We’re in the run up to E3 2018, and many companies have already outlined their plans for this year’s show. The expo formally begins on Tuesday, June 12, but a number of major publishers will host their own press conferences in the days leading up to the event. Microsoft’s briefing is scheduled to take place on Sunday, June 10, although this year’s showing will be much different than in past years.
Instead of having a presence inside the Los Angeles Convention Center, where E3 is traditionally held, Microsoft has announced it will move to the nearby Microsoft Theater in LA Live. According to the publisher, this move allows it to have its “biggest E3 showing ever,” as it will be able to host the bulk of its efforts in a single venue. It won’t be entirely absent from the convention center however, as there will still be a traditional booth for its streaming service, Mixer, on the show floor.
Moving to the Microsoft Theater also allows the publisher to host more fans at its Xbox FanFest events than it could have in the past. “Not only does the Microsoft Theater allow us to centralize our Xbox presence at E3, but its size enables us to include even more fans and partners in the Xbox E3 2018 Briefing than ever before,” said Microsoft’s corporate VP Mike Nichols.
“These changes–expanding our presence, multiple venues, taking over the Microsoft Theater–give us the opportunity to bring together a variety of Xbox experiences into one primary location and, most importantly, let fans in on what we’re up to in 2018 and beyond in a fresh new way.”
Microsoft’s press conference kicks off at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET / 9 PM BST (6 AM AET on June 11). Xbox boss Phil Spencer has promised there will be “positive changes” for the company at this year’s E3, although just what those could be remains to be seen. Likewise, we won’t know what games the publisher plans to show off until its press conference rolls around, as Microsoft has remained tight-lipped about its E3 lineup. Despite this, a number of Xbox One games have been confirmed for the expo.
You’ll have a variety of options for watching Microsoft’s E3 2018 briefing. The broadcast will air online on the company’s Twitch, YouTube, and Mixer channels. GameSpot will also host a stream of the conference, so you can tune in right here to see all of Microsoft’s announcements. Additionally, Xbox One owners can watch the briefing on their console using the Mixer app.