The industry had high hopes for E3 2021: after the unfortunate cancellation of E3 2020, developers and gamers firmly believed that E3 2021 would go on as planned, if only the global public health crisis would ease up a bit

Well, the good news is that the public health situation is much better than last year The bad news, however, is that it is still not safe to hold a major expo this June Therefore, E3 2021 will be held entirely online

This is a bit of a mixed bag While online events lack the vibrancy and charm of real-world events, they also allow E3 to open its doors to the general public For the first time ever, E3 2021 will be completely free and open to anyone who wants to attend, not just industry professionals, press, and a few lucky general visitors

First things first: E3 2021 begins on June 12 and ends on June 15, with E3 promising that "virtual streams and announcements will be online through all major video platforms and through the [E3 website] portal and supporting mobile apps It promises that they will be "available Plain enough; if you want to see E3 content, just tune in to your usual video source starting June 12, and you'll be able to watch E3 coverage

For the press, however, E3 begins on June 7 with "Pre-E3 Media days" This will be much like the actual show, perhaps with private briefings and smaller presentations for the media While the general public will not be able to attend these sessions, E3 has always welcomed smaller press representatives Independent content creators will need to keep their ears open for more information

It is not accurate to say that E3 2021 offers "free tickets" Instead, you can watch it on your favorite video platform or through the online portal of the official E3 website (11]

E3 promises "major exhibitor showcases," "live press conferences," "unexpected announcements," "high-profile hosts," and "charitable activities" For the most part, however, E3 2021 appears to be a series of video broadcasts and live streams from both major companies and individuals within the gaming industry

"Digitally re-imagined, E3 2021 will recapture the magic of the past 20+ years while creating innovative, interactive online experiences that will pave the way for 2022 and beyond," the E3 website states

There is some good news: E3 2021 has already been signed by most of the biggest names in the industry We can expect announcements from Nintendo, Xbox, Capcom, Konami, Ubisoft, Take-Two, Warner Bros and Deep Silver However, if past shows are any indication, publishers won't show up at E3 without at least one big title