E3 Preview: What to Expect

This year’s edition of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles kicks off on Tuesday with plenty of goodies for video game fans, including new gaming systems and hundreds of exciting titles.

This year’s E3 video game conference and show will run June 11-13 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Let’s take a look at this E3 preview to see some of the highlights of the event.

Microsoft vs. Sony

The most anticipated event of the expo will undoubtedly be the showdown between the two most anticipated next generation consoles: Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation 4. Both tech giants are expected to reveal a lot more details about their upcoming consoles, including official release dates and pricing.

In fact, everybody expects Microsoft and Sony’s E3 press conferences to be their strongest in years. Microsoft has already announced a pre-event press conference on Monday, with the purpose of revealing more details about their freshly unveiled console.

Sony, meanwhile, is expected to reveal what the PlayStation 4 looks like. Back in February, we have seen a new DualShock controller with a touch pad and a share share button, but not much else in terms of design and other capabilities. That will most certainly change at the E3 next week.

We are also hoping to see some pricing details for both next-generation platforms, as there are plenty of yet unconfirmed rumors on the topic. Most analysts expect the consoles to cost up to $400.

Nintendo goes back to the people

Nintendo will not hold a press conference at the E3, but will organize other smaller events focused on the company’s software lineup for the U.S. market.

In an attempt of making its E3 presence “about the people,” Nintendo announced a Best Buy partnership which will see 100 Best Buy stores in the U.S. and Canada making available demos of unreleased games for Wii U.

New game extravaganza

Let’s not forget the E3 is also about the actual games, offering the avid audience sneak peeks and details about the most anticipated releases. And E3 is also known for offering plenty of surprise announcements, so we’ll see what unexpected sequels or new titles will emerge.

Microsoft is already expected to promote 15 initial titles for the Xbox One and Sony is very likely to do the same. Nintendo also has its own line-up to display. Famous gaming franchises such as Battlefield, Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed are also expected to make a splash.

We’ll be back later this week with more details about the E3 and some of its highlights. What E3 events are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below.

[Images via USA Today & purenintendo]