We’re less than two weeks away from E3 2019. While many of the industry’s biggest publishers still hold press conferences in the days leading up to the expo, Nintendo will once again air a pre-recorded Nintendo Direct in lieu of a live stage show, which will showcase a number of games coming to Switch this year. Before that, however, the company is airing a Pokemon-focused Direct on June 5, with a series of invitational tournaments following on June 8. If you plan on tuning in, here’s everything you need to know about what time it all starts and where you can watch it.
What Time Do Nintendo’s E3 Livestreams Start?
As it traditionally does, Nintendo is airing its E3 Direct presentation the morning the expo begins. This year, that falls on Tuesday, June 11. The company hasn’t specified how long the stream will be–Directs typically run anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes–but it is scheduled to begin at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET. In the UK, the presentation will start at 5 PM BST, while viewers in Australia will need to stay up until 2 AM AET on June 12.
Tuesday’s Direct will be the “big” one in terms of what the company plans to showcase, but it is hardly the only stream Nintendo is airing ahead of E3. On Wednesday, June 5, there will be a special Pokemon Direct. That will begin at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET / 2 PM BST and will reveal new details about the upcoming Pokemon Sword and Shield games. Then on Saturday, June 8, Nintendo will host back-to-back tournaments for Super Mario Maker 2, Splatoon 2, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, beginning at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 7 PM BST.
Where To Watch
Nintendo will be streaming its various broadcasts on its Twitch and YouTube channels, as well as on its website. You’ll also be able to watch the Pokemon and E3 Directs right here on GameSpot. We’ll have both streams available on-site, so you can tune in during the times outlined above and watch the presentations unfold.
What To Expect
Nintendo has been characteristically tight-lipped about its E3 2019 Direct; all the company has said thus far is that the presentation will offer “a look at Nintendo Switch titles for 2019,” of which there are quite a few already lined up. Daemon X Machina, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Luigi’s Mansion 3, and the upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening are all slated to release sometime this year, so we’ll presumably learn more about those during the broadcast. Nintendo has also said that a new Animal Crossing game for Switch is coming out in 2019; presuming it hasn’t been delayed, there’s a good chance we’ll get our first look at the title during the company’s E3 Direct.
Nintendo typically has one or two surprise announcements hidden up its sleeve as well, and that may prove true again this year–although what those could be is anyone’s guess. It’s also been a while since the company has provided any update on the Switch exclusive Bayonetta 3; perhaps we’ll finally learn more about it at this year’s E3. There are a handful of smaller games slated to arrive this year as well, including the tentatively named Town from Pokemon developer Game Freak and the Zelda/Crypt of the NecroDancer crossover, Cadence of Hyrule; the latter is releasing sometime in June, so we may hear more about it at E3.
As previously mentioned, Nintendo and The Pokemon Company are revealing more about Pokemon Sword and Shield during the dedicated Pokemon Direct that takes place on June 5, so any new information we learn about the titles will likely come from that broadcast. There’s also a chance Nintendo may unveil some new content for Splatoon 2 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate during their respective tournaments on June 8. Following last year’s Splatoon World Championships, the company announced the release date of the game’s Octo Expansion DLC, so it isn’t out of the ordinary for reveals to come out of these events. There are still four unannounced DLC fighters in the works for Smash Bros., so we may get a look at another one during its tournament, and perhaps Nintendo will cap off its Super Mario Maker 2 invitational with some kind of surprise for that game.
Many other companies have some big plans for this year’s E3, as well. Be sure to check out our full E3 2019 press conference schedule for more details on what Microsoft, Ubisoft, Bethesda, and others have lined up for this year’s expo.
