Events
This Summer in Gaming 2021: 10 Events For Your Calendar
Published
3 years agoon
Heads up, gamers — it's that time of year again. You know, the season that practically hosts the bulk of the video game reveals and extensive Q&As. Yeah, that time of year. But don't be fooled by the lack of media coverage on events outside of E3 2021 — because there is, in fact, a whole lot more brewing from the corners of the industry. Of course, E3 2021 is definitely one to keep smudged on your calendar, though there are a few more key dates that you'll need to jot down as well.
Over the course of June, July and August, global events will storm the digital stage and bring forth an enormous collection of upcoming video games. From new and exciting trailers to behind the scenes gameplay — each show will gift wrap enough material to keep streamers prying at their wallets through to August and beyond. And it all starts in just three days. So, without further ado — here are the events you'll need to keep pinned for the summer. I hope you've got enough ink!
Indie Live Expo
June 5th at 2 a.m. PT — YouTube, Twitch, Bliblibli and Twitter
While many frontrunners will likely take to E3 2021 and other huge events to showcase their works, there will be a rather large collection of titles that will ultimately settle on Indie Live Expo, which is set to go live on June 9th. With over 300 indie games being introduced to the community, players will be able to catch a glimpse of what's to come in the world of indie gaming. Indie fan or not — this one is definitely worth taking a gander at — if only for the whopping 300 reveals.
Guerrilla Collective 2
June 5th at 8 a.m. PT / June 12th at 8 a.m. PT — Twitch
2020 established quite a large collection of events after E3 closed the doors due to the global pandemic. One of these was, of course, Guerrilla Collective, which went on to showcase the likes of Baldur's Gate 3, as well as a spool of other fascinating indie titles. True to the gaming convention formula, Guerrilla Collective hosts the usual reel of trailers, gameplay snippets and lengthy Q&A segments. And now, it's coming back for a second wave — with twice the amount of content to unveil.
Summer Game Fest
June 10th at 11 a.m. PT — Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook
On top of the renowned E3 2021, Summer Game Fest is striking back for another take at the throne this year. Similar to last year, the showcase will spread out over several days and will ultimately combine a series of famous events, such as EA Play and Steam Next Fest. As an all-in-one package that provides the scoop on a whole collection of conventions, Summer Game Fest is one to keep plastered on your radar for the whole of June.
Wholesome Direct
#WholesomeDirect returns on June 12 at 1pm ET! 📺 We'll have new game reveals, exclusive footage, and even games that will launch *during* the show! And thanks to our pals at @GuerrillaCollec, @Twitch, @IGN and @GameSpot, Wholesome Direct will reach even more players this year 🥳 pic.twitter.com/NGy9TrSWyd
— Wholesome Games (@_wholesomegames) May 12, 2021
June 12th at 10 a.m. PT — via Guerrilla Collective
Another indie convention you're going to want to stick in your diary is Wholesome Direct, a Nintendo-style show that will reveal upwards of 75 games to the market. And on top of that, a selection of titles will also become available to play as the show progresses. So, if you're on the hunt for a new adventure and want first dibs, then we suggest you put this quirky convention in your planner.
E3 2021
June 12th to June 15th — E3 Official, Twitch, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook
There's no denying it — E3 is hands down one of the biggest and most anticipated events to land on our screens each year. Although 2020 wasn't too kind to the kingpin of conventions, E3 has made the effort to go bigger and more exclusive than ever for their 2021 round. With Nintendo, Microsoft, Ubisoft, Square Enix, and upwards of 60 additional companies taking to the stage, E3 2021 is shaping up to be a series of dates that anyone in the industry will want to behold. Of course, it goes without saying — but you'll want this one scribbled down on your calendar.
Steam Next Fest
June 16th to June 22nd — Steam
Another classic convention that players flock to each year is Steam Next Fest (previously known as Steam Game Festival). With hundreds of playable demos and stacks of live stream hours to sift through, the renowned event will provide streamers with a mouth-watering mound of content to keep the hours ticking over. Bundle in a bunch of interviews with both aspiring and globally recognised developers and you've got yourself a week of action-packed entertainment. And then some.
PAX East Online
June 15th to June 18th —Twitch, Steam and YouTube
PAX East will be finding ground on the online platform for yet another year of “thought-provoking panels, exciting livestreams, new game demos, tournaments, and a community experience unlike any other.” Stuffed with virtual arenas, nail-biting stand-offs and a whole ocean of streamable content, PAX East will be bringing all of the content fans have come to cherish to one digital front for a gaming extravaganza.
EA Play Live
July 22nd — TBA
In a bid to outshine the iconic E3 event, Electronic Arts (EA) has resorted to building a self-titled show for another year running. After scratching their name from the E3 2021 roster, EA spread out the foundations for their annual showcase, EA Play Live. And it's coming back next month, with an enormous amount of reveals to serve up to the online community. From Battlefield 6 to The Sims 5, Madden 22 to FIFA 22 — EA Play Live will most definitely knock your socks off regardless of genre preference.
Gamescom
August 25th to August 29th —TBA
Another event to note down is the Germany-based Gamescom, which will be returning to the online platform again this August. Complete with another series of upcoming games, conferences and exclusive talks with both celebrated developers and top-shelf figures, Gamescom will once again share a shedload of material to its streamers over a set amount of days, each being completely choc-full of noteworthy moments.
Sony State of Play
TBA —TBA
Although Sony did recently host a State of Play event on May 27th, fans have been looking to the gaming kingpin for another round of news. Considering the bulk of the recent event honed in on Horizon: Forbidden West and not much else, streamers withdrew from the conclusion of it being a one and done event and went on to expect another reveal at a later date. Of course, nothing has been set in stone just yet, though Sony does tend to put out a State of Play showcase a few times a year. And with that, a summer spool isn't totally out of the question. Either way, it's worth keeping a note of it.
Jord is acting Team Leader at gaming.net. If he isn't blabbering on in his daily listicles, then he's probably out writing fantasy novels or scraping Game Pass of all its slept on indies.