to try and fill the gap left by the year's biggest gaming event taking at least a year off. The ESA says E3 will return in 2021, but an uncertain future amid a pandemic and a changing industry both spell uncertainty for the once titanic games showcase.
It may be that E3 2021 does happen, but for now we know there's a whole slate of summer 2020 shows looking to fill the void left by E3, to the extent that it's easy to lose focus of what's happening and when. Here's every show announced so far and how to watch. Bookmark this page as we'll update it as needed.
Summer Game Fest Sunrise #1 - May 12, 12 pm EST
Part of Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest, these "Sunrise" events will be teased game reveals throughout the summer. We don't yet know how many Sunrises there will be, but we know the first comes on May 12. Follow SummerGameFest on Twitter to catch it live.
Wholesome Games Direct - May 26, 1 pm EST
If you're into games that are more about cuddling than culling, the Wholesome Games Direct is the show for you. With more than 50 family-friendly games on display, this is the type of hsow that maybe gets lost in a typical year, but without E3, it can shine. Catch it on May 26 at the brand's YouTube channel.
Guerrilla Collective - June 6-8
The Guerrilla Collective show is a three-day event just announced for June, and it's going to highlight a number of upcoming indies in a year without E3.
The show begins on June 6 at 10 am Pacific on Twitch.TV/guerrillacollective and will continue for the subsequent two days after. Dozens of virtual attendees have already been revealed for the indie showcase with more to be revealed in the weeks leading up to the show.
Paradox Insider - June 6, 2:30 pm EST
Fans of Paradox Interactive won't want to miss this reveal event for the strategy and city-builder-focused studio.
PC Gaming Show - June 6, 3 pm EST
The PC Gaming Show will return for another year even without E3. Look for a heavy dose of PC games, but console players should tune in too, as many games shown at this annual show will also be destined for their preferred platforms.
Future Games Show - June 6, 5:30 pm EST
Gamesradar and the rest of the Future Publishing banner will be hosting its own show during the usual E3 week with a focus on gaming reveals, gameplay, and discussions about a surely busy month.
UploadVR Showcase - June 8, Time TBA
Fans of virtual reality should make time for the second annual UploadVR Showcase, a summer gaming show dedicated 100% to headsets and the games we love to play on them. UploadVR promises an even bigger show in 2020 with more than 20 VR titles on display.
Steam Game Festival - June 9-14
From June 9-14, players can once again check out a host of demos for upcoming games. This is a trend that began with last December's The Game Awards and Geoff Keighley, producer of both the award show and Summer Game Fest, appears keen to make it a recurring event.
EA Play Live 2020 - June 11, 7 pm EST
EA Play is still a go for 2020, only this time it will be a totally streamed event without a live audience, for reasons that should now be obvious. Look for first looks at Madden NFL 21, FIFA 21, and more, including maybe a full reveal of the next Dragon Age.
Cyberpunk 2077 Night City Wire - June 11, Time TBA
The team behind one of the year's biggest games is hosting its own digital event. We don't know much about it yet, but we've still circled our calendars.
The Escapist Indie Showcase - June 11, Time TBA
The Escapist will also be hosting its own show this summer, with a showcase of 50+ upcoming indies on the outlet's YouTube and Twitch channels. More details will be revealed soon.
Ubisoft Forward - July 12, Time TBA
As the company alluded to after E3's cancellation, Ubisoft will still host an "E3 style presentation" this summer to reveal new games. The stream hasn't been given a time yet, but Ubisoft said to stay tuned to all its social channels for more information.
Xbox Game Studios Showcase - July, Date and Time TBA
With Microsoft promising news every month as part of its Xbox 20/20 initiative leading up to the launch of the Series X this fall, the team has revealed this July will be its first-party showcase. That means we can expect something else for June, but the team hasn't yet revealed what that is.
Gamescom: Opening Night Live - August 27, 2 pm EST
Gamescom is all-digital in 2020, like so many other shows, but its first night is scheduled to be a big deal, with Geoff Keighley himself hosting the festivities. Look for more to come of this event like it does every year as a post-E3 second wave of reveals.
Other Summer Gaming Events
This list will continue to expand over the coming weeks and months, so we'll update it as we go. For now, we now of umbrella-style events that span the summer, including Gamespot's Play for All, IGN's Summer of Gaming, Xbox 20/20, and Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest. All of these - and likely more shows yet revealed - will bring us continued gaming news through the next several months. Bookmark this page to stay on top of what's coming.
